Paramount pushes $81 billion Warner deal to 2027 amid state lawsuit
What's next: The merger cannot close before a ruling on the states' case or June 1, 2027, after a judge froze it for weeks.
Paramount agreed Friday to delay closing its $81 billion buyout of Warner Bros. Discovery until at least a court ruling on a multistate antitrust challenge or June 1, 2027. The filing came days after U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín imposed a temporary restraining order pausing the transaction for several weeks. Twelve states led by California sued last month to stop the deal, arguing the combination would reduce competition in Hollywood and leave moviegoers and cable customers with fewer choices. New York Attorney General Letitia James called the delay a critical victory. Paramount said the timetable creates a direct path to a trial on the evidence.