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Ellison threatens to move Paramount unless Bonta settles

8/13/2026

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Summary

Story summary

David Ellison, Paramount Skydance chief, threatens to move the company out of California unless Attorney General Rob Bonta settles.
He set an Oct. 1 settlement deadline, after which a $7 million-per-day “ticking fee” would start.
If the $111-billion merger does not close by June 4, Paramount must pay Warner Bros. a $7-billion breakup fee.
Attorney General Rob Bonta called the threat “blackmail” and said the state will continue its antitrust case.

History

Historical Context

After the 1974 Justice Department antitrust suit, AT&T agreed on January 8 1982 to split its Bell System into seven regional companies, ending a century-long monopoly. That breakup set a precedent for government action against concentrated markets. California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s 2024 challenge to the Paramount-Skydance-Warner Bros. merger echoes the DOJ’s 1982 effort to curb industry concentration.

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Story summary

David Ellison, Paramount Skydance chief, threatens to move the company out of California unless Attorney General Rob Bonta settles.
He set an Oct. 1 settlement deadline, after which a $7 million-per-day “ticking fee” would start.
If the $111-billion merger does not close by June 4, Paramount must pay Warner Bros. a $7-billion breakup fee.
Attorney General Rob Bonta called the threat “blackmail” and said the state will continue its antitrust case.

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