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Mon, 20 Jul 2026

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 Paramount and Warner Bros mega merger paused by judge

US court temporarily stops Paramount and Warner Bros merging after 12 states launched legal action.

* A US federal judge has temporarily blocked the $110bn merger between Paramount and Warner Bros.
* The decision was made after a lawsuit from 12 US states, including California and New York, arguing that the deal would stifle competition and raise consumer prices.
* The companies argued that merging would improve streaming efficiency, but the judge sided with the state coalition, saying they raised "serious questions" about the deal's impact on movie distribution.
* Under a 14-day injunction, neither company can finalize the deal or start joining their businesses together.
* The next court hearing is set for August.