There’s been a line of hopeful, and some would say misplaced, optimism that the upcoming merger between WarnerMedia and Discovery could result in the restoration and resurrection of the SnyderVerse.
Of course, we’re talking about a potential $100 billion deal between two massive corporations where most of the major players involved don’t even have a background in the feature film business, but that hasn’t stopped speculation from making the rounds that whoever takes charge will boot out the old regime and welcome Zack Snyder back into the fold based entirely on the audience goodwill towards a single HBO Max exclusive.
Now, a new report has dived into the ins and outs of the deal, and at this stage it looks a lot more likely that Disney could end up buying DC than Justice League 2 or 3 happening, which would certainly be a shocking turn of events. As per the story, AT&T want out of the entertainment sector altogether, and once the new WarnerDiscovery conglomerate has officially been formed, the company will look to sell it off.
The report goes on to say that billionaire businessman John Malone, the largest private landowner in the United States who also holds a stake in Lionsgate and Starz, gave up his voting shares to push the merger through so that WarnerDiscovery had the flexibility to be sold in the future, with Disney, Apple, Amazon and Netflix all named as potential suitors.
Not only that, but Discovery CEO David Zaslav will be in charge of the new company and he’s got no previous ties to either AT&T or WB, which could mean he’d be a lot more open to selling up to the perceived competition than anyone already embedded at either outfit. There are plenty of variables, ifs and buts, but if the WarnerDiscovery brand does come up for sale, then there will no doubt be at least a couple of interested buyers, including Disney.