Paramount Has Spent 100 Years in Hollywood. David Ellison Loved That. Until He Didn’t

The mogul says he's considering moving his studio out of California. Not long ago, he was talking a big game about how a merger with Warner Bros. Discovery would boost the state.

As expected, the Writers Guild of America has not taken kindly to Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison’s latest threat to pull the storied studio out of California if state AG Rob Bonta refuses to settle an antitrust suit to block the planned merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. “By threatening to leave the state becaus

Mr. Ellison told Paramount executives he is considering pulling the company out of California amid a lawsuit brought by state attorneys general.

Rob Bonta, the attorney general of California who is leading a 12-state coalition’s lawsuit seeking to block Paramount’s takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, responded to David Ellison’s threat to pull Paramount out of the state unless Bonta agrees to settlement talks. “In a span of weeks, Paramount agreed to halt the m

Paramount’s board has approved a plan to move the Hollywood studio out of California if the state’s attorney general Rob Bonta doesn't agree to settlement talks in his bitter antitrust case by Oct. 1, according to reports.

Opponents say the deal will harm the movie business as Paramount would wield too much control and reduce output.