A coalition of 12 state attorneys general is filing a lawsuit in federal court on Monday to block Paramount Skydance’s purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery on antitrust grounds, imperiling one of the biggest mergers in entertainment and media history.
The effort is being led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who is bringing the case in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, his office said in a statement. The lawsuit comes amid mounting opposition to the deal from Democratic lawmakers, studio executives, actors and others in Hollywood, who argue it would lead to sweeping job cuts and accelerate media consolidation that harms consumers and creative talent alike.
Bonta will be joined in the litigation by the attorneys general from states including New York, Massachusetts and Oregon. The coalition has asked Paramount and Warner Bros. to not close the merger until the litigation is resolved, and will seek a temporary restraining order if the companies do not agree, according to the statement. The lawsuit comes a month after the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division approved Paramount’s bid to combine with a rival studio whose assets include the Warner Bros. film and television studio, CNN and HBO Max.
Authorities have instructed congressional staff and other personnel to avoid the area until further notice as law enforcement responds to the incident.
