Warner Bros. CEO could collect up to $800 million if Paramount deal closes

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav could receive compensation of up to $800 million if the company's acquisition by rival Paramount is completed, according to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

According to The Wall Street Journal, this figure includes cash, stock options, restricted stock holdings and a recently approved tax refund. The total does not contemplate other additional income, such as the more than $20 million Zaslav would get for shares he already fully owns.

The executive, considered one of the highest paid in Hollywood, would have already taken in $113 million this month after selling company stock.

Millions of dollars in severance payments

Other top company officials could also benefit from sizable severance packages. Among them, J.B. Perrette, head of the global streaming and video game business, who could receive around $142 million in cash and stock. For his part, CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels would be entitled to about $120 million.

In addition, the financial advisors involved in the transaction would also receive large sums. It is estimated that Allen & Company could receive up to $100 million, while JP Morgan Chase would get about $90 million.

The company noted in its filing that all these figures are estimates based on different assumptions, so the final amounts could vary significantly.

This is not the first time Zaslav has been linked to high payouts. In 2023, his total compensation reached $49.7 million, up 26.5% from the previous year.