Paramount has agreed to delay its planned merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, a decision that follows a temporary block imposed by a US federal judge. The intervention occurred in response to a lawsuit filed by 12 states challenging the consolidation of the two media giants.
Paramount, which was acquired by Skydance last year, characterized the agreement as a significant step forward. The company stated that the delay provides a clear path to a trial based on the evidence, describing the legal process as the fastest way to demonstrate that the transaction benefits competition, consumers, and creators.
The merger, which involves Paramount Skydance—controlled by the Ellison family—and Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of HBO and CNN, had previously received approval from the Trump administration on June 12 without any required modifications.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta expressed satisfaction with the progress, noting his eagerness to continue the legal challenge. Bonta affirmed the state's commitment to ensuring the merger does not proceed, labeling it an unlawful transaction. California is joined in the lawsuit by 11 other states, all of which are led by Democratic officials: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Washington.
"We are eager to continue to make our case in court and celebrate another tremendous win in our effort to ensure this unlawful merger never sees the light of day," California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement on Friday.
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