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

The Oregon attorney general’s office on Friday withdrew its court motion seeking to delay Paramount’s proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. The move marks a procedural step back in one of several state-level challenges facing the landmark media merger.

Oregon Cites Non-Compliance

The Oregon Department of Justice accused Paramount of stonewalling its investigation, leading to the withdrawal. "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 department said in a statement to Reuters.

Oregon's legal team stated it would not "let them waste Oregonians’ resources on these games" and has withdrawn the motion to "consider our next steps," according to the statement. The motion, filed in a Multnomah County court, had sought to compel Paramount to turn over records and delay the deal by 60 days to allow for a review.

Broader Regulatory Hurdles Remain

Despite the withdrawal, the deal is not clear of this specific challenge. Paramount had previously agreed not to close the transaction before July 22 while Oregon conducted its review. The state's investigation has sought documents related to Paramount's internal efforts to secure regulatory approval, code-named "Project Warrior," and its lobbying of the Trump administration.

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A Paramount spokesperson told Reuters the company was "pleased that the Oregon Attorney General has withdrawn its motion," reiterating its belief that the merger is "lawful" and "pro-competitive."

Market Context

The proposed merger, which would combine two of Hollywood’s four major studios, continues to face significant opposition. Actors, writers, and other industry professionals have raised concerns about potential job losses and reduced competition.

The deal is also under review by other U.S. states. According to a Reuters report, a coalition of states could file a lawsuit to block the acquisition on antitrust grounds as early as next week, signaling that the primary regulatory battle over the media landscape-altering transaction is still to come.