Actor Mark Ruffalo publicly urged California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Saturday to reject any settlement of the antitrust lawsuit blocking Paramount Skydance’s purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery, as reports describe negotiations nearing a deal.
“Do not cave,” Ruffalo wrote on X. He said 5,670 filmmakers had backed the states’ fight and upward of 75,000 people had signed a petition in three weeks urging Bonta to hold firm. He called the deal lousy and its promises empty, and asked Bay Area supporters to rally outside Bonta’s Oakland office at 5 p.m. Sunday.
The Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing anonymous sources, that Paramount and Bonta are in advanced talks. One compromise under discussion would have Paramount run the two studios separately for a period. Bonta’s office called settlement talks confidential and would not confirm or deny them. Paramount declined to comment.
Bonta leads 12 Democratic-led states that sued July 13, arguing the combined company would control nearly a third of U.S. film output and a similar share of basic cable programming. Paramount disputes the claims and says the merger would give it the scale to compete with larger technology and entertainment rivals. The company agreed to hold off closing until the court rules or June 1, 2027, whichever comes first. A judge has ordered a settlement conference for Oct. 14 and 15.
Bonta told CNBC that any resolution must restructure the business through measures such as divestitures. He distinguished those from behavioral pledges like Paramount’s promise to release 30 films in theaters each year. In August, he scrapped a settlement session and accused Paramount of “playing games.” Paramount denied leaking details of the talks.
Time pressure is building. Paramount has threatened to leave California, and a ticking fee starting after Oct. 1 would cost it about $7 million a day. Sen. Elizabeth Warren called a settlement a “massive mistake to cave” and warned that the merger could create another Trump-controlled media conglomerate.
Ruffalo is among Hollywood’s most vocal critics of the deal. Paramount rebuked him in August after he criticized Oracle’s ties to the Israeli military. A studio representative called his remarks antisemitic, and he disputed that.
