Attorney General Phil Weiser joined a coalition of 12 state attorneys general in filing an antitrust lawsuit challenging the $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. by Paramount Skydance Corporation. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleges the merger would substantially lessen competition in wide-release theatrical film distribution, anticipated top-grossing film distribution, and basic cable television licensing in violation of Section 7 of the Clayton Act. The coalition seeks a court order blocking the merger before it closes.
The coalition seeks a court order enjoining Paramount Skydance Corporation's $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. The attorneys general asked the parties not to close the merger until the judicial process concludes, and stated they will request a temporary restraining order if the parties do not agree. No monetary penalty is sought.
In-house legal teams should review their media and entertainment contracts — especially theatrical film distribution agreements, content licensing agreements, basic cable carriage contracts, and co-production arrangements — for change-of-control and assignment clauses that could be triggered if a counterparty is acquired by or merges with a major studio such as Paramount or Warner Bros. Discovery. Teams should also audit exclusivity, most-favored-nation, and automatic renewal provisions to understand how consolidation among the five major distributors could shift pricing and leverage in negotiations. Finally, companies that do business with competitors should confirm their information-sharing, joint venture, and non-compete provisions remain enforceable and do not create independent antitrust exposure in light of heightened scrutiny by state attorneys general of media and entertainment consolidation.
Entity
Paramount Skydance Corporation and Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.
Industry
Media & EntertainmentOfficial Press Release
https://coag.gov/press-releases/weiser-sues-to-block-paramount-warner-bros-merger/
Redacted Paramount Warner complaint file stamped
https://coag.gov/app/uploads/2026/07/Redacted-Paramount-Warner-complaint-file-stamped.pdf
Colorado Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://coag.gov/
"Attorney General Phil Weiser today joined a coalition of 12 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit challenging the $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. by Paramount Skydance Corporation."
"alleges that the merger violates Section 7 of the Clayton Act"
"mergers that may substantially lessen competition or tend to create a monopoly are illegal"
"July 13, 2026 (DENVER)"
"joined a coalition of 12 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit"
"In filing today’s lawsuit, Attorney General Weiser joins the attorneys general of California, Arizona, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, and Washington."
Colorado joined a coalition of states and local governments in suing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over its rule weakening fuel economy standards for new passenger cars and light trucks. The coalition alleges the rule violates federal law; the press release does not report a penalty or a court ruling.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser joined a multistate and local coalition challenging the EPA’s repeal of greenhouse gas limits for many coal- and gas-fired power plants. The coalition seeks to have the repeal struck down and the protections restored, and separately notified the EPA of its intent to sue over regulation of emissions from existing gas plants; no penalty or final court remedy is reported.
$469.0M
Colorado joined a 43-state-and-territory settlement resolving allegations that Sandoz and Fougera participated in a long-running conspiracy to inflate generic drug prices, reduce competition, and restrain trade. The companies agreed to pay approximately $469 million and implement reforms; the states are seeking court approval.
$35.0M
Colorado, the FTC, and a coalition of state attorneys general reached a settlement with Corteva over allegations that its post-patent loyalty program restricted distributors from selling competing generic pesticides. Corteva must end the challenged conduct and pay the states $35 million for fees and costs; the agreement is in effect for 10 years.
$2.3M
Colorado and a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general reached a $2,287,455 settlement with Laboratory Corporation of America over the 2019 data breach at its debt collector, American Medical Collection Agency. The settlement requires stronger vendor risk management and information security practices, with particular requirements for medical debt collectors.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser joined a coalition of 12 attorneys general in settling a lawsuit against Paramount Skydance Corporation over its merger with Warner Bros. Discovery, which the states alleged would harm competition by lowering film output and raising prices. The settlement includes a five-year commitment to increase film output, a $1.5 billion investment in domestic production, a $47.5 million worker fund, and an independent monitor. This is an antitrust/competition enforcement action, not a privacy enforcement action, despite the extraction schema's privacy focus.