More than 1,000 prominent figures in Hollywood released an open letter on Monday morning voicing their “unequivocal opposition” to Paramount Global’s proposed megadeal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery.

The letter, issued by a coalition that includes Norm Eisen’s Democracy Defenders Fund and Jane Fonda’s Committee for the First Amendment, features an extensive list of signatories from across the entertainment industry. Among them are actors such as Bryan Cranston, Glenn Close, Ben Stiller, Don Cheadle, Jason Bateman, and Ted Danson. Directors including J. J. Abrams, Denis Villeneuve, and Yorgos Lanthimos also signed, along with producers like Ted Hope and Mark Duplass. Multihyphenate creatives such as Lin-Manuel Miranda and David Chase are included as well.

Following the letter’s release—and the support of over 1,000 industry professionals opposing the merger—Paramount responded by arguing that the deal would ultimately expand opportunities for creators rather than limit them.

In a statement, the company said the merger would combine complementary strengths, allowing for more projects to be approved, greater support for creative talent at all career stages, and wider global distribution of content. Paramount emphasized that the deal would enhance competition by ensuring multiple large players continue investing in creative work. The company also reiterated commitments to increase production to at least 30 high-quality theatrical films per year, continue licensing content, and maintain iconic brands with independent creative leadership—asserting that these measures would provide more, not fewer, avenues for creators.

Earlier that same day, the coalition behind the letter warned that the merger could prioritize the interests of a small group of powerful stakeholders over the broader public good. Additional signatories included figures like Damon Lindelof, David Fincher, Noah Wyle, and Tiffany Haddish. The initiative was organized by groups such as the Committee for the First Amendment, the Writers Guild of America, Democracy Defenders Fund, and the Future Film Coalition.

Meanwhile, Paramount CEO David Ellison has previously argued that the merger would strengthen the film industry and boost theatrical output. Despite these assurances, critics remain concerned about potential large-scale job losses resulting from the consolidation of two major legacy studios under a single corporate structure.

See the full list of signatories here.

Read the full letter here:

As filmmakers, documentarians, and professionals across the movie and television industry, we write to express our unequivocal opposition to the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger.

This transaction would further consolidate an already concentrated media landscape, reducing competition at a moment when our industries—and the audiences we serve—can least afford it. The result will be fewer opportunities for creators, fewer jobs across the production ecosystem, higher costs, and less choice for audiences in the United States and around the world. Alarmingly, this merger would reduce the number of major U.S. film studios to just four.

Our industry is already under severe strain, in large part due to prior waves of consolidation. We have witnessed a steep decline in the number of films produced and released, alongside a narrowing of the kinds of stories that are financed and distributed. Increasingly, a small number of powerful entities determine what gets made—and on what terms—leaving creators and independent businesses with fewer viable paths to sustain their work.

Media consolidation has accelerated the disappearance of the mid-budget film, the erosion of independent distribution, the collapse of the international sales market, the elimination of meaningful profit participation, and the weakening of screen credit integrity.

Together, these factors threaten the sustainability of the entire creative community. That includes endangering the professional lives of the tens of thousands of workers who help make up that community in predominantly small businesses and independent companies embedded in local economies and communities nationwide.

We are deeply concerned by indications of support for this merger that prioritize the interests of a small group of powerful stakeholders over the broader public good. The integrity, independence, and diversity of our industry would be grievously compromised.

Competition is essential for a healthy economy and a healthy democracy. So is thoughtful regulation and enforcement. Media consolidation has already weakened one of America's most vital global industries—one that has long shaped culture and connected people around the world.

Fortunately, someone is doing something about all this. California Attorney General Rob Bonta and his colleagues in other states are reportedly scrutinizing the merger and considering legal action to block it. We are grateful for their leadership, and stand ready to support all efforts to preserve competition, protect jobs, and ensure a vibrant future for our industry, for American culture, and for our single most significant export.

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