Paramount Might Sell Nickelodeon/Cartoon Properties to Make WB Merger Happen

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The competition to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery between Paramount/Sykdance and Netflix has concluded, with Paramount emerging as the likely winner. Netflix has withdrawn from the deal to buy the studio behind popular franchises like Looney Tunes, the DC Universe, The Lord of the Rings, and Game of Thrones. However, the merger isn’t finalized yet. Paramount still needs approval from European regulators, and reports suggest they may have to make significant concessions to secure it. There’s a possibility that popular properties like SpongeBob SquarePants and Avatar: The Last Airbender could be sold off as part of these concessions, though this hasn’t been officially confirmed.

A recent Bloomberg report suggests Paramount Skydance may need to sell off some of its children’s TV channels to finalize their merger. Paramount would prefer to avoid this, but appears willing to do so if necessary, potentially meaning the sale of major animated properties. While not explicitly stated, this likely includes the Nickelodeon network and its popular shows. European regulators could object to the deal, as Warner Bros. already owns a significant number of animated franchises, and combining these holdings could create a monopoly.

Is The Paramount/WB Merger in Danger?

Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Jennifer Rie explained that Paramount might face issues with the European Commission regarding its potential merger. The Commission will likely investigate how the combined company would overlap with Warner Bros. Discovery in providing children’s TV channels, especially if their combined market share exceeds 40% in any country. Interestingly, Paramount might need to sell off some of its animated shows to get the deal approved, potentially revisiting a previous business relationship.

In recent years, Netflix has been steadily adding animated shows from Nickelodeon, including popular franchises like SpongeBob SquarePants, Rocko’s Modern Life, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Invader Zim, and The Loud House. Given this trend, it’s likely Netflix will continue to acquire more of these properties. However, if Netflix were to take over these shows, it’s unclear what that would mean for Nickelodeon as a traditional TV channel.

Considering Paramount also owns popular Nickelodeon properties, it’s worth wondering if this issue will affect their adult animated shows too. Shows like South Park and Beavis and Butt-Head have been very successful for the studio lately, and they’re already planning more seasons. Losing these shows would be a significant setback. Fortunately, as of now, there’s no indication that either show is at risk.

Via Bloomberg

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2026-06-06 21:40