Warner Bros | David Zaslav set for nearly $1bn off back of Paramount takeover

Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav is set to become an even richer man once Paramount takes over the studio. Cultural vandal David Zaslav, the man whose legacy in film should forever be linked to his decision to delete completed films for a tax write off rather than release them, is obviously being rewarded for ... Warner Bros | David Zaslav set for nearly $1bn off back of Paramount takeover

Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav is set to become an even richer man once Paramount takes over the studio.

Cultural vandal David Zaslav, the man whose legacy in film should forever be linked to his decision to delete completed films for a tax write off rather than release them, is obviously being rewarded for efforts over the past few years. Zaslav’s tenure at the top of Warner Bros Discovery is ending with the company being sold off, with thousands of jobs set to go in the process.

But as is tradition, the ultra rich will come out of it fine. A new filing has revealed that once Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery is complete, that Zaslav will profit to the tune of $700m. That’s the kind of money that obviously could save thousands of jobs, or go into the pockets of one already-rich man, and, well, you know.

Already, a few weeks back, it was revealed that Zaslav had trousered $114m, having sold of some his stock at that stage. Coming out of the other end of this, this one transaction will have earned the CEO of Warner Bros Discovery nearly a billion dollars. On top of his earnings for the last few years, and he was hardly being paid a few dollars an hour.

I’ve been chatting to one or two people working for Paramount and Warner Bros over the past few weeks. When the acquisition is finally completely, the staffing numbers at both studios are set to be trimmed, and the people I’ve been chatting to are having fears over how they’re going to be able to pay the bills, and will they need to change career altogether.

Something at some point surely has to give here, but as things stand, the majority of financial benefits of this deal appear to be pouring into the pockets of a few people, at the cost of thousands of others.

I shouldn’t write news stories like this when I’ve only just woken up, and am in a bad mood. But still: it doesn’t have a nice stink to it.

Here’s more from Deadline on Zaslav’s compensation. Doubt it’ll cheer many people up.