Hollywood Erupts Over Paramount Deal

Hollywood figures erupted after Paramount reached a settlement that ended California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s lawsuit against its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.

The Justice Department had already cleared the transaction. Bonta’s office had been the last major legal obstacle for critics who feared layoffs, concentrated studio power, and political influence over news assets including CNN.

Paramount pledged not to sell the historic Hollywood and Warner lots and promised extra U.S. film spending, described as $300 million a year and $1.5 billion over time.

Mark Ruffalo called the settlement a betrayal and a huge win for Trump. Writer Will Landman labeled Bonta a “f***ing coward.” Former CNN commentator Chris Cillizza called it “utterly appalling.”

Ex-FTC commissioner Alvaro Bedoya said billionaires had bullied their way to the top. The anger tracked a longer fight in which entertainment figures treated Bonta as their last firewall after federal antitrust staff signed off.

The deal’s financing, including backing tied to Larry Ellison’s family and Paramount CEO David Ellison, had already made the merger a political target.

Opponents argued a combined studio-and-news giant would shrink competition. Supporters said a stronger combined company could compete in streaming and keep production in the United States.

The settlement closed the California case. The online reaction made clear that many in the industry wanted the lawsuit to survive even after the studio offered concessions.