Stephen Colbert questions show cancellation amid Paramount's Warner Bros. bid

Stephen Colbert used his monologue to put across his concern following Paramount's Warner Bros. bid.

The Late Show host questioned CBS' decision to end his show pointing to the billions Paramount is now offering in a takeover bid for Warner Bros.

“Right now, there’s a huge bidding war going on over who’s gonna buy Warner Bros,” the 61-year-old explained.

“Warner’s got a lot of juicy IP. We’re talking DC superheroes, Harry Potter, Looney Tunes, Scooby-Doo, Fifty Shades of Grey, and The Lord of the Rings.”

During his recent broadcast, Colbert expressed disbelief that the network cited financial reasons for cancelling the show.

While its parent company, Paramount, reportedly launched a hostile $108 billion bid to acquire Warner Bros.

“Wow. I gotta say,” Jimmy Kimmel's acquaintance began, “if my company’s got that kind of green, I’m sure they can afford to uncancel one of their best shows.”

His remark immediately drew cheers from the audience.

The comedian also teased CBS by calling for the revival of Queen Latifah’s cancelled series, The Equalizer, joking, “Why do you think America has become so unequalized?"

In July, CBS announced that The Late Show would sign off in May 2026, citing 'purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night'.