# Paramount CEO defends Warner Bros merger, antitrust trial set for 2027 2026-08-07T11:46:54+00:00 | Business & Economy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet A federal judge has delayed the antitrust trial on the Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery merger to March 2, 2027, pushing back completion by seven months. The delay could cost Paramount over $1 billion in ticking fees, as it owes Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders about $7 million per day after September 30 if the deal remains unfinished. In an op-ed, Paramount CEO David Ellison defended the merger against lawsuits from 12 states and the Writers Guild, arguing the fight is about trust, not market share. He rejected political bias concerns, stating he has supported both parties. Ellison outlined plans to produce 30 films and 170 TV series annually, investing over $30 billion in content, as part of a Hollywood revival. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Tags: antitrust, David Ellison, Hollywood, merger, Paramount+, Warner Bros Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/paramount-ceo-defends-warner-bros-merger-antitrust-trial-set-for-2027/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/paramount-ceo-defends-warner-bros-merger-antitrust-trial-set-for-2027/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.