A federal judge temporarily blocks Paramount’s proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta cancelled a meeting with Paramount Skydance representatives scheduled for Monday to begin settlement talks over the state’s lawsuit seeking to block Paramount’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, the New York Times reported. Citing a statement from Bonta’s office, the newspaper said he accused Paramount of leaking details of a meeting held on Friday and acting in bad faith.
ロブ・ボンタ司法長官による突然の会合中止と情報漏洩の批判
同紙の報道では、金曜日の段階での話し合いはあくまで予備的なものに過ぎず、早期の和解合意に向けた実質的な交渉に発展するかどうかは不透明な状態であったとされる。カリフォルニア州司法当局の姿勢は、こうした情報管理の不徹底を受けて急変した形だ。The New York Times reported on Saturday that talks between the two parties were preliminary, and there was no assurance that they will lead to meaningful negotiations towards a settlement.
ロブ・ボンタ司法長官の事務所は、Paramount側が和解協議の場におけるものとされる内容を漏洩させただけでなく、その協議内容を歪めて伝え、誠実さを欠く姿勢を示したと非難している。ロブ・ボンタ司法長官の事務所, カリフォルニア州司法長官室
この突然の決定により、両者による水面下の交渉ルートは一時的に凍結された。映画業界や市場関係者が注目していた巨額買収劇の早期解決に向けた道筋は、再び険しいものとなっている。Bonta signaled openness to a possible resolution in a CNBC interview Thursday but said any settlement would require robust structural remedies.
ロブ・ボンタ司法長官はCNBCに対し、各州は訴状で概ね示された市場に引き続き焦点を当てていると述べた上で、事件は法廷ではなく会議室で解決したいと語った。
110億ドルの巨大買収劇を巡る反トラスト法訴訟の背景
Paramount agreed in February to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery for $31 per share in cash, valuing the transaction at roughly $110 billion, including debt. Under the merger agreement, Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders begin accruing additional consideration if the transaction remains unclosed after Sept. 30. The companies have said the combination would create a stronger global media competitor while maintaining both film studios and producing at least 30 theatrical films annually. Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery have rejected the states’ view of the transaction, arguing the combination would strengthen competition in a rapidly changing media industry.
原告側である各州の司法当局は、この巨大な企業結合が映画配給市場やケーブルテレビの基本チャンネル市場における競争を著しく制限すると主張している。ニューヨーク州、アリゾナ州、ミネソタ州などの参加州は、映画館や有料テレビのディストリビューターへの打撃に加え、消費者物価の高騰や労働者の賃金抑制につながると強く警戒している。Bonta led a coalition of 12 state attorneys general in filing the lawsuit in July, alleging the combination would reduce competition in theatrical film distribution and basic cable programming. Last month, California and 11 states sued to block Paramount’s US$110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, alleging the deal would lessen competition in film distribution and cable television, harming theaters and pay TV distributors.
The states argue the merger would combine two of Hollywood’s five major film distributors and give the combined company roughly 27% of the wide-release theatrical film market. They also allege it would control more than 30% of anticipated top-grossing theatrical films and about 27% of the market for licensing basic cable channels.
激化する法廷闘争と今後の司法判断に向けたスケジュール
Under a July 24 court stipulation, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery agreed not to close the deal or begin integrating their operations until five days after a ruling on the merits or June 1, 2027, whichever comes first. U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín has scheduled a 12-day trial beginning March 2, 2027. In an Aug. 4 scheduling order, the judge also encouraged the parties to identify potential magistrate judges to oversee a settlement conference. The transactions remain on hold under a court agreement and the companies face a March 2027 antitrust trial unless the dispute is resolved sooner.
