David Ellison’s Skydance has reached a preliminary deal with Shari Redstone’s National Amusements to merge with Paramount, according to two people familiar with the matter, resurrecting a deal which failed just weeks earlier. Controlling shareholder National Amusements has referred the deal to the Paramount special committee, according to people familiar with the matter. Paramount’s special committee is currently reviewing and voting on the deal, according to a person familiar with the matter. A spokesperson for Paramount declined to comment. Paramount shares surged as much as 9% on the news. The resurrected deal will see Redstone receive a reduced consideration of $1.75 billion, according to a person familiar with the matter. The other financial terms of the deal, which CNBC previously reported, will remain unchanged: Skydance will acquire roughly half of Paramount’s controlling shares at $15 per share, for $4.5 billion, and contribute $1.5 billion towards Paramount’s balance sheet. Redstone killed the initial bid in June as…
