California Attorney General Rob Bonta said Tuesday that no settlement talks are currently scheduled with Paramount Skydance over the state’s antitrust lawsuit seeking to block the company’s proposed $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, Reuters reported.
Bonta said he canceled a meeting scheduled for Monday after details of confidential settlement discussions were leaked to the media, calling the disclosure “unacceptable.”
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“If they are willing to clean things up and engage in a way that is sincere and in good faith, we will be where we always will be with any party in any case that we’re involved in, which is happy to meet,” Bonta told reporters at a press conference on public safety issues.
Paramount has been pushing for a settlement in the case, which represents one of the final hurdles to completing the Warner Bros. Discovery deal. A parallel lawsuit filed by the Writers Guild of America also remains outstanding.
The proposed $110 billion acquisition has already faced significant legal and regulatory scrutiny. If Bonta’s lawsuit proceeds to the scheduled March trial, Paramount could face substantial additional fees and costs as it works to keep the deal together.
Bonta and other states have secured key rulings in the case, potentially strengthening their position if settlement negotiations resume.
Paramount has denied being responsible for the leaked discussions.
A Paramount spokesperson said Monday that the company shared Bonta’s concerns about the public discussion and what it described as misreporting surrounding the proposed acquisition.
The dispute leaves the future of the blockbuster media deal uncertain as Paramount and California remain at odds over how to resolve the antitrust challenge.
