California Attorney General Rob Bonta canceled a scheduled settlement meeting with Paramount on Sunday, accusing the company of acting in bad faith. The meeting, planned for Monday, was intended to address California’s lawsuit seeking to block Paramount’s proposed $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
Bonta stated that Paramount leaked details of Friday’s preliminary discussions and misrepresented their substance, undermining trust in the process. The state is one of 12 jurisdictions suing to halt the merger, which has drawn regulatory scrutiny amid concerns over market consolidation.
Paramount had previously threatened to exit California if legal challenges persisted, while Governor Gavin Newsom had signaled a preference for resolving the dispute through settlement. The canceled meeting was described as exploratory, with no guarantee of progress toward an agreement.
Bonta emphasized that Paramount’s actions left his office no choice but to pause negotiations. "Not only did Paramount leak the alleged substance of settlement discussions, but they misrepresented these discussions, demonstrating a lack of good faith," he said. "As soon as Paramount stops playing games and engages sincerely, my office is happy to meet again."
