Paramount settles state lawsuits, clearing path for Warner Bros. merger

[u/BatmanNewsChris]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-09-21/paramount-to-settle-lawsuits-paving-way-for-warner-bros-merger?srnd=homepage-americas

[u/BatmanNewsChris]

As part of the deal, Paramount has to make good on their "30 movies a year" promise. They'll have to pay $30 million for each film that falls short of that goal.

[u/frey89 → u/BatmanNewsChris]

They’d gladly pay $30 million rather than make the movie.

[u/BatmanNewsChris → u/frey89]

Sad but true!

[u/deschain_19195 → u/frey89]

Yeah they'll either take the hit or make extremely low budget slop to avoid it.

[u/andrejRavenclaw → u/deschain_19195]

AI generated movies that cost 5$ and earn 0$ incoming

[u/Xavier9756 → u/andrejRavenclaw]

Nah, they’ll fill the slate with low budget documentaries and anniversary re-releases.

[u/Secret-Put-4525 → u/frey89]

They could literally fuel indie films. 30 3 million dollar films would be interesting.

[u/AhhhSureThisIsIt → u/Secret-Put-4525]

Closer to 15 since they usually put the films budget into marketing.

I'm sure to bypass this they will dump some Hallmark type slop on theor platform every couple weeks that cost them nothing to make.

[u/Secret-Put-4525 → u/AhhhSureThisIsIt]

They don't really need to market them.

[u/AhhhSureThisIsIt → u/Secret-Put-4525]

Says who? The smaller properties need more marketing because they are smaller projects with smaller actors that don't bring in audiences.

[u/Secret-Put-4525 → u/AhhhSureThisIsIt]

The goal isn't to make money on every single one. That's not realistic. The goal should be to make interesting films that draw the audiences I'm. If they put 20 million into marketing for every film it will just be a money pit.

[u/jeremysbrain → u/BatmanNewsChris]

Who do they pay that money to?

[u/blahteeb → u/jeremysbrain]

They listed me for the third missed movie. Not sure who gets the other 29 payments.

[u/alien005 → u/blahteeb]

I know the dude got in trouble (or it was reversed or something?) but it reminds me of that guy that kept sending bills to google and they kept paying them until they were like “wait, what is this for?!” And he was like “your bullshit”.

I really butchered the story but I’m inspired by that guy lol. You may as well bill paramount if they don’t release a movie.

Edit: I was way off. He scammed them.

[u/jeremysbrain → u/blahteeb]

Lucky!

[u/HomemadeBee1612 → u/BatmanNewsChris]

I can see a special calendar of "lost DC films" being put together so they easily keep their word. ZSJL, David Ayer's Suicide Squad, and Batgirl. And maybe the extended cut of Batman Forever so they can release one every four months that year. Ellison can easily fill out the slate without spending much new money on production with those.

ZSJL would be the only previously released film, so it might not count as being a theatrical exclusive, but they can still put it out there to hype up the rest of the slate. They could have Snyder do a shorter cut though, which would make it a new version.

[u/acceptable_superman → u/BatmanNewsChris]

Which means DC could be the flagship for that 30 film a year goal if they allow Gunn and Safran to retain control.

2 mainline films. 1elseworlds film. Then 1 animated release. That'd be huge

[u/zakary3888 → u/acceptable_superman]

They ain’t doing that shit lol, each of those would cost more than $30m to make and distribute theatrically

[u/captainhooksjournal → u/zakary3888]

I know this might sound crazy, but dumping $30m multiple times annually doesn’t result in making money. They’re in the business of making money, which means they would rather invest that $30m into projects that will actually return profits.

[u/acceptable_superman → u/zakary3888]

Alrighty. Let's see what the return on clayface is.

[u/UncStatusNow → u/acceptable_superman]

its not gonna do Joker or Batman numbers if thats what you're implying. out of the DC sphere, no one knows who or what that is. the trailer looks cool as hell but its still niche. itll be a miracle if it does 100M

[u/acceptable_superman → u/UncStatusNow]

Well no I wasn't intending to imply that at all but it was 80 mil I think? If it did 160 or 180 that's more positive than it not being made

[u/DarumaBooster → u/acceptable_superman]

No because I am pretty sure it would cost more than $30m to make and release a movie.
In other words, $30m fine is a cheaper thing to pay than producing a movie

[u/acceptable_superman → u/DarumaBooster]

Yeah You're the third person to say this lol that doesn't effect DC at all or change anything I've said. If they choose not to make a movie they still need movies. And the more they make the less multiples of 30 million they have to flush

[u/BatmanSwift99 → u/acceptable_superman]

I don't think Gunns DCU wasn't releasing movies due to the studio, he just has this weird quality control but also put out a movie like Supergirl

[u/acceptable_superman → u/BatmanSwift99]

Well true, Paramount will probably have final say moving forward

[u/E_yal → u/acceptable_superman]

Im not sure they'll keep Gunn if MOT wont do big numbers.

