Paramount Pictures X account briefly hacked with controversial message

Paramount Pictures’ X account was briefly hacked, displaying a controversial message before returning to normal

The official X account (formerly Twitter) for Paramount Pictures was briefly compromised Tuesday, with the account’s bio altered to read: “Proud arm of the fascist regime.”

The account, which has nearly 3.5 million followers, reverted shortly afterward to its original description: “The official X account for Paramount Pictures.”

Paramount Pictures’ account was seemingly hacked today, with their bio changed to:

“Proud arm of the fascist regime” pic.twitter.com/Cey2MFmHMY

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) December 9, 2025

The hack occurred one day after David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance launched a direct-to-shareholders hostile takeover attempt of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), which came three days after Netflix and WBD announced a deal for the streamer to acquire WB’s studios, HBO, HBO Max, and games divisions. Variety reached out to Paramount for comment on the incident.

The timing coincides with ongoing scrutiny of the Ellisons in the media and political spheres. David Ellison and his father, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, have previously received public praise from former President Donald Trump. In October, Trump said David Ellison “will do a great job” leading the merged Skydance Media-Paramount.

Additionally, David Ellison announced a $150 million deal to acquire Bari Weiss’ media outlet The Free Press and her appointment as CBS News’ top editorial executive. Industry observers suggested the move was intended to strengthen CBS News’ influence within conservative media circles.

Recently, Trump criticized the Ellisons on Truth Social over a 60 Minutes segment featuring Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, arguing that “since the Ellisons bought the company, 60 Minutes has actually gotten worse.” When asked about Paramount’s rival bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, Trump said he would evaluate the market impact, noting, “none of them are particularly great friends of mine. I want to do what’s right.”

The brief hack highlights ongoing vulnerabilities in corporate social media accounts during periods of high-profile industry activity and public scrutiny.