Paramount And Warner Bros Pause $110bn Merger Amid Legal Challenge

Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros Discovery have agreed to pause their $110bn (£82.8bn) merger until June 2027 while a judge considers a legal challenge to the tie-up, according to BBC. The pause follows lawsuits from 12 US states and the Writers Guild of America, which say the deal would harm competition and raise prices for consumers. Paramount called the agreement a "significant win" and said it creates a path to a trial based on the evidence. The US Department of Justice approved the deal in June, and European regulators approved it days ago on condition that Paramount end a major film distribution partnership with Universal Pictures in the region. With the US case on hold, emergency court hearings have been cancelled. The companies remain separate while legal teams submit a proposed trial schedule by 31 July.