Mark Ruffalo Reveals REAL Reason Why Hollywood Stars Refused To Sign Open Letter Against Paramount-Warner Bros Merger

Mark

Ruffalo claims that several Hollywood stars declined to publicly sign an open letter despite supporting the campaign against the proposed Paramount–Warner Bros. merger fearing being blacklisted by the industry. The 58-year-old who will return as Hulk aka Doctor Banner in Marvel's upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day, revealed the state of affairs in the industry in a new op-ed. He alleged that the silence from many influential figures reflected a wider culture of fear within Hollywood. In April 2026, Ruffalo was among more than 1,000 film and TV industry professionals who became signatories on an open letter to oppose Paramount's Warner buyout.

Hollywood stars decline to sign open letter

In the new article, which he co-wrote for The New York Times, Mark Ruffalo claimed that the most striking aspect of the anti-merger campaign was not the thousands of people who signed the letter, but the large number who reportedly declined despite agreeing with its message. The op-ed stated that several artists admitted they were worried about possible retaliation if they openly opposed the deal. He described this fear as "deep" and "pervasiv.e," suggesting that many creatives feel unable to speak freely about issues affecting their own industry.

About open letter, who all signed it

The open letter, which began circulating in April, has already gained more than 4,000 signatures from actors, directors, writers, and industry professionals. Supporters include high-profile names such as Florence Pugh, Pedro Pascal, Edward Norton, Emma Thompson, Joaquin Phoenix, Ben Stiller, Yorgos Lanthimos, Kristen Stewart, Sofia Coppola, Denis Villeneuve, and more. It opposed the Paramount's Warner buyout. Warner Bros Discovery, the parent group that owns HBO, HBO Max, CNN, TBS, and Food Network, as well as the Warner Bros TV and film studios. The campaign warns that the merger would reduce competition in Hollywood, shrinking the number of major studios and potentially leading to fewer opportunities for creators, production workers, and audiences.

More about merger debate

Ruffalo, along with co-writer and American Economic Liberties Project research director Matt Stoller, also pointed to incidents they believe demonstrate the pressure surrounding the merger debate. They alleged that advertising was reportedly pulled from an independent entertainment publication after one of its editors attended an event carrying "Block the Merger" buttons. Ruffalo further claimed that he was considered for a CNN discussion segment about the merger, but the appearance allegedly did not move forward because of concerns linked to Warner Bros. Discovery.The campaign against the merger continues to gain momentum, with supporters arguing that combining Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery would dramatically reshape the film and television landscape.