California Attorney General Rob Bonta said a 12-state lawsuit seeking to block Paramount Skydance’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery is a "black and white" antitrust case focused on film and pay-TV markets, not streaming or CNN. The states would discuss a settlement with Paramount CEO David Ellison but are seeking robust structural remedies. The proposed deal, initially targeted for completion by Sept. 30, has been delayed to as late as June 2027, with a trial scheduled for March. The lawsuit argues the combined company would control nearly one-third of films and nearly a third of basic cable TV programming. Cinema United, a theater owners’ trade group, has separately urged Bonta and Ellison to discuss tangible, enforceable guardrails to protect cinemas and consumers, while AMC Theatres and Regal Cinemas executives have backed the $110 billion merger.