Why Hollywood heavyweights oppose the Paramount and Warner Brothers deal

Summary

Consider This from NPR: Why Hollywood Heavyweights Oppose the Paramount and Warner Brothers Deal

Episode Date: April 14, 2026
Host: Mary Louise Kelly
Featured Guest: Damon Lindelof, TV writer/showrunner (Watchmen, Lost, The Leftovers)

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Overview of the Episode

This episode addresses the heated reaction from Hollywood creatives to the impending Paramount/Skydance takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery—a merger set to reshape the entertainment industry. NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly interviews celebrated showrunner Damon Lindelof, a prominent signatory on a widely-circulated open letter opposing the deal. The discussion explores why over 2,000 Hollywood professionals believe the merger will harm both creators and audiences, despite industry assurances.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Context of the Merger

• After Netflix withdrew from acquisition talks, Paramount stepped in as Warner Bros. Discovery's likely new parent.
• Both studios are industry giants behind blockbuster hits like Top Gun: Maverick and Barbie, each grossing nearly $1.5 billion worldwide.
  • [00:33] Reference to "Good morning, aviators," and "Hi Barbie," highlighting the pop culture significance of both companies.

2. The Open Letter of Opposition

• Over 2,000 industry figures signed an open letter warning that the merger will:
  • Reduce job opportunities across the production ecosystem
  • Limit creative projects and voices
  • Raise costs for all involved
  • Decrease viewer choices domestically and internationally
  • [02:42] Mary Louise Kelly: “A letter... opposing Paramount Skydance's takeover of Warner Brothers Discovery... warns a merger will result in fewer opportunities for creators... higher costs, and less choice for audiences.”

3. Damon Lindelof’s Personal Stakes and Perspective

• Lindelof describes his initial fear of publicly opposing the merger, referencing the “chilling effect” among industry workers:
  • [04:00] Damon Lindelof: "This is what they refer to as the chilling effect... speaking out... and understanding that I'm going to, in my case, the people that... will be my new bosses... I'm now on record as saying I didn't want this to happen."
• Highlights his deep professional roots at Warner Bros., with a decade-long office presence:
  • [05:01] Damon Lindelof: "I've been in this office since we... did The Leftovers. So almost a decade now, and I've grown quite fond of it."

4. The Merger’s Expected Impact

• Lindelof argues mergers historically lead to creative contraction:
  • Cites Disney’s acquisition of Fox as an example, which led to “a lot fewer movies being made” and less television overall.
  • Expresses skepticism at corporate promises of expanded opportunities.
    • [06:54] Damon Lindelof: "I do look at the Fox deal... what they were saying at the time that the deal was done... we've hemorrhaged, you know, 40% of movies and television."
  • Uses a sports analogy: “If the Dodgers and the Yankees merged, if you're a shortstop, you're going to be worried.”

5. Calls for Regulatory Scrutiny

• Lindelof underlines the need for robust regulatory review:
  • Notes that regulatory attention waned when Paramount, not Netflix, became the buyer.
  • Advocates for state Attorneys General, notably Rob Bonta in California, and other officials to examine the deal’s broader implications.
    • [05:28] Damon Lindelof: "[We want] Attorneys General... to take a look at this deal and really see what kind of an impact it's going to have not just on our business, but on consumers..."

6. Paramount’s Response and Lindelof’s Reaction

• Paramount, via a spokesperson, claims:
  • Commitment to “ensuring creators have more avenues for their work, not fewer.”
  • [06:40] Mary Louise Kelly: “They are committed... to ensuring creators have more avenues for their work, not fewer. Do you find that reassuring?”
• Lindelof is respectful but unconvinced given merger precedents, reiterating concern for creative shrinkage.

7. The Emotional and Cultural Stakes

• Lindelof acknowledges ongoing industry upheaval (pandemic, strikes, AI, fewer productions).
• Despite setbacks, he maintains "hope" and ties the fight against the merger to narratives of overcoming adversity:
  • [08:28] Damon Lindelof: “For someone who spent so much time telling dystopian stories, I do want to have happy endings... All of us are storytellers... We want to tell stories about people who are facing overwhelming odds, the underdogs, and then they triumph. So it just felt like, why not practice what we preach?”

