AI Image
Mark Ruffalo says Paramount merger will kill jobs and free speech
Fox Business • • business
Key Points:
- A federal judge approved Paramount's $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, allowing the merger to proceed despite opposition from various parties, including actor Mark Ruffalo.
- Ruffalo condemned the decision, stating the merger would harm creativity, free speech, and jobs, and urged continued grassroots opposition against corporate oligarchs.
- The approval followed a settlement between Paramount and a coalition of 12 state attorneys general, led by California's AG Rob Bonta, who secured commitments for increased domestic film production and spending.
- Under the settlement, the merged company will release at least 30 movies annually for the first two years, increasing to 32 in subsequent years, with a minimum of four independent films each year, and invest an additional $1.5 billion in U.S. film production over five years.
- The deal is expected to close on October 6, despite prior lawsuits claiming the merger would reduce competition and consolidate excessive market power.
