Mark Ruffalo sharply criticized California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday after Paramount reached a settlement that cleared a major hurdle for its proposed $81 billion merger with Warner Bros. Discovery.
“Gavin Newsom hands huge win to Trump and his billionaire cronies,” the “Avengers” actor posted on X.
Ruffalo was reacting to comments from former Federal Trade Commission Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya, who condemned the latest turn in the protracted Paramount merger battle.
“Today, billionaires have yet again bribed, censored, and bullied their way to the top,” Bedoya wrote. “As a result, a billionaire media conglomerate closely allied with the president will soon own one of its closest rivals, including some of the nation’s most critical news outlets.”
The criticism followed Paramount’s agreement with California Attorney General Rob Bonta and other states that had filed an antitrust lawsuit seeking to block the Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition.
Newsom had reportedly cautioned that blocking the deal in court could put California jobs at risk. After the settlement was announced, Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison singled out the governor for thanks.
“Our goal has always been to build a stronger Hollywood – one with more stories told, greater choice for consumers and stronger competition,” Ellison said.
As part of the agreement, Paramount committed to investing an additional $1.5 billion in U.S. production over the next five years. It also agreed to release at least 30 films in theaters annually, with that number increasing to 32 after the first two years.
The settlement further requires independent editorial boards for CBS News and CNN, along with measures designed to boost domestic movie production.
Bonta emphasized that the agreement should not be interpreted as his approval of the proposed merger.
“This settlement is not a vote of support for this merger. It is not a blessing of the broader merger,” he said Monday.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass likewise said she continues to oppose combining two of Hollywood’s largest studios. However, she said attention must now shift toward ensuring the companies honor their commitments to local workers.
“I do not want to see two of Hollywood’s largest studios consolidated under one company, but now we must focus on holding the companies accountable to these commitments to keep productions on L.A. stages, crews on sets, and ensure paychecks for hardworking Angelenos,” Bass said.
Bass said the legally enforceable settlement covers local production, existing collective bargaining agreements and workforce training, following months of uncertainty surrounding the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery deal.
“I will continue bringing labor, industry, and government together, using every tool we have to protect L.A. jobs and keep film and television production in Los Angeles,” she added.
SAG-AFTRA also addressed the agreement in a social media statement. “We will continue to approach our relationship with Paramount with professionalism and the intention to work well together. We hope that the process of engaging with the attorneys general has impressed upon them the fact that in addition to collective bargaining, our members rely on the law to help protect our interests. These are the lowest standards that our employers must meet,” the union wrote.
If completed, the merger would place HBO Max, Paramount+, HBO, CBS, CNN and thousands of films under the control of a single company led by Ellison, the son of Oracle billionaire and Trump ally Larry Ellison.
President Trump’s Justice Department approved the transaction in June. The following month, Bonta and 11 other state attorneys general sued to prevent the deal from moving forward.
Paramount’s settlement with the states eliminates one of the biggest remaining barriers to completing the massive media merger.
