Warner Film Chiefs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy to Exit Ahead of Paramount Merger | Report

Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy are out at Warner Bros. ahead of the Paramount merger closure, according to a new report from Puck News. The studio chiefs, who succeeded Toby Emmerich at Warner Bros. in July 2022, will reportedly not be joining the newly merged company with Paramount, which has yet to release its new name. De Luca and Abdy’s fates were initially unclear in the days following Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín’s sign off on Paramount’s legal settlement with 12 state attorneys general – which put the $110 billion merger on track to close next week. Though, De Luca and Abdy have not been informed by Paramount leadership of the plan for after the merger, according to a source with knowledge. A representative for Paramount declined to comment. Representatives for De Luca and Abdy did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment. The decision comes ahead of an expected underwhelming domestic opening weekend for the Tom Cruise-led film, “Digger,” which is predicted to bring in $12 million to $15 million. Nonetheless, Warner’s film slate is packed with likely blockbusters, including “The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum,” “The Batman Part II,” “Gremlins 3” and “A Minecraft Movie Squared.” However, it’s said Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison is planning to elevate Paramount Pictures co-chairs Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg to oversee both studios once the merger is complete. Though, per the report, an additional top executive is likely to be hired to run Warner for Ellison – but a name has not yet been floated. This is just the latest staffing news to surface this week regarding the new Paramount-Warner Bros. Company. On Wednesday, it was revealed that Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz was exiting the toymaker to join Ellison’s Paramount as it merges with Warner Bros. Discovery. Paramount later confirmed that Kreiz will serve as co-CEO as the combined Paramount-Warner Bros., nabbing a pay package that topped $46.5 million. “Ellison and Kreiz will lead the anticipated combined company as one team, pairing complementary skillsets to maximize the full upside of the merger under a comprehensive long-term strategy,” a company spokesperson told TheWrap at the time. “Ellison will focus on the company’s long-term strategy, creative vision and direction, including its talent relationships, strategic partnerships, technology and capital allocation. Kreiz will focus on the company’s day-to-day management and integration of the combined businesses.”