Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav’s pay package tripled to $165 million in 2025
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has seen his compensation more than triple to $165 million in 2025. This was thanks to approximately $110 million in one-time stock options granted to Zaslav by the WBD board.
David Zaslav’s 2025 salary package
The stock option was granted to him for leading the plan to split WBD into two: Warner Bros., consisting of studios and broadcasting; and Discovery Global, which includes TV networks. The proposed spin-off will no longer occur due to the pending acquisition of WBD by Paramount.
“Certain of the Committee’s actions in 2025 were designed to support retention and encourage our pursuit of other strategic options. Although the separation was not consummated and the Paramount merger was later approved, some of these compensation actions remained in effect,” according to WBD’s proxy statement filed with the SEC on Thursday.
The compensation package for Zaslav, WBD’s chairman and CEO in 2025, included a base salary of $3 million, stock of $22.6 million, a cash bonus of $25.7 million and stock options worth $109,593,181, according to the SEC filing.
“Mr. Zaslav’s strategic leadership has created clear and compelling value for WBD shareholders; from the beginning of 2025 through the signing of the merger agreement with Paramount, our stock price has increased 164%, and the $31.00 per share (plus any applicable transaction fees) in the Paramount merger represents a 147% premium over WBD’s unaffected closing stock price of $12.54 on September 10, 2025,” the company said.
Warner Bros-Paramount deal
Last week, Warner Bros. shareholders approved Paramount’s $81 billion acquisition offer; it was a move that could reshape Hollywood and the US media landscape. Paramount, Warner Bros. won the bidding war with Netflix that lasted for months.
The Battle for Warner Bros. Discovery
Late last year, Warner turned down Paramount’s offer and signed a $72 billion studio and streaming deal with Netflix instead. Paramount, meanwhile, went directly to shareholders with a hostile bid to take over the entire company, including its cable business, which Netflix didn’t want.
All three companies fought publicly for months over who would offer the better offer. Warner’s board has repeatedly supported Netflix’s bid. But eventually Paramount offered more money and Netflix abruptly dropped out of the race.
What Zaslav got from the deal
Zaslav described this as “another important milestone towards the completion of this historic transaction.”
It is stated that within the scope of the salary packages offered to the managers, Zaslav can receive up to $887 million if the sale is completed. Trustee counsel ISS had said Zaslav’s potential payout was “extremely large”.
“Management now faces a two-fold challenge: securing (regulatory) approval of the deal and proving that it can create long-term value without fueling concerns about excessive fees,” PP Foresight analyst Paolo Pescatore told Reuters.