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On fear and the chilling effect:
  “[The] feeling around this merger... is that it’s inevitable. So the idea of speaking out against it... will there be potential retaliation... Will they be less inclined to pick me up?”
  — Damon Lindelof [04:00]

• On long-term creative cuts post-Disney/Fox:
  "We've hemorrhaged, you know, 40% of movies and television. Fewer movies and television shows are being made."
  — Damon Lindelof [06:54]

• Analogy for creative job loss:
  "If the Dodgers and the Yankees merged... If you're a shortstop, you're going to be worried."
  — Damon Lindelof [07:50]

• On the underdog spirit in Hollywood:
  “We want to tell stories about people who are facing overwhelming odds, the underdogs, and then they triumph. So it just felt like, why not practice what we preach?”
  — Damon Lindelof [08:46]

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Important Timestamps

• [02:42] — Introduction of the open letter and the key concerns from artists and creators.
• [03:39]–[04:53] — Lindelof on personal and professional risks of opposition.
• [05:19] — Discussion on regulatory review and calls for government action.
• [06:40]–[07:50] — Paramount’s promises, Lindelof’s skepticism, and industry analogies.
• [08:28]–[09:12] — Reflections on optimism and the storytelling ethos in challenging times.

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Summary

The episode provides an accessible and frank look at the creative community’s anxiety about the Hollywood studio merger, spotlighting both the high stakes for jobs and artistic voices and the emotional resilience of those fighting it. Lindelof’s candid perspective captures the blend of fear, skepticism, and enduring hope shaping Hollywood’s response, making this a must-listen for anyone tracking the future of entertainment.

Transcript

[Mary Louise Kelly]

You may have heard there's a Hollywood merger afoot after a lot of back

[Pop Culture Happy Hour Host]

and forth as Netflix has backed away from their deal to acquire Warner Brothers Discovery, essentially paving the way for Paramount to take over its Hollywood rival. You can see this.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

That is Andy Mack of Live NOW from Fox. And here's the president weighing in from the South Lawn in June.

[Damon Lindelof]

Ellison's great.

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They'll do a great job with it.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

The studio that brought Maverick back to the big screen in 2022.

[Damon Lindelof]

Good morning, aviators. This is your captain speaking.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

Welcome to Basic Fighter Maneuvers and gross nearly a billion and a half dollars worldwide. That studio is on track to buy the studio that brought you Barbie. Hi Barbie. Hi, Barbie. Hi, Barbie. Hi Barbie. Hi Barbie. Which also grossed nearly a billion and a half dollars worldwide. Consider this two powerhouses of entertainment and media are one. So why aren't the artists happy about it? From npr, I'm Mary Louise Kelly.

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[Pop Culture Happy Hour Host]

Do you love pop culture? Hate some of it, too. You're in good company. Pull up a metaphorical chair to Pop Culture Happy Hour, the podcast that breaks down the best and some of the most questionable moments in pop culture. We'll tell you what's great, what's interesting, and break it all down with debates that'll have you yelling at your speakers, but in a good way. Listen to NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour by finding us wherever you get your podcasts.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

It's consider this from NPR. More than 2,000 actors, directors, producers, writers, editors, composers and costumers have now signed an open letter, a letter appointed opposing Paramount, Skydance's takeover of Warner Brothers Discovery. Now, that deal is expected to close later this year if it wins approval from regulators and shareholders. But the letter out yesterday contains a warning. It says a merger will result in fewer opportunities for creators, fewer jobs across the production ecosystem, higher costs, and less choice for audiences in the United States and around the world. One of the people who signed the letter is Damon Lindelof, creator of the TV series Watchmen, also co creator of Lost and the Leftovers. Damon Lindelof, welcome to All Things Considered.

[Damon Lindelof]

Thanks so much for having me.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

So you posted on Instagram yesterday and walked through how you decided to sign this letter openly opposing the merger. You said your first thought was, yeah, I do oppose the merger. And the second was, I'm afraid to say so publicly. So let's start there. Why?

