US judge extends Paramount deadline to buy Warner Bros Discovery to June 2027, citing antitrust risk
A California federal judge approved the delay, moving the cutoff from September 30, 2026 to June 1, 2027, after 12 state attorneys general warned the deal could substantially weaken competition.
A federal judge in California on Friday agreed to push back the deadline for Paramount Skydance's acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery from September 30, 2026 to June 1, 2027. The ruling allows the antitrust challenge brought by prosecutors from 12 states to move forward without the merger closing first.
The original agreement, announced in February, included a penalty of 25 cents per WBD share per quarter (roughly $630 million) if the transaction was not completed by the original cutoff. Neither WBD nor Paramount Skydance addressed whether that penalty remains in effect.
This is great news for the public, cinema operators, and the many people who create the art, journalism and entertainment that so many of us enjoy.
This is a significant victory, because it gives the group a direct path to a trial based on the evidence.
