Paramount takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery clears legal hurdle

A federal judge on Wednesday approved a settlement clearing Paramount’s takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery after 12 US states challenged the deal on antitrust grounds. The agreement includes safeguards for CNN’s editorial independence and requires the merged studio to release at least 30 films a year for its first two years.

In an aerial view, the Warner Bros. logo is displayed on the water tower at Warner Bros. Studio on September 21, 2026 in Burbank, California. © Mario Tama, Getty Images via AFP

A federal judge on Wednesday approved a settlement between Paramount and a group of US states that clears the way for its takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery , creating a Hollywood empire spanning television , news and cinema.

Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin of California signed the consent decree, binding the concessions that Paramount offered to end an antitrust challenge brought by 12 states. The commitments run for five years, and the court will have the power to enforce them.

Paramount, which is run by David Ellison, whose ultra-wealthy family has ties to US President Donald Trump , won a bidding war against Netflix in February for control of a stable of assets that includes Warner Bros. Pictures, CNN and the HBO Max streaming service.

Copyright for this text belongs to France 24.