Mark Ruffalo Urges California AG to Not Settle Antitrust Suit Against Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger: “Do Not Cave”

Actor Mark Ruffalo has joined the chorus of voices urging California Attorney General Rob Bonta to reject a settlement in the ongoing lawsuit against Paramount Skydance's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. Ruffalo, in a social media message, urged Bonta not to cave to the deal, emphasizing that "5670 film makers put their necks on the line for you to fight this merger.

Another 75,000+ and counting have signed to tell you not to concede in just 3 weeks." He called for the rejection of the merger, which he described as "filled with empty promises" and warned that the people would be hurt if the "lousy deal" goes through. Ruffalo directed his followers to the website for No Paramount Concessions, which features a petition calling for the 12 states involved in the lawsuit to "hold the line" and block the merger.

The website has gathered over 77,000 signatures. In a later post, Ruffalo called on his "friends in the Bay Area" to protest outside Bonta's office in Oakland the following day. Ruffalo has been a vocal critic of Paramount's pending acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, raising concerns about the business relationship between Oracle and Israel's military activity in Gaza.

The actor's objections to the merger have sparked a debate in the entertainment industry, with some criticizing his "antisemitic" comments and others supporting his stance. This comes after Senator Elizabeth Warren called the settlement talks a "massive mistake" and warned that the merger could result in a "Trump-controlled media conglomerate."

Reports indicate that Bonta and Paramount are in talks for a potential settlement to the lawsuit, but Bonta has called for structural remedies, such as divestments, rather than behavioral remedies.