David Ellison, CEO of Skydance Media, is leveraging his net worth, connections, and film industry experience to become a Hollywood power player as he nears the purchase of Paramount.
He founded Skydance Media in 2010, initially raising $350 million. Over the decade, he increased funding to $700 million, securing $500 million from JP Morgan Chase and $200 million from shareholders.
In 2013, he launched Skydance Television, producing blockbuster films such as Top Gun: Maverick and Star Trek, significantly contributing to Skydance’s valuation surpassing $4 billion.
His net worth totals around $8.5 billion, including approximately $6 billion in Oracle stock holdings, a $2 billion valuation of Skydance Media, and additional investments and trust fund contributions totaling about $500 million.
David Ellison started his career as a trust fund kid established by his multi-billionaire father
David Ellison was born in 1983 to Larry Ellison, the co-founder of Oracle Corporation. As of June 2024, his father is the ninth-wealthiest person in the world, with a net worth of $137 billion.
David grew up with substantial wealth, and his father later established trusts for him, which included large holdings in Oracle and NetSuite stocks.
Furthermore, David’s passion for film led him to Hollywood, where he desired to produce movies. Initially, he faced setbacks, including the underperformance of his debut film Flyboys.
Paramount has officially agreed to merge with Skydance. pic.twitter.com/8OavnXeLTz
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 8, 2024
Later, he founded Skydance Media, which quickly became a powerhouse in film production and expanded into animation, sports, and gaming, employing 1,300 people.
Currently, David Ellison is on the verge of a major career milestone by potentially acquiring Paramount Global, the studio behind classics like The Godfather and Titanic.
If Skydance acquires Paramount, it will gain ownership of its renowned library, including the entire CBS brand and its news outlet, cable channels like Nickelodeon and Comedy Central, and the streaming service Paramount+ with 67 million subscribers.
So, he has remained a significant player in Hollywood, and continuing this, he aims to transform Paramount for the future. With his father’s tech connections and his focus on innovation, he will elevate his influence in Hollywood.
Additional Information
- David Ellison’s sister, Megan Ellison, is a film producer who founded Annapurna Pictures.
- Skydance Media films include Mission: Impossible-Fallout, Annihilation, World War Z, and Jack Reacher.
- He also performed as an actor in the films Flyboys, Little Fish, Strange Pond, and Hole in One.
- He is also a licensed pilot with instrument ratings for helicopter aviation, aerobatics, commercial aviation, fixed-wing aircraft, and multi-engine aircraft.
- On October 1, 2011, David married Sandra Lynn Modic, an actress and singer, in Palm Springs, California.
