Oregon’s attorney general office announced on July 10 that it has removed a court filing that would have delayed Paramount’s proposed $110 billion takeover of Warner Bros. The state said it decided to withdraw the motion while it determines its next legal steps in seeking records tied to the transaction.
The Department of Justice criticized Paramount’s response to the state’s investigative request, saying the company indicated it would not comply and behaved as though it were "above the law." The statement added: "We’re not going to let them waste Oregonians’ resources on these games."
Earlier in the week, the attorney general’s office had asked a court in Multnomah County to compel Paramount to produce records and to impose a 60-day delay on the closing so the state could review the materials. As part of that effort, Oregon sought documents associated with "Project Warrior," which the company used as an internal code name for its preparations to obtain regulatory approval. The state also requested records concerning Paramount’s lobbying efforts with the Trump administration in connection with the merger.
The state noted that Paramount had agreed not to close the deal before July 22 while Oregon conducted its review. With the motion now withdrawn, the Department of Justice said it would consider what steps to take next.
A Paramount spokesperson said the company welcomed the withdrawal of the motion and described the merger as both "lawful" and "pro-competitive." The proposed combination would bring together two of Hollywood’s four major studios and has drawn opposition from some actors, writers and others in the entertainment industry who have expressed concerns about job losses.
In addition to the developments in Oregon, the transaction is under scrutiny from other U.S. states, which could pursue legal action to block the acquisition as early as next week on competition grounds. The broader scrutiny underscores the regulatory and legal scrutiny facing the deal even as Paramount and Warner Bros continue through the approval process.
Context and implications
While Oregon has paused its request to delay the merger, the state continues to seek internal documents tied to the acquisition and lobbying records. Paramount’s temporary commitment not to close before July 22 remains a piece of the procedural timeline referenced by the state.
The dispute highlights the intersection of corporate merger strategy and state-level investigative authority, with both procedural and substantive documents at issue as regulators and state officials assess potential competitive effects.