Paramount and 12 state AGs meet on $111bn WBD merger; expectations 'intentionally low'

Paramount and 12 state attorneys general met for settlement talks on August 24, 2026, over David Ellison's $111 billion Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition, blocked by an antitrust suit headed for trial in March 2027. Deadline reports expectations were "intentionally low"; an insider called the lead-up a "game of PR chicken." No deal was confirmed.