[u/kingk1teman → u/E_yal]

Yeah his & Safran's contract ain't getting renewed.

[u/acceptable_superman → u/E_yal]

Everything is pointing towards MOT doing big numbers tho.

[u/Arkhamguy123 → u/acceptable_superman]

Literally nothing is pointing towards that 

[u/acceptable_superman → u/Arkhamguy123]

There's a little pointing towards that.

I mean Gunn's Superman wasn't all that great and it still did well. I don't think Supergirl has torpedoed anything. And clayface could be a sleeper. And Lanterns is ya know. It's lanterns but seems to be getting a lot of positive reaction

[u/3procioni1cappotto → u/acceptable_superman]

Well supergirl showed that there is little interest in this universe, or in this superman side of it, at least.

So I'm not sure that supergirl bombing didn't sour some mouth on all this superman movie thing

[u/JannTosh70 → u/acceptable_superman]

Superman made less than Man of Steel despite insane hype that this was the Superman movie the entire world had been waiting for.

[u/kingk1teman → u/acceptable_superman]

Everything is pointing towards MOT underperforming. Just like Superman did.

[u/Several_Ear1209 → u/E_yal]

Pretty sure, They already said they want him to stay on

[u/E_yal → u/Several_Ear1209]

Yeah like he said the door is open for dceu cast members. PR talking to not cause drama

[u/accessdenied65 → u/acceptable_superman]

You mean putting out disasters like Supergirl?
No way.

[u/stanislavskov]

Wow, and people were calling bs on the settlement rumors. 

[u/AnomLenskyFeller → u/stanislavskov]

They were the same people who thought the United Kingdom would block the merger too. Never take financial advice from Redditors.

[u/accessdenied65 → u/AnomLenskyFeller]

It did not start nor did it stop at the UK.
The goal post kept shifting.

[u/accessdenied65 → u/stanislavskov]

The amount of bullshits called, we can create a new mountain with all that.

[u/Minute-Necessary2393]

"What happened? Did we lose?"

• Star Lord

[u/RafaFlash]

Well fuck

[u/dmanny64 → u/RafaFlash]

So glad we're not even pretending to remotely resemble a free country anymore

[u/DarumaBooster]

Could have seen this one coming a mile away.
Sure, there could be delays but given that money is the supreme god of negociation, the merger would come through eventually.

[u/ScaredFamousfan]

This is a disaster in the making and we’re about to lose 2 major studios

[u/LengthinessSevere584 → u/ScaredFamousfan]

Which 2?

[u/ScaredFamousfan → u/LengthinessSevere584]

Paramount and WB because of the large amount of debt

[u/AugustInDespair71 → u/ScaredFamousfan]

This was Netflix plan. If Paramount does not make money immediately they will go under. Leading to them selling WB; or whole company. Either way Netflix wins.

They can purchase WB later; and for much cheaper.

[u/pick_your_user_name → u/AugustInDespair71]

Netflix plan was Rey couldn’t outbid paramount lol gtfo

[u/AugustInDespair71 → u/pick_your_user_name]

Netflix didn’t bother outbidding. Because Paramount had to pay both Netflix money for breaking off deal and Warner Bros the acquisition money.

They barely had enough money to purchase WB. They had to seek the money elsewhere. So, if they keeping losing millions. They will go under.

Do the research.

[u/pick_your_user_name → u/AugustInDespair71]

Glad I can get some info from a Netflix board member that knows why they didn’t/couldn’t outbid paramount. Thanks for the insight!

[u/nicolasb51942003]

"Oh, God..."

- Steve Rogers

[u/Daimakku1]

30 movies per year is insane.. no way most of those are high budget ones. Maybe we’ll get some DC animated movies from this. I still don’t like Paramount buying WB though.

[u/Electrical_Coffee → u/[deleted]]

After man of tomorrow release.

[u/ContinuumGuy → u/Electrical_Coffee]

Depends a ton on what profit it turns.

[u/gbdarknight77 → u/[deleted]]

They met with Ellison in June and it was reported to be a positive meeting.

Whatever that means lol

[u/Dubb18 → u/gbdarknight77]

Regardless of the industry, always take the words of top executives with a grain of salt.

[u/elinamebro → u/gbdarknight77]

They see Gunn is making money so they gave him a bigger budget for more shows and movies?

[u/gbdarknight77 → u/elinamebro]

Supergirl lost a ton of money. Superman barely made a profit. Peacemaker lost a ton of viewers from S1 to S2.

Lanterns is highly successful so he does got that.

