Paramount

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — The Paramount-Warner Bros Discovery merger is on track to close within two weeks after clearing its last major legal obstacle, but reaction across Hollywood remains far from unified. California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced Monday that his office, along with 11 other states, had reached a settlement with Paramount over antitrust concerns tied to the $111 billion deal. The states had argued that the merger could reduce film production, cut jobs and shrink economic activity in the industry. “The main concern that was raised was about production — less production, less movies being made, less jobs, less economic activity,” Bonta said.

S. That pledge offered a rare bright spot for people like Blake Marvin, who is preparing to take over his family’s prop house in Burbank. Founded by his grandfather in the 1960s, the business has struggled since the writers’ strike slowed production across the industry. “Thirty movies a year is really big,” Marvin said. “We’ve had a variety of projects over the last four or five years, but kind of trudging along. ” Not everyone shares his optimism: writers, actors, and other industry workers gathered outside Paramount’s studio lot Monday to voice frustration.

” “This isn’t the way for creativity and isn’t the way for free speech,” she said. “And it’s certainly not the way to create more jobs. ” The Writers Guild of America also settled a separate lawsuit against the merger Monday, securing job protections at CBS News and a contribution to the union’s health fund. The WGA said it still believes the merger will harm the industry but could no longer afford to keep fighting it in court. Some members were unhappy with that choice. “I wish they hadn’t backed down the way they did,” said Jacob Hart, a WGA East member, who is vowing to boycott the company.

“I will never work for this company, so my options when I go pitch materials just got cut down significantly.