Hollywood Stars Fight Against Big Movie Studio Merger

David Ellison, a rich businessman, wants to buy Warner Bros. Discovery for $111 billion. This would be his second big movie studio purchase in less than a year. But more than 5,000 Hollywood workers and famous actors are fighting against this deal. They worry that giving one person control of so many studios and news companies could hurt their jobs and change what movies and shows get made.

Famous stars like Kevin Bacon, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Jane Fonda have signed a letter against the merger. They think the movie industry is already having problems, and this deal would make things worse. The workers are worried because when big companies join together, they often fire many people to save money. Ellison has said he plans to cut $6 billion in costs, which likely means many people will lose their jobs.

Many Hollywood workers are also upset because Ellison has become friends with President Trump. They think this friendship might help him get approval for the deal more easily. Trump and his team want Ellison to make changes at CNN, which is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. If the deal goes through, the Ellison family would control CNN, CBS News, and have a big stake in TikTok.

Ellison already bought Paramount last year, and some changes there have made people worried. He hired a new person to run CBS News who had never worked in TV news before. The evening news show lost viewers, and popular late-night host Stephen Colbert was fired after he criticized the company. This made many people think Ellison might make similar changes at other news organizations.

The merger would create a huge media company that controls HBO, CBS, CNN, Comedy Central, and two major movie studios. Critics say this gives too much power to one family. They worry that fewer companies making movies and TV shows means less competition and fewer opportunities for writers and actors. Michele Mulroney, who represents writers, said the combined company could reduce pay and have too much control over what gets made.

Some people in Hollywood do support the deal. Ari Emanuel, a powerful agent, thinks combining two struggling companies will help them compete better against Netflix, Disney, and Amazon. He believes having four strong streaming services instead of many weak ones is good for everyone who makes movies and shows. Emanuel says Ellison has promised to keep making at least 30 movies per year for theaters.

However, many people doubt whether Ellison can keep his promises. The new combined company would have $79 billion in debt, which is a lot of money to owe. Past mergers in Hollywood have not gone well. When AT&T bought Time Warner, they later sold it because they couldn't make it work.

The fight over this merger shows bigger problems in Hollywood. Many movies and TV shows are now made in other states and countries instead of Los Angeles, which has hurt local workers. The rise of streaming services has changed how the movie business works, making it harder for traditional studios to make money. Workers are scared that more mergers will mean fewer jobs and less creative freedom.

California's Attorney General Rob Bonta is looking into whether the merger breaks rules about competition. He says the deal has "red flags everywhere." Congress members have also spoken out against it, especially because investors from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi would help pay for the purchase. Critics think foreign governments should not have influence over American news and entertainment companies.

Ellison is still trying to get approval for his deal from governments in the United States, Britain, and Europe. He wants to finish everything by September, which would give him control of CNN before important elections in November. Jane Fonda and other opponents say this timing is dangerous because it could affect how news about elections gets reported. The battle over this deal will likely continue for months and could change Hollywood for years to come.