Warner Bros. Discovery
Company History
Warner Bros. Discovery History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 2022 in New York, New York, United States
When was Warner Bros. Discovery founded?
Warner Bros. Discovery was founded in 2022 in New York, New York, United States by Harry Warner and John Hendricks, making it 4 years old.
- Founded
- 2022
- Founding place
- New York, New York, United States
- Founders
- Harry Warner and John Hendricks
- Headquarters today
- New York, New York
- Milestones documented
- 11 (1923–2026)
- Current CEO
- David Zaslav
- Acquisitions
- 3
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1923 | Warner Bros. Pictures Founded |
| 1985 | Discovery Channel Launches |
| 2018 | Acquired Scripps Networks Interactive |
| 2022 | Warner Bros. Discovery Formed |
| 2023 | Max Launched |
| 2024 | $9.1 Billion Write-Down |
| 2025 | Netflix Wins Sale Process |
| 2025 | Split Plan Announced |
| 2026 | Paramount Skydance Merger Agreement |
| 2026 | Stockholders Approve Merger |
| 2026 | Closing Date Set |
- Where was Warner Bros. Discovery founded?
- Warner Bros. Discovery was founded in New York, New York, United States in 2022.
- Who founded Warner Bros. Discovery?
- Warner Bros. Discovery was founded by Harry Warner and John Hendricks.
- When did Warner Bros. Discovery start?
- Warner Bros. Discovery was founded in 2022.
- How old is Warner Bros. Discovery?
- Warner Bros. Discovery is 4 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
The company's assets come from two lineages. Warner Bros. Pictures was founded in 1923 by brothers Harry, Albert, Sam and Jack Warner, and became part of Time Warner, which later added HBO, CNN and the Turner networks. AT&T bought Time Warner in 2018 and renamed it WarnerMedia. Discovery began with the Discovery Channel, which John Hendricks launched in 1985, and grew under CEO David Zaslav, including the 2018 purchase of Scripps Networks Interactive. In April 2022 AT&T spun off WarnerMedia and merged it with Discovery, creating Warner Bros. Discovery with Zaslav as CEO.
Founders
Harry Warner
Harry Warner was the eldest of the four Warner brothers who incorporated Warner Bros. Pictures in 1923 and served as its president. The studio released The Jazz Singer in 1927, one of the first feature films with synchronized dialogue. Warner Bros. is the oldest part of what is now Warner Bros. Discovery; he did not found WBD itself. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
John Hendricks
John Hendricks launched the Discovery Channel in 1985 and built Discovery Communications, the predecessor of Discovery, Inc., which merged with WarnerMedia in 2022 to form Warner Bros. Discovery. He founded the Discovery business, not WBD itself. (Exact birth year remains publicly undisclosed).
Key Milestones
Warner Bros. Pictures Founded
Harry, Albert, Sam and Jack Warner incorporate Warner Bros. Pictures.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgDiscovery Channel Launches
John Hendricks launches the Discovery Channel, the start of the Discovery business.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAcquired Scripps Networks Interactive
Warner Bros. Discovery acquired Scripps Networks Interactive for $14.6 billion.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgWarner Bros. Discovery Formed
AT&T spins off WarnerMedia and combines it with Discovery, Inc.; the new company lists on Nasdaq as WBD.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgMax Launched
Warner Bros. Discovery launched the Max streaming service in May 2023, combining HBO Max and Discovery+.
Source: en.wikipedia.org$9.1 Billion Write-Down
The company wrote down the value of its television networks by $9.1 billion in August 2024.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgNetflix Wins Sale Process
After putting itself up for sale in October 2025, WBD agrees in December to sell its studios and streaming business to Netflix.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgSplit Plan Announced
Warner Bros. Discovery said in June 2025 that it would split into two listed companies.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgParamount Skydance Merger Agreement
On February 27, 2026, WBD signs a merger agreement with Paramount Skydance at $31 per share in cash; the Netflix agreement is terminated.
