By Harshita Mary Varghese
April 13 (Reuters) - Over 1,000 filmmakers, actors and industry professionals signed an open letter opposing Warner Bros Discovery's proposed $110 billion merger with Paramount Skydance, warning it would reduce competition and deepen consolidation in the U.S. media sector.
• Actors including Jane Fonda, Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Ruffalo were among the signatories to the letter, which said the merger would result in fewer opportunities for creators, pressure on jobs across the production
ecosystem, higher costs and less choice for audiences.
• Paramount and Warner Bros did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
• The letter, released on Monday, stated that prior waves of consolidation have already put the industry under pressure, reducing the number of films produced and released and narrowing the range of stories that receive financing and distribution.
• The proposed Paramount-Warner Bros combination nL4N3ZN1Q6 would bring together two of Hollywood's largest studios and content libraries while uniting streaming platforms Paramount+ and HBO Max.
• The companies are planning nL4N3ZQ1GL to fold their streaming services into a single platform.
• "The letter helps to galvanize opponents of the deal and bring them together under a common cause," Emarketer senior analyst Ross Benes said. "But it is unlikely that the letter itself contributes to the deal being squashed."
• Regulators in the U.S. and Europe are expected nL6N40F115 to scrutinize the deal, weighing its impact on consumers and the creative community. California Attorney General Rob Bonta has said nL6N3ZN110 the state is probing the transaction and will be "vigorous" in its review.
(Reporting by Harshita Mary Varghese in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)
