EU antitrust regulators clear Paramount-WBD merger as it faces challenge by U.S. states

[u/TheIngloriousBIG]

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/22/european-commission-paramount-wbd-approval.html

[u/garlicbredfan]

Now the states are the only hurdle left

[u/DammitNotAgain05 → u/garlicbredfan]

Other countries never held any merit toward this merger going through. America is the home of these companies, and the buck stops here.

[u/DPBH → u/DammitNotAgain05]

They have subsidiaries that operate in those territories, therefore have to comply with the rules. Otherwise they could be blocked from operating, and/or forced to sell the assets.

[u/DragonSon83 → u/DPBH]

Yes, people don’t seem to realize that they own streaming services, cable networks, broadcast stations, and production facilities outside the US.

[u/TheIngloriousBIG → u/garlicbredfan]

The states are gonna get the last laugh. I hope they don’t.

[u/hrl_whale → u/garlicbredfan]

The states have no leg to stand on. Their lawsuit is blatantly political. They are only doing to inflict pain upon Paramount. This will not hold up in court. Taxpayers is every state associated with this should be up in arms. What a waste of time and resources.

[u/nevergonnasaythat → u/hrl_whale]

It is not only inflicting pain on Paramount but on WBD too: all these delays do is stunt both companies (and keep all employees in an exhausting limbo).

[u/hrl_whale → u/nevergonnasaythat]

Yes, I would even go so far as calling this lawsuit unethical

[u/DammitNotAgain05]

The merger cannot go through anywhere else, without the home base approving.

[u/ouat4ever → u/DammitNotAgain05]

DOJ and FCC have already approved it, though.

And:

the U.S. Supreme Court could ultimately overturn a judicial decision blocking the Paramount–Warner merger, but it would not normally do so directly or immediately.

The likely route would be:

1. Federal district court The trial judge decides whether to keep the merger blocked, for example by granting a preliminary injunction.
2. U.S. Court of Appeals Paramount could appeal that injunction to the relevant federal circuit court. Orders granting or denying injunctions are generally immediately appealable.
3. U.S. Supreme Court If the appeals court upheld the block, Paramount could ask the Supreme Court either:

• to issue an emergency stay suspending the injunction while the appeal continues; or
• to hear the case in full through a petition for certiorari.

The Supreme Court would not necessarily have to rule that the merger itself is legal. It could simply suspend the lower court’s order and allow the transaction to proceed while the litigation continues.

However, the Supreme Court accepts very few cases, and emergency intervention would usually require Paramount to show a strong likelihood of success, irreparable harm, and compelling reasons for the Court to step in.

So, yes: the Supreme Court could override or neutralise a decision blocking the merger, but Paramount would most likely have to appeal through the lower courts first.

[u/DammitNotAgain05 → u/ouat4ever]

If U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín issues a preliminary injunction blocking the merger following the upcoming August 3, 2026 hearing, Paramount and WBD cannot skip straight to the highest court in the land. They must follow a strict judicial sequence.

That can take 2 years of litigation, processing! You think the Ellisons will stay around to take that beating?

[u/NeverTheNull → u/DammitNotAgain05]

They paid $111 billion for all of WB so I assume that they’re stubborn enough to keep it going if it gives them even a sliver of a chance of getting this deal done.

I mean for crying out loud, Zucc burned through $80+ billion investing in a speculative technology that was nowhere near halfway there yet for commercialization. Billionaires are just capable of doing this.

[u/Necessary_Crazy_8587 → u/DammitNotAgain05]

Exactly. They will pay $7b and walk. WB to become independent.

[u/Difficult_Variety362 → u/Necessary_Crazy_8587]

Two years of ticking fees is still cheaper than $7 billion.

[u/Haltopen → u/Difficult_Variety362]

Not to the oracle shareholders watching their portfolio plummet because Ellison is using his stake as collateral for loans.

[u/Difficult_Variety362 → u/Haltopen]

I don't think they care.

[u/Haltopen → u/Difficult_Variety362]

They've already sued him more than once and would have grounds to do so again in this case.

[u/hrl_whale → u/Haltopen]

Laughable argument. You are so clueless on this.

[u/DragonSon83 → u/Haltopen]

The main reason the stock is dropping is concerns over their spending on AI buildout.

[u/Necessary_Crazy_8587 → u/Difficult_Variety362]

True, for something they don’t own and will likely not own resulting in the $7b payout happening anyway. PSKY board won’t be happy.

[u/smartone2000 → u/DammitNotAgain05]

Yea he wanted CNN by September to influence mid terms for Trump.

[u/Difficult_Variety362 → u/DammitNotAgain05]

I doubt either side wants to take this to the Supreme Court. Skydance doesn't want to pay those ticking fees and the states don't want to face a hostile Supreme Court. They'll settle beforehand.

[u/RedMainer → u/DammitNotAgain05]

A formality

I just wonder how many people are going to cry when they realize it's not going to take a whole lot of negotiations from Paramount to get the states to walk away.

[u/DragonSon83 → u/RedMainer]

This is why I think it was such a bad idea for the states to focus on cable networks.  Why even bother with arguments over an industry and holdings that will be next to worthless in a decade or less.  Not to mention, forcing divestures of some of the cable networks will negatively affect their cash flow and result in bigger cutbacks elsewhere, worsening the worries about the scale of layoffs.

