AEW Media Partner WBD Moves Closer to Paramount Merger After Major Hurdle Cleared
The path is clear for Paramount to merge with AEW’s media partner, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD).
An antitrust lawsuit from California and 11 other states put the Paramount-WBD merger on hold. They argued that combining the two would give one company too much control over movies and TV.
AEW has a media rights deal with WBD up to the end of 2027, with an option for 2028. Once the merger goes through, WBD’s streaming service HBO Max and Paramount’s Paramount+ are expected to combine into one platform.
Paramount Reaches Settlement In $110 Billion WBD Merger Deal
Now, Bloomberg reports that Paramount has settled with California and the other states that sued to block its $110 billion merger with WBD. An official announcement is expected later today. The states reportedly secured independent editorial boards for CNN and CBS as part of the settlement.
Wall Street Journal reports that Paramount and California’s Attorney General discussed a range of concessions during the settlement negotiations. They included a $1.5 billion investment in production in the state, a commitment not to sell both companies’ studio lots, and penalties if Paramount doesn’t honor its pledge to produce 30 movies a year after the merger.
In July 2026, Paramount agreed to hold off the merger until the antitrust trial scheduled for March 2027.
AEW’s weekly television and pay-per-view currently stream on HBO Max. Despite the settlement, it’s too early to predict where the company’s programming will end up once the Paramount-WBD merger goes through.
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The post AEW Media Partner WBD Moves Closer to Paramount Merger After Major Hurdle Cleared appeared first on Wrestlezone.
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