Iowa AG Says She's Suing California For Paramount-Warner Bros. Lawsuit
Variety • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is suing California over its leadership in the lawsuit against the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, arguing that such interstate disputes belong in the U.S. Supreme Court.
- Bird claims the merger would increase competition against Netflix by combining Paramount+ and HBO Max, potentially saving $6 billion and increasing the number of theatrical film releases to benefit consumers and the entertainment industry.
- She criticizes California’s opposition as harmful to consumers, increasing streaming costs, reducing quality content, and creating uncertainty that stalls film production and industry growth.
- Bird emphasizes the merger’s potential to provide more entertainment choices, support small-town theaters, and create jobs for production crews, highlighting the economic and cultural benefits for families and communities.
- The lawsuit follows a failed settlement negotiation after California AG Rob Bonta and others sued to block the merger, with Bonta canceling talks due to alleged leaks from Paramount, leaving the deal's future uncertain.
