Paramount Seeks November Trial in WBD Antitrust Case as States, WGA Call for April

Paramount is pushing for a November 4–15, 2026 trial start in the federal antitrust case over its Warner Bros. Discovery merger, while 12 state attorneys general and the Writers Guild of America want an April 2027 start. In a joint filing, the parties laid out competing schedules for Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin; Paramount argues the earlier calendar allows sufficient discovery and avoids harming production plans, while the plaintiffs say more time is needed to test market definitions, potential harms, and merger-specific efficiencies. The court has not yet set the schedule, and the merger remains delayed with multi-million daily penalties if closing slips.