California Attorney General Rob Bonta canceled a scheduled Monday meeting with Paramount Skydance executives, citing what he described as bad faith conduct after details of a Friday discussion were allegedly leaked to the media.
Bonta stated that Paramount not only disclosed the purported substance of the talks but also misrepresented their nature, undermining the integrity of the process. "Once Paramount stops gaming the system and engages in good faith, my office will be happy to meet again," he said in a statement.
The dispute centers on a lawsuit filed in July 2026 by California and 11 other states—including New York, Arizona, and Minnesota—seeking to block Paramount’s proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. The states argue the merger would reduce competition in film distribution and cable television, potentially harming movie theaters, pay-TV distributors, and consumers through higher prices and reduced wage competitiveness.
The New York Times reported on Saturday that the Friday meeting between Bonta’s office and Paramount representatives was preliminary and did not guarantee formal negotiations. The leak, if confirmed, complicates efforts to reach a settlement before the case proceeds in court.
