Report Claims President Donald Trump’s Influence Gives Paramount The Edge In Bids For Warner Bros., While Also Helping Revive The Career of Brett Ratner And The ‘Rush Hour’ Series!
Paramount-Skydance is the alleged frontrunner in the battle to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery, and they reportedly have the President of the United States to thank. The friendship the Ellison family who own Skydance has with Donald Trump is said to be giving them a leg up among bidders.
According to The New York Post, it’s not their association by itself giving the Ellisons the lead. The Ellison’s bid is sweetened by the fact they are willing to buy all of WBD to the last component, including CNN. To them and Trump, the cable news dinosaur started by Ted Turner is still ‘’worth saving’’ for its untapped potential.
“They see CNN, warts and all, as a very profitable business worth saving,” says The Post.” Trump, meanwhile, desperately wants CNN — whose correspondents regularly spar with him at the White House and on Air Force One — “neutralized” out of its anti-MAGA coverage, one top broadcast executive recently told.”
Under Ellison/Skydance leadership, it’s said, Trump believes CNN will go MAGA , much like Paramount reportedly is, as the Ellisons will hire people who “squeeze left-wing bias out of its news programming.” Because of their biases, the POTUS has not been CNN’s biggest fan while he’s been in office, and there are anchors there he would like to terminate.
However, his ambitions might extend beyond turning around one 24-hour news channel. Another report claims Trump wants to reshape popular culture especially at the movies. In no uncertain terms, the Pres. wants to see more action on the big screen of the helicopter-chase and buddy-cop variety.
For that reason, he is pushing for Rush Hour 4, per Semafor. Other than a love for the Jean-Claude Van Damme martial arts trendsetter of dubious inspiration, Bloodsport, Trump’s fixation on this dormant series seems to stem from partnerships he has formed with its producer Arthur Sarkissian and its director.
Rush Hour originated with disgraced filmmaker Brett Ratner, who was dumped by Warner Bros. over misconduct charges during the height of #MeToo. Work dried up fast and his production company, RatPac Dune, was shuttered.
Lately, Ratner has experienced a slow comeback thanks to an upcoming Amazon documentary following none other than First Lady Melania Trump. Sarkissian also recently partook in a documentary that flatteringly depicted her husband, so there could be a quid pro quo.
Some are hoping Trump’s aid in media maneuvers behind the scenes could usher in the return of the Snyderverse. The only proof this is even possible is he really liked Ben Affleck’s Batman.
Zack Snyder’s activity on Instagram might be a sign the director knows the tide is shifting behind the scenes in his favor. Until Warner is sold and the Snyderverse is brought back to life officially, no one can say that is the case.