[Damon Lindelof]

You know, I think that this is what they refer to as the chilling effect. And I think that the short answer is the feeling around this merger, this takeover, whatever it is we want to call it, is that it's inevitable. And so the idea of speaking out against it and then understanding that I'm going to, in my case, the people that I will be my new bosses potentially by the end of the summer or in the fall if everything goes as planned. I'm now on record as saying that I didn't want this to happen. And so will there be potential retaliation when my deal is up at the end of next summer? Will they be less inclined to pick me up? So this sort of idea of what's going to happen to me as a result of publicly opposing this sort of overwhelmed me in the initial days that the letter was sort of coming together well.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

And just to underscore quite how not uninterested a party you are, you're speaking to us from your office on the Warner Brothers lot, is that right?

[Damon Lindelof]

Yes, it's true. I can see the water tower from my window. And this is. I've been in this office since we just. We did the Leftovers. So almost a decade now, and I've grown quite fond of it. So if someone starts pounding on the door while we're talking to one another, we both know why.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

I mean, practically speaking, what do you hope to achieve with this letter? Because as I said when I introduced you, the deal is expected to close later this year.

[Damon Lindelof]

The fact of the matter is it isn't a done deal. It was looking like Netflix was going to take over Warner's before Paramount came in and basically got the deal. And what we were hearing, at least anecdotally, was that Capitol Hill and Washington and our government officials were going to have hearings and there was going to be a lot of diligence done around that deal. And yet when Paramount sort of swept in, all of that went away. And so I think part of the push behind the letter is really to advocate for and create some narrative for Attorneys General Rob Bonta here in California, but any other state attorneys general to take a look at this deal and really see what kind of an impact it's going to have on not just our business, but on consumers. You know, obviously, there's going to be an immediate impact here in Hollywood anytime there's a consolidation. If you just look at what happened when Disney bought Fox, there was just a lot fewer movies being made, a lot less television being made. Anytime there's consolidation, that's going to basically hurt anybody who wants to consume our product.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

So Paramount has responded. They've read the letter through a spokesperson.

[Damon Lindelof]

They are saying they skimmed it.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

They. They're saying they understand the concerns. They are committed, and I'll quote, committed to ensuring creators have more avenues for their work, not fewer. Do you find that reassuring?

[Damon Lindelof]

I. I want to take Paramount at their word. I don't. I don't think anybody is being purposefully disingenuous here. As I said in my Instagram post, I. I worked with David Ellison on several movies back in the early to mid 2000s. We made a couple of Star Trek movies together. David Ellison, Paramount, and I think he's a great guy who loves movies. So this isn't me saying that I don't. That I think anyone's being disingenuous, but I do look at the Fox deal, what happened over there, what they were saying at the time that the deal was done. And here we are five, six years later, and we've hemorrhaged, you know, 40% of movies and television. Fewer movies and television shows are being made. And so I think that maybe Paramount, Skydance believes that they're going to make 30 movies, and maybe we'll even make 30 movies next year. Year. But I would be very surprised if that number isn't down to half that within four or five years. I mean, it's. It does strain credulity. I think that if you think about what would happen if the Dodgers and the Yankees merged. If you're a shortstop, you're going to be worried.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

I. I guess I'm thinking of. Of this year's best picture winner at the Academy Awards and whether it feels like one battle after another in Hollywood. I mean, going Back to the COVID pandemic and this, the and the actors strikes and AI coming in. And you're referencing fewer shows, fewer movies, filming in Los Angeles. Are you still optimistic about the future of your industry?

[Damon Lindelof]

I have to be. You know, for someone who spent so much time telling dystopian stories, I do want to have happy endings. And I think that that all cycles back to this question of why would you say anything? What are you hoping to achieve by this? It's already a done deal. The storytellers in our business at every single level. And when I say storytellers, I don't just mean writers and directors and actors. I mean people at every level of the story. The grips, the gaffers, the caterers, the costumers, the set designers. All of us are storytellers. We want to tell stories about people who are facing overwhelming odds, the underdogs, and then they triumph. So it just felt like, why not practice what we preach?

[Mary Louise Kelly]

Damon Lindelof, TV writer, showrunner, storyteller, talking about his decision to sign an open letter opposing Paramount Skydance's takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery. Damon Lindelof, thanks so much.

[Damon Lindelof]

Thank you.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

And a note. Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount are financial supporters of npr. This episode was produced by Mark Rivers and Karen Zamora. It was edited by Christopher Intagliata and Courtney Dorning. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun. It's consider this from npr. I'm Mary Louise Kelly.

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