Oregon Withdraws Motion to Delay $110 Billion Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger

The Oregon attorney general's office has withdrawn a court motion that sought to delay Paramount's proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. The state agency cited Paramount's alleged refusal to comply with an investigative demand for documents related to the merger.

State Cites Document Dispute

The Oregon Department of Justice announced the withdrawal on Friday, stating it would now "consider our next steps," indicating its review of the deal is not over. The agency had asked a Multnomah County court earlier this week to compel Paramount to hand over records and delay the deal by 60 days.

"Paramount made it clear that they weren’t going to comply with the investigative demand, and that they think they’re above the law," the Oregon DOJ said in a statement to Reuters. The state is seeking documents concerning:

• "Project Warrior," Paramount’s internal code name for its efforts to obtain regulatory clearance.
• Records related to the company’s lobbying of the Trump administration for support of the merger.

Paramount Responds as Deal Scrutiny Continues

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A Paramount spokesperson told Reuters the company was "pleased that the Oregon Attorney General has withdrawn its motion," calling the proposed merger "lawful" and "pro-competitive." Prior to the withdrawal, Paramount had agreed not to close the transaction before July 22 amid the state's review.

While the withdrawal of this specific motion removes an immediate procedural hurdle, the deal still faces significant regulatory headwinds. The development does not signal an end to the antitrust concerns surrounding the media mega-merger.

Broader Regulatory Headwinds

The proposed combination of two of Hollywood's four major studios has attracted significant opposition from industry professionals, including actors and writers, who have raised concerns about potential job losses and reduced competition.

According to Reuters, the deal remains under review by other U.S. states, which could reportedly sue to block the acquisition on competition grounds as early as next week. This ongoing scrutiny from a potential coalition of states represents a more substantial threat to the transaction's completion.