Paramount lawyer accuses Netflix of influencing regulators in WBD merger
Paramount Skydance has accused Netflix of running a campaign against their proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). In a letter dated June 5 and addressed to key officials at the US Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, Paramount’s chief legal officer, Makan Delrahim, accused Netflix of trying to sway stakeholders against the merger.
Delrahim’s letter responded to concerns raised by The International Brotherhood of Teamsters in March, where they expressed fears about job security in the entertainment industry post-merger. Delrahim, however, believes that the merger would actually create more opportunities for workers in the industry, ranging from writers and actors to caterers and animal handlers.
Paramount’s top lawyer defended the merger by pointing to the increased content production that followed their merger with Skydance in 2025. This growth in content creation is expected to continue with the Paramount-WBD merger, leading to more movie and TV show productions, according to Delrahim.
Despite Paramount’s optimistic outlook, they have acknowledged that there may be some job losses as a result of the merger, with the company looking to save over $6 billion by streamlining operations. Delrahim emphasized that these savings would not come at the expense of production or studio staff.
Delrahim also criticized Netflix for trying to influence public opinion against the merger, citing Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox as an example. According to Delrahim, Netflix’s narrative of doom and gloom does not reflect the real impact of past studio acquisitions.
Overall, the fate of the Paramount-WBD merger remains uncertain, with stakeholders on all sides weighing in on the potential benefits and risks of the deal.