Source: ir.wbd.comStockholders Approve Merger
WBD stockholders approve the Paramount Skydance transaction on April 23, 2026.
Source: ir.wbd.comClosing Date Set
After a court approves a settlement with state attorneys general, the companies announce an anticipated closing date of October 6, 2026.
Source: ir.wbd.comMajor Acquisitions
Scripps Networks Interactive
2018Discovery bought HGTV, Food Network, Travel Channel and related lifestyle networks.
WarnerMedia
2022AT&T spun off WarnerMedia and combined it with Discovery, with AT&T receiving about $43 billion in cash, debt securities and retained debt.
Eurosport
2014Discovery Communications took a controlling 51 percent stake in Eurosport in 2014 and bought the rest from TF1 in 2015.
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Warner Bros. Discovery Company History FAQ
When and how was Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) created as a combined company?
Warner Bros. Discovery was formed on April 8, 2022, when telecom giant AT&T spun off WarnerMedia in a $43 billion Reverse Morris Trust transaction and merged it with Discovery, Inc., creating a standalone global media leader under CEO David Zaslav.
What are the historic origins of Warner Bros. Pictures?
Warner Bros. was founded on April 4, 1923, by Polish immigrant brothers Harry, Albert, Sam, and Jack Warner in Hollywood, revolutionizing cinema in 1927 with *The Jazz Singer*, the first feature film with synchronized dialogue.
When was HBO founded and how did it change television history?
Home Box Office (HBO) was launched on November 8, 1972, by Charles Dolan and Time Inc. as the nation's first subscription pay-cable channel, pioneering commercial-free premium films and groundbreaking original prestige television.
How did Ted Turner build the Turner Broadcasting and CNN empire?
Ted Turner launched the 24-hour Cable News Network (CNN) in 1980 and built cable powerhouses TBS and TNT, merging Turner Broadcasting System with Time Warner in 1996 to combine broadcast, news, and studio operations.
When and how was Discovery Channel founded?
Discovery Channel was launched on June 17, 1985, by founder John Hendricks in Maryland, focusing on nature, science, and documentary programming, expanding over three decades into TLC, Animal Planet, and Eurosport.
What was the infamous AOL Time Warner merger in 2000?
In 2000, internet service provider AOL acquired Time Warner for $165 billion in what became one of history's most troubled corporate mergers, ultimately leading to massive write-downs and the eventual spin-off of AOL in 2009.
Why did AT&T acquire Time Warner in 2018 and subsequently spin it off in 2022?
AT&T purchased Time Warner for $85 billion in 2018 (renaming it WarnerMedia) to build a vertically integrated mobile telecom and streaming powerhouse, but heavy debt and streaming wars prompted AT&T to spin off the content asset four years later.
How did Discovery's 2018 acquisition of Scripps Networks Interactive shape the merger?
Discovery acquired Scripps Networks Interactive for $14.6 billion in 2018, bringing HGTV, Food Network, and Travel Channel into Discovery's fold and establishing an unscripted cable programming juggernaut.
When was HBO Max rebranded to Max?
In May 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery rebranded HBO Max to "Max" in the United States, merging HBO's prestige scripted content with Discovery's vast unscripted library into a unified direct-to-consumer streaming destination.
Why did WBD lose its long-standing NBA broadcasting rights in 2024?
After a four-decade partnership on TNT, the NBA awarded its 11-year broadcasting rights package to Disney, NBCUniversal, and Amazon beginning with the 2025–26 season, after WBD's matching rights challenge was settled out of court.
What was the bidding war between Netflix and Paramount Skydance for WBD in 2026?
In late 2025, WBD reached an initial merger agreement with Netflix; however, Paramount Skydance submitted an all-cash superior proposal of $31 per share (~$77 billion equity value), paying a $2.8 billion breakup fee to Netflix to win WBD.
When was the Paramount Skydance acquisition of WBD scheduled to close?
Following shareholder approval in April 2026, Department of Justice antitrust clearance in June 2026, and state attorney general settlements, the companies established October 6, 2026, as the expected closing date.
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