Over 1,000 filmmakers, actors, and industry leaders, including Jane Fonda, Joaquin Phoenix, and Mark Ruffalo, signed an open letter rejecting Warner Bros Discovery's proposed $110 billion takeover of Paramount Skydance.
Signatories warn the deal would slash competition, trigger job losses, curb creator opportunities, and raise costs with fewer content choices in a consolidating U.S. media landscape.
The merger would blend iconic libraries and fuse Paramount+ with HBO Max into a dominant streaming giant, but critics say past consolidations already stifled film output and story diversity.
California AG Rob Bonta launched a probe, with U.S. and European regulators scrutinising anti-competitive risks amid Hollywood's post-strike recovery and streaming shifts.
Analysts note the letter fuels opposition, though regulators hold the final say on this flashpoint for entertainment's future.
