A new Puck News report is throwing more fuel on the fire surrounding the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger, and it reads like the woke Left in Hollywood is lining up to try to stop the deal.
According to Eriq Gardner of Puck, there is growing suspicion inside Paramount and elsewhere that Netflix may be working behind the scenes to help sink the merger, while activists, guilds, and celebrity names including Mark Ruffalo are helping push public pressure against it.
The report also comes through Matthew Belloni’s Puck orbit, which regularly carries anti-Trump tone and political digs, so that context is worth keeping in mind as the media narrative around the deal ramps up.
Puck says state AGs could target the Paramount-WBD merger
Gardner’s report says state attorneys general are increasingly expected to take a closer look at the Paramount-WBD merger, especially after recent legal wins involving Live Nation-Ticketmaster and the halted Nexstar-Tegna merger.
The idea is that even if federal regulators under President Donald Trump’s administration are seen as more open to deals getting done, state-level officials could still step in and try to block or delay the transaction.
Per the report, California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office is already said to be scouting for outside counsel, which suggests the push could get serious fast.
Hollywood’s “Block the Merger” campaign grows louder
Gardner also points to the “Block the Merger” open letter making the rounds in Hollywood, which reportedly has more than 3,000 signatures from actors, writers, and directors.
That list includes names such as Jason Bateman, Joaquin Phoenix, J.J. Abrams, Florence Pugh, Denis Villeneuve, Ben Stiller, Kristen Stewart, Pedro Pascal, and, as Gardner notes, Mark Ruffalo among those agitating for government action.
The campaign is being backed by groups including the Democracy Defenders Fund, the Committee for the First Amendment, and the Future Film Coalition, which are also said to be planning protests.
So while the public pitch is that this is some grassroots movement to protect Hollywood, the report suggests a much more organized political and industry effort is underway.
Netflix accused of working behind the scenes
The biggest eyebrow-raiser in the report is the claim that people inside Paramount and beyond suspect Netflix is astroturfing the anti-merger campaign.
Gardner says Netflix denies any involvement with the open letter or planned protests. However, he also reports hearing that Netflix has been shopping for public affairs operatives to oppose the deal and may have retained economist Nicholas Hill, a former DOJ Antitrust Division official, to engage regulators.
Gardner further says a senior government official told him that staffers had received multiple complaints in recent weeks from Hill and others tied to Netflix regarding the transaction and possible licensing conditions.
Netflix denied hiring Hill and denied interfering in the ongoing review, according to Puck.
Still, even the rumor of Netflix meddling is a huge development, especially if a delay could cost the Ellisons a reported $650 million per quarter if the merger stretches past September 30.
Mark Ruffalo and the activist angle
Gardner specifically calls out Mark Ruffalo as one of the Hollywood voices calling for government intervention.
That should not surprise anyone paying attention. Ruffalo has become one of the loudest activist celebrities in the industry, and now the Paramount-WBD merger appears to be another political and cultural battleground.
The bigger issue is that this no longer looks like a simple business story. It looks like the same activist class in Hollywood is trying to use public pressure, regulators, and media influence to shape the outcome.
The case against the deal may not be easy
Even with all the noise, Gardner admits this would not be an easy antitrust case.
Any challenge would likely focus on two main arguments: the streaming side, with HBO Max and Paramount+ joining forces, and the theatrical business, where critics could claim the merged company would have too much leverage over exhibitors and talent.
But Paramount is expected to argue that a combined company would still be far smaller than Netflix in streaming and that David Ellison has already promised a strong theatrical commitment, including at least 30 movies per year, full theatrical releases, a minimum 45-day window, and 90 days before titles hit streaming.
That could make it much harder for opponents to prove actual harm instead of just pushing industry fear and political optics.
This is about more than a merger
What stands out most from the Puck report is how fast this deal has become a flashpoint for Hollywood politics, anti-merger activists, and possible rival corporate interests.
If Gardner’s reporting is right, the Paramount-WBD merger is not just facing normal regulatory review.
It may also be facing a coordinated campaign involving activists, guild pressure, celebrity outrage, and rumored Netflix lobbying behind the curtain.
That means the fight over this deal could get a lot uglier before it gets resolved.
