More than 1,000 film and TV professionals are voicing their opposition to the proposed Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery merger. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Hundreds of film and television professionals, including A-list stars Javier Bardem, Jane Fonda, David Fincher and others, are opposing the proposed $110 billion merger of Paramount Skydance with Warner Bros. Discovery, warning that further consolidation of media is a threat to their cultural industry.
Paramount Skydance announced a merger with Warner Bros. Discovery in late February, with Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders to vote on the deal April 23. If agreed to, the merger would still need to pass regulatory clearances in the United States and Britain.
If approved, the number of major American film studios will shrink to four as film studios have consolidated over the last few years, including Paramount merging with Skydance in August 2025 and WarnerMedia merging with Discovery in April 2022.
In an open letter signed by more than 1,000 film and television professionals, the signatories voiced their opposition to the merger, warning of its potential economic, creative and societal damage.
“This transaction would further consolidate an already concentrated media landscape, reducing competition at a moment when our industries — and the audiences we serve — can least afford it,” the letter states.
“The result will be fewer opportunities for creators, fewer jobs across the production ecosystem, higher costs and less choice for audiences in the United States and around the world.”
The consolidation of media has accelerated the disappearance of mid-budget films, the erosion of independent distribution, the collapse of the international sales market, the elimination of profit participation and the weakening of screen credit integrity, the professionals said, while arguing that these factors are threatening the livelihoods of tens of thousands of workers.
“Competition is essential for a healthy economy and a healthy democracy. So is thoughtful regulation and enforcement,” they said.
“Media consolidation has already weakened one of America’s most vital global industries — one that has long shaped culture and connected people around the world.”
Along with Bardem, Fonda and Fincher, signatories included other big-name celebrities, such as Ben Stiller, Bryan Cranston, Don Cheadle, Glenn Close and Mark Ruffalo.
“A Warner Bros. Discovery-Paramount merger would be one of the most destructive threats to free speech and creative expression in our history,” two-time Oscar-winner Fonda said in a statement.
“This deal would place unprecedented power in the hands of a single corporation that already appears to have proven itself willing to sacrifice integrity for political favor.”
The potential merger follows controversy over the Skydance-Paramount merger.
Last year, the deal was held up by a lawsuit filed against Paramount subsidiary CBS News over the editing of a 60 Minutes interview with his political opponent, Democrat Kamala Harris.
He sued for $20 billion in damages in what Paramount called a “meritless” lawsuit, but later reached a $16 million settlement with the president that preceded the Federal Communications Commission approval of the merger.
The potential of the merger in light of the settlement decision has raised concerns over freedom of speech.
Neera Tanden, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, said Monday that it could be a threat to the press.
“Not only would this merger result in higher costs, job losses and fewer entertainment choices for Americans, it would gravely threaten the freedom of the press by putting CNN and CBS News under the control of Donald Trump’s allies,” Tandem said.
“A single corporation with so much control over the media that is also at the beck and call of the Trump administration is a danger to our democracy.”
The merger has attracted scrutiny since before it was announced, during a bidding contest between Paramount and Netflix for Warner Bros., that ended when the streaming service dropped its bid in late February.
On Feb. 27, the day Paramount and Warner announced their merger, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced he was launching an investigation.
“These two Hollywood titans have not cleared regulatory scrutiny,” he said in a social media statement.
“We intend to be vigorous in our review.”
On Monday, Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority announced it was seeking comments from the public on the merger as part of its information-gathering process that may precede the launch of its own investigation.
The comment period closes April 27.