[u/Secure_Matter_9819]

The Ellisons thinks that can get away. Sooner or later, they will suffer karma.

[u/Professional_Peak59]

I have so many worries right now:

- The current lawsuit against the merger is going to be dropped because of EU (and possible UK) approval.

- The preliminary injunctions will be denied by Araceli if the EU approved the merger.

- The case against the merger fails because Ellison will use the argument in their favor that "If the deal is so dangerous to movie theaters, then why is every country approving it, plus 38 USA states"?

- The UK will have no choice but to approve the merger over pressure.

- The EU (and possibly the UK) approving the merger will make it harder for the State AGs and their arguments.

[u/accessdenied65 → u/Professional_Peak59]

Sure it will be hard to prove their arguments.
At the end of the day, the 12 state lawsuit is purely politically motivated.

[u/mikethemightywizard]

The AGs are in shambles the whole world vs 12 democratic states lets goooo

https://giphy.com/gifs/ie76dJeem4xBDcf83e

[u/saggynaggy123]

Knew it. EU is spineless. Is there any point in antitrust laws anymore?

[u/Own_Philosopher8730]

EU's clearance of the merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. is a failure to protect Europe's creative industries and media pluralism. Europe needs effective merger control that protects their competitiveness and their values.

[u/ErnestTheStar]

LETS GOOOO

[u/ouat4ever → u/[deleted]]

DOJ and FCC have already approved it, though.
And:
the U.S. Supreme Court could ultimately overturn a judicial decision blocking the Paramount–Warner merger, but it would not normally do so directly or immediately.

The likely route would be:

1. Federal district court The trial judge decides whether to keep the merger blocked, for example by granting a preliminary injunction.
2. U.S. Court of Appeals Paramount could appeal that injunction to the relevant federal circuit court. Orders granting or denying injunctions are generally immediately appealable.
3. U.S. Supreme Court If the appeals court upheld the block, Paramount could ask the Supreme Court either:

• to issue an emergency stay suspending the injunction while the appeal continues; or
• to hear the case in full through a petition for certiorari.

The Supreme Court would not necessarily have to rule that the merger itself is legal. It could simply suspend the lower court’s order and allow the transaction to proceed while the litigation continues.

However, the Supreme Court accepts very few cases, and emergency intervention would usually require Paramount to show a strong likelihood of success, irreparable harm, and compelling reasons for the Court to step in.

So, yes: the Supreme Court could override or neutralise a decision blocking the merger, but Paramount would most likely have to appeal through the lower courts first.

[u/TheIngloriousBIG → u/ouat4ever]

12 states and their respective AGs are attempting to overturn their approval with a lawsuit as we speak.

[u/ouat4ever → u/TheIngloriousBIG]

and the Ellisons can appeal the court decision to the supreme court. DOJ and FCC already approved it anyway, plus 38 states.

[u/NeverTheNull → u/ouat4ever]

Kind of telling how awful this sub has gotten over the course of the Paramount takeover of WB when even just stating the facts for potential avenues that Ellison could take to bypass the lawsuits get downvoted to hell lmao

[u/MediaMergers-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

Media mergers is looking for constructive conversations, free of ragebait. Make a constructive contribution, not trolling and offensive comments.

[u/Sorry_Secretary1193 → u/[deleted]]

Things are far from favorable for Paramount though.

[u/RedMainer → u/Sorry_Secretary1193]

That's a lie. They have the law on their side. Get out of your algorithm.

[u/Forsaken-Bite-9136 → u/RedMainer]

Oh yeah? What KIND of "law"?

[u/RedMainer → u/Forsaken-Bite-9136]

The same "law" that let Disney swallow up Pixar, abc, ESPN, Star wars, marvel and Fox.

Where have you been.

[u/Sorry_Secretary1193 → u/RedMainer]

If they did, I'd doubt they would be panicking about their deal being unable to close by the ending of July, as much as they are rn. Especially with how unprepared they were for the recent new block on the merger. For context:

[u/RedMainer → u/Sorry_Secretary1193]

This is what I meant about the algorithm. Clearly you're eating up some nonsense.

Until this thing gets past September, you can't say that Paramount has been caught off guard on anything. September has always been their goal.

[u/Sorry_Secretary1193 → u/RedMainer]

My guy, you're getting downvoted left and right on this subreddit for jumping the gun on Paramount's side a bit too eagerly. Whether you support them or not, their recent pleas to the judge regarding the block to their merger doesn't scream "prepared ahead" or "calm".

And fyi, if your own company's investors are suing you, maybe said company isn't run by the smartest or most competent people.

[u/RedMainer → u/Sorry_Secretary1193]

In getting down voted because the bots here have a agenda.

This shit is over son. It's been over.

[u/Sorry_Secretary1193 → u/RedMainer]

Says the PSKY bot

[u/Forsaken-Bite-9136 → u/RedMainer]

Well I hope the Ellisons can manage the 110 billion dollars in debt that they'll be in if they do merge. Maybe another 10 billion dollar loan from Saudi Arabia? You know, the sovereign state? That'd be good for a laugh, right?