Paramount-Warner Bros. Deal Cleared in Australia
The Hollywood Reporter • • business
Key Points:
- Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a formal investigation into Paramount Skydance’s proposed $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
- Regulators in Australia and New Zealand have cleared the merger, with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) concluding the deal is unlikely to substantially lessen competition in the theatrical film supply market.
- The New Zealand Commerce Commission (NZCC) chose not to further review the merger, noting its clearance regime is voluntary and does not provide informal approvals.
- Paramount Skydance has also received merger approvals from competition and foreign investment authorities in multiple countries, including Saudi Arabia, Germany, France, and others.
- The ACCC emphasized that despite the merger removing competition between Paramount and Warner Bros., the combined entity would still face constraints from other film studios in the market.