Consolidation’s human cost
Paramount will eliminate roughly 2,000 roles—about 15% of staff—after closing its $8 billion merger with Skydance Media. In a memo, CEO Brian Robbins cited overlapping functions, a streamlined studio slate, and a pivot toward franchises and efficiency. The move caps a bruising consolidation cycle that saw library licensing reevaluated, linear TV trimmed, and Paramount+ recalibrated around fewer, bigger bets. The layoffs hit across film, TV, streaming ops and back office, with severance and placement support pledged. Wall Street wants cost discipline; Hollywood talent worries about fewer buyers and less risk-taking.

What it means for the slate and streaming
Expect a tighter film pipeline with more IP-driven tentpoles and fewer mid-budget originals. On TV, premium series will be more eventized, with sports and unscripted used to smooth churn on Paramount+. Internationally, the company will lean on co-productions and local-language hits tied to global brands. The Skydance tie-up promises VFX and production synergies, but creative diversity is the variable to watch. For workers, the industry’s new normal is smaller headcounts, larger franchises, and a harsher greenlight bar.