WGA Says Ellison Exit Threat Shows Why Paramount-WBD Deal Must Be Blocked

The Writers Guild of America condemned David Ellison’s threat to pull Paramount out of California over the antitrust suit connected to the Paramount-WBD merger, saying the move underscores the studio’s outsized power and argues the deal should be blocked. Ellison warned of leaving on Oct. 1 to avoid a $7 million-per-day ticking fee, while California AG Rob Bonta labeled the threat blackmail as the WGA pursues its own merger lawsuit with a federal trial set for March 2027.