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12 states sue to block Paramount’s Warner Bros. takeover

moviesJul 13, 2026492,474

Twelve state attorneys general led by California AG Rob Bonta sued on Monday in the Northern District of California to block Paramount Skydance’s proposed $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, saying the merger would “snuff out competition, drive up prices, diminish content quality, and produce fewer movies and shows each year.” The coalition includes Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Washington; all twelve AGs are Democrats. Paramount said it will fight the lawsuit, calling the complaint wrong on the facts and the law and noting regulators worldwide, including the U.S. Department of Justice, have approved the deal. The DOJ’s approval drew political criticism and allegations of favoritism because of Paramount’s ties to President Trump’s administration; Senator Elizabeth Warren said the approval “reeks of corruption.” The suit asks a judge to halt the merger and the states have requested that Warner Bros. and Paramount not close the deal until the litigation finishes, warning they will seek a temporary restraining order if the companies proceed. Paramount has said it aims to complete the merger this summer; the agreement contains a ticking fee that will raise the purchase price if the deal is not finished by the end of September. The coalition pointed to a recent state-led victory that froze Nexstar’s planned Tegna acquisition as precedent, but analysts quoted by CNN said proving antitrust harm in this deal may be more difficult than in local-TV cases.

Robert Reich
@rbreich.bsky.social

Paramount is reportedly considering leaving California if the state’s Attorney General sues to stop its proposed takeover of Warner Bros. That’s all the more reason to stop Paramount from amassing even more power.

134245d ago
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