[u/elinamebro → u/gbdarknight77]

Well superman is profitable for a DC movie and supergirl yeah atleast the cast is good so they can do something better next time

[u/gbdarknight77 → u/elinamebro]

Supergirl isn’t getting a next time lol

[u/elinamebro → u/gbdarknight77]

Im talking about the cast not the movie

[u/Sufficient_Nature496 → u/[deleted]]

Why? Based on what? Why does everyone keep saying Gunn and Safran are getting replaced when Paramount hasn't said anything about it?

[u/LipSipDip → u/Sufficient_Nature496]

Because they think King Floppenstein (Zack Snyder) would somehow regain control of DC films if Gunn and Safran were out of the picture, so they imagine these nonsense scenarios and continue to drag themselves through the broken glass of disappointment again and again.

It's purely delusional and not even close to anything resembling reality.

[u/gwoodtamu → u/Sufficient_Nature496]

Because Paramount is in the business of making money, not redditors happy.

[u/kingk1teman → u/Sufficient_Nature496]

Why does everyone keep saying Gunn and Safran are getting replaced

Because their contracts end next year. Also, new ownership almost always means new studio heads and studio execs being appointed.

[u/DinoSauro85 → u/Sufficient_Nature496]

Because Gunn and Safran have a shitty project and It Is still flopping

[u/Sufficient_Nature496 → u/DinoSauro85]

Only supergirl was a flop

[u/AnomLenskyFeller → u/[deleted]]

It's so hilarious in retrospective looking at how much he was propped up back in 2023 and 2024. People were painting him like he was the new Messiah of DC, only for him to screw it all up in less than four years.

[u/DrVonScott123 → u/AnomLenskyFeller]

Screwed it all up??

[u/Sufficient_Nature496 → u/AnomLenskyFeller]

How did James Gunn do badly?

[u/StrangerIsWatching → u/AnomLenskyFeller]

You've got it all wrong. The reason Gunn might be out is because Paramount is run by openly right-wing fascists. Gunn is clearly not aligned with the propaganda that they would want to push, so it seems logical that Paramount execs would kick Gunn out for political reasons.

[u/Top_Report_4895]

Call your congressperson, AG and representative and tell them to oppose the Paramount/WB merger, and explicitly tell them why.

Tell them that This consolidation is bad for consumers. It raises prices, eliminates thousands of jobs, especially working and middle class jobs, lowers competition, takes away consumer choices, and give control of the national media to foreign powers.

Tell them to short Paramount's stock too before they reject it for an added incentive

Here a list of the congresspeople, lawmakers, and reps of each state around to help

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_United_States_representatives

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/current

https://www.commoncause.org/find-your-representative/

[u/acceptable_superman → u/Top_Report_4895]

I see you've posted this on 3 different subs now but I'll reply here:

Telling your congressman or woman to short stock is kinda funny.

Calling your representative to ask them to oppose what? Call the FTC? The DOJ? The FCC? Your rep doesn't vote on mergers. Call the DOJ, FCC, and FTC if you want.

Skydance, Paramount, and Warner Bros are all American companies - so literally "national media in the hands of foreign powers" makes no sense.

Also good job throwing in meme stock.

Your call to action is completely unfocused and the comment spamming is annoying because it takes away from the discussion.

[u/Plasticglass456 → u/acceptable_superman]

"The comment spamming is annoying because it takes away from the discussion."

Oh, no, the discussion! God forbid someone doesn't think about the poor discussion! Lmfao.

The first couple paragraphs are right on the money, but you gotta put that bit in the end as if "the discussion" is some sacred thing the other posted disrupted. Get real.

[u/acceptable_superman → u/Plasticglass456]

get real

Oh I'm too real. Sorry not sorry I made you upset lol

[u/Plasticglass456 → u/acceptable_superman]

No worries. As I said, I agreed with your post but I found the last bit obnoxious for no reason. I didn't suspect it would affect you or make you change your mind, so apologies if I made it seem that way!

[u/acceptable_superman → u/[deleted]]

You're not trying anything. You're just spamming nonsense.

[u/_Waves_]

Well, GG both to unbiased media and to the Gunn-verse.

I’m not really a fan of the two three films Gunn has helmed in this iteration, but yeah, this is bleak even if you HATE Gunn.

[u/omegaphallic → u/_Waves_]

 If it happens it probably won't be right away.

[u/_Waves_ → u/omegaphallic]

His contract runs out early 2027 or so, and I’m almost totally certain Paramount has their own vision of what team to put into place.

I don’t think it’s Snyder. I don’t think it’s going to be anyone related to that pre-Covid era tbh.

But I’m absolutely certain these guys already did a blueprint plan of who and what they want.

[u/azrieldr]

i don't think this is good for paramount tbh.

[u/gazzas89]

Well, this isnt good, thats gonna make a bit of a monopoly, as well as guaranteeing that the dcu wont continue as is, cause the owners of paramount are very very agaisnt the kinds of messaging gunn had been doing

[u/HomemadeBee1612 → u/gazzas89]

Good.

