Story perspectives

4,000 Hollywood figures urge AG to block $110B merger

4/25/2026

Summary

Story summary

Nearly 4,000 filmmakers, actors and industry workers signed an open letter urging California Attorney General Rob Bonta to block the Paramount-Warner merger.
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approved the $110 billion Paramount Skydance merger while rejecting a compensation plan giving CEO David Zaslav up to $887 million.
California and New York attorneys general opened antitrust investigations while protesters gathered outside Warner Bros. Discovery’s New York headquarters demanding the deal be halted.

History

Historical Context

In 2000 AOL merged with Time Warner, a $360 billion deal cleared by the FTC in January 2001 that later produced a $99 billion write-down. After AT&T bought Time Warner in 2018, the pattern of regulatory pushback continued. In 2024 Warner Bros. Discovery’s $110 billion Paramount-Skydance merger received shareholder approval while state attorney general Rob Bonta opened antitrust investigations.

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Story summary

Nearly 4,000 filmmakers, actors and industry workers signed an open letter urging California Attorney General Rob Bonta to block the Paramount-Warner merger.
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approved the $110 billion Paramount Skydance merger while rejecting a compensation plan giving CEO David Zaslav up to $887 million.
California and New York attorneys general opened antitrust investigations while protesters gathered outside Warner Bros. Discovery’s New York headquarters demanding the deal be halted.

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