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

The Oregon attorney general’s office has withdrawn its court motion seeking to delay Paramount's proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros., removing one procedural hurdle for the deal, though the state indicated it is still weighing further action.

State Cites Non-Compliance

The Oregon Department of Justice announced the withdrawal on Friday, accusing Paramount of failing to cooperate with its investigative demands.

"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 provided to Reuters. "We’ve withdrawn the motion to consider our next steps."

Previously, the attorney general's office had asked a court in Multnomah County to order Paramount to hand over records and delay the deal by 60 days for review. In response to the state's review, Paramount had agreed not to close the transaction before July 22, according to the source.

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Broader Regulatory Scrutiny Remains

While Paramount welcomed the development, calling the merger "lawful" and "pro-competitive" in a statement, the deal still faces significant opposition. The transaction would combine two of Hollywood's four major studios, raising antitrust concerns.

The state's investigation sought documents regarding Paramount's internal efforts to obtain regulatory clearance, known by the code name "Project Warrior," and its lobbying of the Trump administration.

This single state's withdrawal does not clear the path for the merger. The deal has drawn criticism from actors, writers, and other industry professionals over fears of job losses and reduced competition. According to Reuters, other U.S. states are also scrutinizing the acquisition and could file lawsuits to block it as early as next week.