10 Worst Star Trek Moments In 2024
7. The Skydance Dance
Will they, won't they? Will they, won't they? The paso doble between Paramount Global and Skydance Media this year was definitely not tens across the board from the judges. The boards of directors weren't giving high marks either at times. And we, well, we were just bored.
Talks were had, deals were made, terms agreed upon, reneged upon, renegotiated. Bob Bakish, CEO of Paramount Global stepped down. Rival bidders like Warner Bros. Discovery, Apollo Global Management, and Sony Pictures dropped in and out of the race. Paramount and Skydance have now settled on a definitive agreement to merge, although we've heard that before. From the press release, dated 7 July 2024, atop the starry mountain itself:
Ellison Family and RedBird Capital Partners to invest over $8 billion in New Paramount and to acquire National Amusements, Inc.
It's not over until the two have shared warp fields. Even then, it's still a bumpy ride. The 45-day "go-shop" period in the agreement that allowed Paramount to seek out other offers is over, but the Skydance deal is not expected to close, if it does, until sometime during the first six months of 2025.
It's worth noting that Star Trek is not mentioned once in Paramount's July press release. Star Wars is mentioned twice! Nevertheless, Skydance has a vested interest in Trek, having co-produced Star Trek Into Darkness and Star Trek Beyond. That's not to forget the ever-elusive Star Trek 4.