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Settlement Conference Regarding Paramount-WBD Merger Lawsuit Set for Next Month
On Friday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Hixson ordered Paramount Skydance and California Attorney General Rob Bonta to meet for a two-day in-person settlement conference in late October.
Last month, California Attorney General Rob Bonta canceled scheduled talks, accusing Paramount Skydance of misrepresenting discussions and leaking confidential details; the studio denied the allegations and maintains readiness for good-faith negotiations.
Bonta seeks "robust structural remedies" for the $111 billion merger, which California and 11 other states allege reduces competition, while Paramount Skydance has offered only behavioral concessions including 45-day theatrical windows.
The court-ordered session in late October does not guarantee resolution but provides a formal venue to settle the dispute before the antitrust trial scheduled for March 2, 2027.
Paramount faces a $7 million daily "ticking fee" beginning October 1, intensifying pressure to reach a deal, while a hearing on a requested $1.88 billion bond is set for September 24.