Additional Coverage:
- Hollywood heavyweights voice ‘unequivocal opposition’ to Paramount-Warner merger in open letter (apnews.com)
More than a thousand Hollywood professionals-including actors, writers, and directors-have come together to express strong opposition to the proposed merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery.
In an open letter released Monday, industry heavyweights like Denis Villeneuve, Kristen Stewart, J.J. Abrams, and Joaquin Phoenix voiced concerns that the $111 billion deal would further shrink an already contracted Hollywood landscape, leading to fewer jobs and movies.
The letter, published on BlocktheMerger.com, warns that the merger would reduce the number of major U.S. film studios to just four, resulting in diminished opportunities for creators, job cuts throughout production, higher costs, and less variety for audiences both domestically and globally.
The planned acquisition, spearheaded by David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance, awaits shareholder approval and government regulatory review. This deal follows months of negotiations and outbids a competing offer from Netflix. If completed, it would mark one of the largest media mergers in recent years-following Disney’s $71.3 billion purchase of 20th Century Fox in 2019.
Ellison has pledged to maintain Paramount and Warner Bros. as separate studio operations and promised a combined annual theatrical release slate of 30 films. Although some job reductions are expected due to overlapping roles, Paramount asserts that the merger will ultimately bolster the job market.
However, many in the industry remain skeptical, fearing significant layoffs and increased consolidation of power. The letter expresses worry that the merger favors a small group of powerful stakeholders at the expense of the broader public good, potentially compromising the industry’s diversity, independence, and integrity.
Organized by advocacy groups including the Committee for the First Amendment-led by Jane Fonda-the Democracy Defenders Fund, and the Future Film Coalition, the letter features endorsements from stars such as Ben Stiller, Don Cheadle, Javier Bardem, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tiffany Haddish, and Ted Danson.
Among the signatories, Damon Lindelof, known for creating “Watchmen” and co-creating “Lost,” shared his concerns on Instagram, emphasizing that mergers typically mean fewer movies, fewer TV shows, and fewer jobs. “When two storied backlots are owned by the same company, the outcome is intuitive-one becomes a Ghost Town,” he wrote.
“I’m scared. But I’m not a ghost.
And a fight is already lost if it’s never fought.”
Paramount and Warner Bros. representatives have yet to comment on the letter.