More than 1,000 professionals across the TV and film industry, including heavyweights like J.J. Abrams, David Fincher, Jason Bateman, Kristen Stewart, Emma Thompson, Ben Stiller and Lin-Manuel Miranda, signed an open letter on Monday opposing the impending Paramount acquisition of Warner Bros.
“We are deeply concerned by indications of support for this merger that prioritize the interests of a small group of powerful stakeholders over the broader public good,” the letter reads. “The integrity, independence, and diversity of our industry would be grievously compromised. Competition is essential for a healthy economy and a healthy democracy. So is thoughtful regulation and enforcement.”
The letter continues: “This transaction would further consolidate an already concentrated media landscape, reducing competition at a moment when our industries—and the audiences we serve—can least afford it. The result will be fewer opportunities for creators, fewer jobs across the production ecosystem, higher costs, and less choice for audiences in the United States and around the world.”
The letter also declares support for action by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, fellow state attorneys general, and others to investigate and block the transaction.
Signees include major figures in both the Paramount and Warner Bros. spheres — Abrams, of course, made many films for Paramount including the “Star Trek” movies and his Bad Robot has a deal set up at Warner Bros., which is releasing his next movie.
“The Pitt” — and thus Warner Bros. — darling Noah Wyle, too, is a signee as is “Dune” filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, whose last three movies have been produced by Warner Bros.
Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison is barreling ahead with his company’s $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, which he has said could close as early as this summer if it makes it through regulatory hurdles. While he has promised continued investment in Warner Bros. and an output of 30 films per year in theaters from WB, many remain wary that any kind of consolidation would negatively impact an already struggling film and TV business, and there is the looming specter of job losses as a result of the merger.
In a statement, Paramount said it hears and understands the the concerns raised by the creative community and “respect the commitment to protecting and expanding creativity.”
“Importantly, as creators we know firsthand that this is also a moment when the industry has been facing significant disruption—and the need for strong, creative-first and well-capitalized companies that can continue to invest in storytelling has never been greater,” the company said. “This transaction uniquely brings together complementary strengths to create a company that can greenlight more projects, back bold ideas, support talent across multiple stages of their careers, and bring stories to audiences at a truly global scale—while strengthening competition by ensuring multiple scaled players are investing in creative talent.”
“We have been clear in our commitments to do just that: increasing output to a minimum of 30 high-quality feature films annually with full theatrical releases, continuing to license content, and preserving iconic brands with independent creative leadership —ensuring creators have more avenues for their work, not fewer,” the letter continues. “We understand the concerns raised as a result of the disruptions caused to our industry by COVID, entry of big-tech, and changes in consumer behavior, but we promise this: Paramount remains deeply committed to talent, and this merger strengthens both consumer choice and competition, creating greater opportunities for creators, audiences and the communities they live and work in.”
Read the full open letter below, which remains open to additional signees:
As filmmakers, documentarians, writers, and professionals across the movie and television industry, we write to express our unequivocal opposition to the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger.
This transaction would further consolidate an already concentrated media landscape, reducing competition at a moment when our industries—and the audiences we serve—can least afford it. The result will be fewer opportunities for creators, fewer jobs across the production ecosystem, higher costs, and less choice for audiences in the United States and around the world.
Our industry is already under severe strain, in large part due to prior waves of consolidation. We have witnessed a steep decline in the number of films produced and released, alongside a narrowing of the kinds of stories that are financed and distributed. Increasingly, a small number of powerful entities determine what gets made—and on what terms—leaving creators and independent businesses with fewer viable paths to sustain their work.
Media consolidation has accelerated the disappearance of the mid-budget film, the erosion of independent distribution, the collapse of the international sales market, the elimination of meaningful profit participation, and the weakening of screen credit integrity.
Together, these factors threaten the sustainability of the entire creative community. That includes endangering the professional lives of the tens of thousands of workers who help make up that community in predominantly small businesses and independent companies embedded in local economies and communities nationwide.
We are deeply concerned by indications of support for this merger that prioritize the interests of a small group of powerful stakeholders over the broader public good. The integrity, independence, and diversity of our industry would be grievously compromised.
Competition is essential for a healthy economy and a healthy democracy. So is thoughtful regulation and enforcement. Media consolidation has already weakened one of America’s most vital global industries—one that has long shaped culture and connected people around the world.Fortunately, someone is doing something about all this. California Attorney General Rob Bonta and his colleagues in other states are reportedly scrutinizing the merger and considering legal action to block it. We are grateful for their leadership, and stand ready to support all efforts to preserve competition, protect jobs, and ensure a vibrant future for our industry, for American culture, and for our single most significant cultural export.
