Meet David Ellison, the future boss of Paramount and Hollywood’s newest mogul

David Ellison’s Hollywood career has been marked by blood-curdling blockbusters full of suspense, stunts and improbable plot twists.

But on Sunday, he landed his biggest cliffhanger yet, closing a deal to merge with Paramount after months of negotiations with the company and its controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone. If the deal closes, he will preside over a sprawling media empire that includes CBS, MTV and the Paramount film studio.

Although Mr. Ellison, 41, joined the cast of Hollywood’s Power Players more than a decade ago, he’s never played a leading role until now. Here’s a look at his career.

Who is David Ellison and what is his company, Skydance?

A quick glance at Mr. Ellison’s page on the Internet Movie Database reveals a relatively unremarkable acting career, with small roles in such films as the combat drama “Flyboys” and the teen comedy “The Chumscrubber” (in which he played “Student No. 1”). It wasn’t until he became a producer that his Hollywood star began to rise.

After dropping out of the University of Southern California and retiring from acting, Mr. Ellison turned to producing. His family’s considerable clout — he is the son of Oracle founder Larry Ellison — helped him finance such big-budget films as “Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol” and “Star Trek Into Darkness.”

Along the way, Mr. Ellison’s company, Skydance Media, has seen its valuation soar to more than $4 billion after private equity firms including RedBird Capital Partners and KKR invested. Mr. Ellison, the Skydance CEO, has co-produced hits including “Top Gun: Maverick” and “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” with Paramount, giving him access to the company’s executives and its most valuable franchises.

Long before he produced “Top Gun: Maverick,” Mr. Ellison was a daredevil himself. In 2022, he told The New York Times that he began flying in his teens and competed in aerobatic air shows into his 20s.

What is Mr. Ellison’s family’s involvement in Hollywood?

Larry Ellison, who had a cameo in “Iron Man 2,” is personally backing Skydance’s bid for Paramount, putting his wealth and technical expertise behind the deal.

David Ellison’s sister, Megan Ellison, is also a Hollywood celebrity: In 2011, she founded Annapurna, which produced “Her” and “American Hustle.” Mr. Ellison’s wife, Sandra Lynn, is also in show business: She’s the country singer-songwriter behind songs like “I Think of You” and “Somebody Kissed Me at a Bar.” Neither Megan Ellison nor Sandra Lynn are on Skydance’s executive team.

What are David Ellison’s plans for Paramount?

Though Mr. Ellison has not made his plans for Paramount public, he discussed them months ago with a special committee of the company’s board of directors. He has discussed teaming up with another major entertainment company on a streaming joint venture in the United States, in line with the broader trend toward bundling, according to two people familiar with his pitch to Paramount’s board.

Paramount’s controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone, is enthusiastic about other aspects of the Skydance deal, two people familiar with her thinking said. She believes Mr. Ellison’s management team will bring technology and animation expertise to the combined company.

Mr. Ellison also presented Paramount with a plan to bolster the company’s streaming capabilities with improved recommendations and more efficient deals with data providers, according to a person familiar with his presentation. Skydance has ownership stakes in Paramount’s most financially successful shows and films, including “Mission: Impossible” and “Top Gun,” so merging the two companies could give the combined company more flexibility in managing its franchises.

One key executive in talks with Skydance is Jeff Shell, the former CEO of NBCUniversal. Mr. Shell, who joined Skydance backer RedBird Capital last year, is in line for a key operational role at Paramount, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Does Skydance have ties to other Hollywood companies?

While Skydance has a close relationship with Paramount, it has also produced films for other Hollywood studios. Skydance has a multi-year deal to produce animated features for Netflix, and it has partnered with Amazon on films like “The Tomorrow War” and “Without Remorse.”

Skydance has also recently gotten into the sports media business. Skydance Sports, a division launched in 2021, inked a deal in 2022 to partner with the National Football League to create a production company that would expand the reach of sports programming. And last year, it produced “Air,” a film about the origins of Nike’s Air Jordan brand.

Lauren Hirsch contributed to the reporting.