Time is running out for Paramount Global and Skydance Media to reach a deal combining their entertainment empires within the 30-day exclusive negotiating window that closes Friday, and it appears likely that the week will pass without an agreement on a transaction.

Paramount, controlled by Shari Redstone, and Skydance, helmed by film producer David Ellison, have been trying to hammer out a complicated deal that would leave Ellison in control of the storied media giant. And so far, no agreement has been struck.

What has long looked like Paramount Global's most viable buyout option has been the subject of weeks of palace intrigue, plagued by an investor rebellion and corporate shakeups. Paramount's stock fell roughly 7% on Friday amid a report that the company was getting cold feet about Skydance's offer.

New York-based research firm LightShed Partners said Friday that it expects the bargaining deadline to arrive sans agreement, with another bid from Sony Pictures Entertainment and Apollo Global Management on deck.

The Times has contacted Paramount Global for comment. A spokesperson for Paramount's mergers and acquisitions committee declined to comment.

The Skydance scenario

Since reports surfaced in January that Ellison's Skydance was exploring an all-cash deal to acquire National Amusements Inc. — the company that holds 77% of Paramount Global's voting stock — things have gotten messy.

Over the past month, Paramount has been negotiating with Skydance, which has linked up with investment firms RedBird Capital and KKR to take over National Amusements, which would give it control of Paramount, owner of the Paramount Pictures movie studio on Melrose Avenue, broadcast network CBS and cable channels MTV and Nickelodeon.

The talks spurred a revolt led by Paramount Global investors who expressed concerns that the deal on the table would largely benefit Paramount's nonexecutive chairwoman, Redstone, at the expense of regular shareholders.

The investor uprising caused Paramount shares to plummet and prompted several of the company's directors to step down. In an effort to quell the backlash, Skydance recently upped its offer with a cash infusion for Paramount and by setting aside funds specifically for Paramount's nonvoting shareholders, which would probably reduce Redstone's take.

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