Florence Pugh and Pedro Pascal are adding their names to the now more than 2,000 Hollywood industry professionals who have signed an open letter opposing the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger. New Signatories also include Edward Norton and Atsuko Okatsuka. Joaquin Phoenix, Ben Stiller and Kristen Stewart were among the original signatures on the letter when it was initially released Monday, April 13.
“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 letter, which was published by the New York Times and available on the website BlocktheMerger.com, states. “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.”
Paramount Skydance announced its intended $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery in late February, following a battle with Netflix for ownership of the historic studio.
Paramount issued a lengthy statement in response to the letter. “We hear and understand the concerns that some in our creative community have raised and respect the commitment to protecting and expanding creativity,” the statement said, in part.
The response added, “We have been clear in our commitments to do just that: increasing output to a minimum of 30 high-quality feature films annually with full theatrical releases, continuing to license content, and preserving iconic brands with independent creative leadership —ensuring creators have more avenues for their work, not fewer.”
The original list of signatories also included Adam McKay, Alan Cumming, Alyssa Milano, Boots Riley, Bryan Cranston, Cynthia Nixon, Damon Lindelof, David Fincher, Denis Villeneuve, Elliot Page, Glenn Close, Jane Fonda, JJ Abrams, Jason Bateman, John Leguizamo, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Margaret Cho, Mark Ruffalo, Noah Wyle, Patti Lupone, Ramy Youssef, Rosario Dawson, Rosie O’Donnell, Ted Danson, Tiffany Haddish, Tig Notaro, Yorgos Lanthimos and Yvette Nicole Brown, among others.
At the Oscars in March, Jane Fonda wore a “Block the Merger” pin to advocate against the impending merger.
“We know Trump wants to hurt… I mean, I slept with the guy who created it! I have a personal stake in it,” Fonda told Variety about CNN, referring to her 10-year marriage to network founder Ted Turner. “[CNN] did not take positions. It reported the news. To see what’s happening now… we have to stop [it]… This pin is any merger, but the Paramount merger is really problematic. to get the permission to do the merger, they felt they had to cave to what Trump wanted. But we’re going to win.”
Source: variety.com
