Rob Bonta Wants Paramount to 'Put a Lid on Their Lying Leaks'

Key Points:

• California Attorney General Rob Bonta is open to resuming settlement talks with Paramount over the 12-state antitrust case blocking its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, but only if Paramount stops leaking confidential information.
• Bonta canceled a planned meeting after news reports about it emerged and criticized Paramount for mischaracterizing discussions and violating confidentiality, calling their behavior unprofessional.
• Paramount denies being the source of leaks and remains hopeful for good-faith negotiations, offering to continue producing at least 30 films annually, though Bonta dismisses such behavioral commitments as unenforceable.
• The attorney general insists any settlement must include robust structural remedies addressing anticompetitive concerns in cable distribution, theatrical distribution, and blockbuster film markets.
• Despite pressure to settle, Bonta warns that if Paramount continues to avoid substantive remedies, the case will proceed to trial next spring, by which time Paramount will have incurred substantial financial penalties.