Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison tells executives the company may start moving out of California on Oct. 1 unless California Attorney General Rob Bonta agrees to negotiate a settlement in the state’s antitrust lawsuit. The threat is tied to Paramount’s planned $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, which is also challenged by a 12-state coalition.
Multiple outlets report that Ellison frames the move as a response to stalled negotiations while the merger faces legal scrutiny. Variety additionally reports the company believes leaving California could reduce costs, including an estimate of potential savings, though it is not presented as a way to avoid state taxes. Salon and Variety also include California’s reaction, with Bonta accusing Ellison of “blackmail” and saying such a tactic will not work. Other coverage describes Hollywood uncertainty and broader concerns among creatives about the merger’s prospects.
While outlets differ in emphasis—some focus on the ultimatum, others on the politics and pushback—the central facts are consistent: Ellison threatens relocation unless settlement talks proceed, and California’s attorney general publicly rejects the demand amid ongoing litigation over the merger.
