The Writers Guild of America has filed a lawsuit seeking to block Paramount's proposed purchase of Warner Bros., adding to mounting legal pressure against a deal that has drawn criticism from artists and politicians alike.
Paramount outbid Netflix for Warner Bros., but the merger faces opposition on multiple fronts. The WGA lawsuit, reported by American news outlets, argues the deal would violate antitrust law. According to the filing, the combined company would become the largest buyer of original film and television programming in the United States, eliminating competition from a major studio that has operated for more than a century.
The guild also argued the merger threatens the economic and creative health of the American entertainment industry. The lawsuit states it would reduce competition among buyers of screenwriting services, suppressing writer pay, worsening contract conditions, and shrinking the volume and diversity of programming that reaches audiences.
The WGA, which staged a 148-day strike in 2023 over working conditions, cited the 2022 federal court ruling that blocked the merger of Penguin Random House and Simon and Schuster as a legal precedent.
Twelve states also oppose the deal
The lawsuit adds to a separate complaint filed by 12 states earlier that week. Paramount said it would fight the states' suit vigorously, calling it wrong on both the facts and the law. The company had not commented on the WGA's position as of publication.
The merger has received approval from the Trump administration. California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the deal would stifle competition, raise prices, reduce content quality, and result in fewer films and shows produced each year.
