Paramount pushes for November antitrust trial, states request April
Paramount Skydance has asked U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez‑Olguín to set a 12‑day antitrust trial beginning on Nov. 4, 2026, to resolve challenges to its roughly $110‑$111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. A coalition of 12 state attorneys general, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, and the Writers Guild of America have filed a joint request for the trial to start on Apr. 5, 2027, arguing they need additional time for discovery.
The merger, cleared by the U.S. Department of Justice in June and approved by regulators in the European Union, Australia, China and other jurisdictions, remains on hold after a temporary restraining order was issued, pausing the deal until a court decision. Paramount faces a “ticking‑fee” that obligates it to pay Warner shareholders about $7 million per day from Oct. 1, 2026 until the transaction closes, making the trial schedule financially critical. Both sides contend the other’s proposed timeline is a tactic to gain advantage, with Paramount calling the April request a “stonewalling tactic” and the states saying the November date would compress discovery and harm the case.
The court in Oakland must now choose between the competing schedules, a decision that will affect the future of the combined media company and its impact on competition, consumers and the broader entertainment industry.
Entities: 12 U.S. states · Araceli Martínez‑Olguín · David Ellison · Judge Araceli Martínez‑Olguín · Paramount Global · Paramount Skydance Corp. · Rob Bonta · Warner Bros. Discovery · Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. · Writers Guild of America
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Paramount requested a trial date starting on November 4 for the antitrust case. (multiple sources)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Paramount must pay approximately $7 million per day to Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders until the merger closes. (existing)
- [● 4 SOURCES] The U.S. Department of Justice approved the merger in June. (existing)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Regulators in the European Union, Australia, China and other jurisdictions have also approved the merger. (existing)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The states and the Writers Guild asked for a trial date of April 5, 2027. (multiple sources)
- [● 5 SOURCES] Judge Araceli Martínez‑Olguín is presiding over the case in federal court in Oakland, California. (existing)
- [● 6 SOURCES] Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery have a proposed merger valued at about $111 billion. (existing)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Twelve U.S. states and the Writers Guild of America have filed antitrust lawsuits to block the merger. (multiple sources)
- [● 5 SOURCES] A coalition of 12 state attorneys general and the Writers Guild of America requested a trial start on April 5, 2027. (multiple articles)
- [● 3 SOURCES] A temporary restraining order paused the merger until a court decision, with the deal not to close before June 2027. (multiple articles)
- [● 5 SOURCES] Paramount requested a 12‑day antitrust trial starting on November 4, 2026. (multiple articles)