Warner Bros. film chiefs De Luca and Abdy dismissed after merger with Skydance
Skydance CEO David Ellellison informed Warner Bros. executives Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy that they would be removed from the merged Warner-Paramount studio, citing debt-related restructuring.
Warner Bros. film executives Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy received phone calls on Friday from Skydance chief David Ellison confirming that they would not continue with the newly merged Warner-Paramount studio. The calls followed an anonymous report that had circulated online the previous night.
Ellison told the executives that the combined company, which is expected to carry roughly $80 billion in debt, needed to restructure its leadership. Their upcoming slate, including titles such as “Batman 2” and “Gremlins 3,” will be overseen by deputies Jesse Ehrman and Mike Ireland, while Paramount co-chairs Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg are slated to lead the merged film operations.
"Good luck to you. I left you 39 movies," Pam Abdy said to Ellison, according to sources familiar with the exchange.
Under De Luca and Abdy, Warner Bros. had a strong 2025, earning two Academy Award Best Picture nominations and a win for Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” as well as several box-office successes. The 2026 slate has faced challenges, with recent releases underperforming and the Tom Cruise vehicle “Digger” opening to modest earnings.
Both executives declined to comment on the decision, and Paramount/Skydance also declined to provide a statement. Their departure is expected to be finalized when the merger closes on Tuesday.