‘Horrifying’: Hollywood blasts Trump’s role in studio sale
But the president’s threat over Rice was viewed by many here as helping Paramount, with Trump’s involvement taking on a new dimension by targeting not just programming choices, but questions of corporate structure once…
But the president’s threat over Rice was viewed by many here as helping Paramount, with Trump’s involvement taking on a new dimension by targeting not just programming choices, but questions of corporate structure once largely insulated from political influence.
“It’s horrifying that any president would put his finger on the scale for one company over another,” said producer Bill Gerber, a former worldwide president of theatrical production at Warner Bros. whose company has a first-look deal at the studio.
Paramount and Warner Bros. did not respond to interview requests.
The sale of Warner Bros., a Hollywood crown jewel known for films such as “Casablanca” and TV series including “Friends,” has for months been a source of tension in Washington and the entertainment industry. Republican attorneys general from 11 states urged U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi this week to examine Netflix’s proposed acquisition, arguing it could lead to “undue market concentration that stifles competition,” while California Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, had already begun reviewing the deal.
Bonta on Thursday night said that the proposed Warner Bros. sale is “not a done deal,” and that his office would continue its probe of the transaction.
“These two Hollywood titans have not cleared regulatory scrutiny — the California Department of Justice has an open investigation, and we intend to be vigorous in our review,” he wrote on X.
Meanwhile, lawmakers and industry figures alike worry that Paramount’s acquisition could trigger deep layoffs. Schultz, whose district includes the Warner Bros. lot, said that there is “a lot of angst in our community” over the sale.
“It creates a lot of uncertainty among our residents,” he said. “I want to ensure that … we’re going to have jobs staying in our community, that we’re going to see vibrant and consistent production on our studio lot.”
Warner Bros. shareholders are scheduled to vote on the sale on March 20. Paramount began seeking regulatory approval late last year — despite the absence of an agreement with Warner Bros. — an aggressive move that telegraphed confidence in ultimately clearing the process.