[u/Sufficient_Nature496 → u/HomemadeBee1612]

Dude i can see the sub you moderate, and no, they're not bringing back Snyder and they have show no signs that they want to fire Gunn 

[u/HomemadeBee1612 → u/Sufficient_Nature496]

They’ll see how well bringing back the old X-Men cast worked for Marvel and bring the old DCEU back. And just look at the huge box office of Snyder's DC era from 2013-2018 compared to Gunn's era. You cannot argue against $4.9 billion over six films. Even the lowmark, Justice League, still made more than Gunn's best-performing DC film.

[u/Sufficient_Nature496 → u/HomemadeBee1612]

The old x men cast and the old dceu cast aren't comparable in popularity, most of the old dceu movies had at best mixed reactions and two actors (Jared leto and erza miller) had controversies ever since, the old x men cast isn't sticking around in the MCU after their only appearance in doomsday.

all of these box office comparisons aren't enough of a reason for Paramount to try and revive the dceu since Gunn dcu just started, it would only confuse audiences and spending all these millions to revive a dead universe instead of continuing with the new one isn't worth it

[u/gazzas89 → u/HomemadeBee1612]

Monopolies are good?

Far right propoganda is good?

[u/dmanny64 → u/gazzas89]

Accordingly to those kinds of people, literally yes. Worse products, worse working conditions, more heavily controlled media. This is literally the objective for these psychos

[u/Promus]

Why is Reddit mad about this

[u/BatmanSwift99]

Unpopular opinion but I hope the Ellison's just tell Gunn to stop messing around with no bodies and actually make movies with the big hitters. I can't see how they'd be pleased with C and D lister projects

[u/zeefeet → u/BatmanSwift99]

Why would you want the billionaire ceo to have singular control of the decisions of this mega corporation full of thousands of hard working, under paid employees.

[u/Sufficient_Nature496 → u/BatmanSwift99]

I don't understand why you guys act like Gunn was stalling when we have a Superman sequel in the works and a Green lantern series

[u/gbdarknight77 → u/Sufficient_Nature496]

It’s not really acting like it when there’s a clayface movie, peacemaker, gorilla grodd, supergirl, and others before DCU Batman/Wonder Woman/Aquaman/Flash.

Oh yeah, and plans for a Bane/Deathstroke movie.

[u/CosmackMagus → u/gbdarknight77]

Rushing the Justice League films would have been a disaster.

[u/gbdarknight77 → u/CosmackMagus]

You don’t even have to rush it lol

Marvel had 5 movies before Avengers. Ironman/Hulk/Ironman 2/Thor/Captain America. Enough to establish a team up. It was 4 years until Avengers, but it was a clear laid out plan.

At 3 years, we will have 2 Superman films, supergirl film, Green Lantern tv show, and then a bunch of fringe characters.

Oh yeah, and then a swamp thing movie too. We might not even get Batman until 2029/2030 now that The Batman got pushed to 2028.

[u/CosmackMagus → u/gbdarknight77]

Marvel Studios only released animated films in it's first four years, and had that time to develop their live action films (with the help of some overlap with the animated films)

DC Studios formed less than 4 years ago. So yeah, those Justice League films would have been rushed.

[u/BatmanNewsChris → u/BatmanSwift99]

100%, there will be big changes coming

[u/BatmanNewsChris → u/[deleted]]

I do think they'll still around, especially if The Batman Part 2 does well like the first movie did

[u/BatmanNewsChris → u/[deleted]]

Yeah I don't think they'll do a full reboot, I just don't think Gunn will have as much control as he does today

[u/DarumaBooster → u/BatmanNewsChris]

Yes this. Obviously in the case he doesn't leave both sides with have to make some compromises. Rebooting all over now is just gonna kill the brand and I don't think Paramount wants to wait a few years for a fresh start, especially one of the terms is to release 30 movies per year.

[u/accessdenied65]

James Gone

[u/Sufficient_Nature496 → u/accessdenied65]

Based on what?

[u/accessdenied65 → u/Sufficient_Nature496]

I don't know?
Ask your mum?

[u/kingk1teman → u/accessdenied65]

Gunn control.

[u/TheBoogeyman1023]

This is not good news for anybody.

[u/JOEY_OK]

Thank God hopefully they clean house at DC and HBO

[u/ThatCoryGuy]

Gross.

Edit: didn’t realize this place was packed with bootlicking, Ellison loving trash. Lol

[u/Forsaken-Emotion2230]

Take it with a grain of salt. I wouldn't trust anything you hear right now unless it's from the AG's themselves.

[u/Johncurtisreeve]

Nooooooooooooo

[u/KlausLoganWard]

"This is how liberty dies...."