Actors Benedict Cumberbatch, Alan Cumming and Benedict Wong have called on the UK government to block the proposed $111 billion Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger, warning that the deal could cause “huge harm to the British public” by threatening jobs, independent film production and media diversity.In a joint op-ed published in The Guardian, the actors urged UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to intervene in the blockbuster merger, saying Britain’s film and television industry is at a critical moment.
‘Our responsibility towards the public’
Explaining why they decided to speak out, the trio wrote, “As actors and public figures who have spent their careers in the arts in Britain – working with British crews, on British stages and sets – we have a responsibility to the public who support, enjoy and consume the art we create.”Describing the merger as a threat to the country’s creative industries, he said, “The UK is threatened by media mergers that will harm our workers, our culture and the public – but we can stop it.”The actors also welcomed Lisa Nandy’s first indication that she was “making up her mind to intervene” and noted that a coalition of 12 US states, led by California, has already filed a lawsuit seeking to block the merger, arguing that it would “raise prices, reduce the number of films made and degrade the quality of what audiences see.”
of great quality confident despite legal challenge
His comments came as Paramount agreed to delay completing the acquisition until a U.S. court rules on whether the transaction violates antitrust laws.Responding to the legal challenge, a Paramount spokesperson said the delay was “the fastest and clearest way to prove that this transaction is good for competition, good for consumers, and good for creators, a conclusion that dozens of competition authorities around the world have already reached.”Paramount CEO David Allison It has also been repeatedly said that the merger will embrace “cutting-edge innovation” and bring new momentum to the entertainment business.
‘The fight against this merger is now on two fronts’
Despite the ongoing US lawsuit, Cumberbatch, Cumming and Wong argued that Britain must make its own decision.He wrote that the legal challenge in the United States “confirms the threat; however, it cannot make up for it.”The actors said, “The fight against this merger now goes on on two fronts, and Nandy leads one of them. If his department decides to intervene, it could prove to be one of the most important decisions any Culture Secretary has taken for UK film, television and media in a generation.”
Warning on jobs, film production and news media
The trio stressed that the UK entertainment industry is much bigger than what audiences see on screen.“Britain film and TV are not just images on your screen; they are the lives and livelihoods of thousands of workers and families whose work supports local economies,” he wrote, noting that the industry supports around 180,000 jobs and generated £6.8 billion in production spend last year.Describing the area as a national treasure, he said, “It’s one of the things Britain still does better than almost anyone else, and a cultural heritage we must protect.”The actors also said they have watched “with increasing concern” the impact of media integration on creative storytelling.He noted that independent film acquisitions at Sundance have declined sharply in recent years, writing, “Award-winning documentaries – films that won Oscars and topped festival juries – have struggled to get commercial distribution because they have touched on subjects that the remaining handful of buyers found uncomfortable. Each merger of this type narrows the funnel through which stories can reach audiences.“
‘In simple English, it means redundancy’
Referring to Warner Bros.’ Of the estimated $84 billion in debt and the company’s plans to pay about $6 billion in synergy, the actors wrote, “In plain English, this means redundancies, canceled productions, fewer movies in production and less risk taking.”“That’s what makes the Paramount-WBD merger so dangerous,” he said, pointing to past industry mergers that resulted in production cancellations and thousands of layoffs.Actors also expressed concerns about the consolidation of major news organizations, including Channel 5, CNN International and CBS News.He wrote, “The CNN and CBS News Archives are among the most important broadcast news archives in the world, containing more than 4.25 million videos, images and media spanning nearly half a century of history. If a commercially interested owner controls access to both, they control the raw materials of our historical memory.”The trio further claimed, “Paramount’s chief executive reportedly told Donald Trump he would make ‘sweeping changes’ at CNN if the deal went through.”‘This is not anyone else’s argument. This is ours.Concluding their appeal, the actors publicly defended their decision to oppose the merger.“Actors are often asked to stay away from legal debates,” he wrote.“We understand the instinct. But we’ve spent enough of our lives in the UK set, worked with enough UK staff and seen many great works of the UK struggle to find a buyer, to know that this isn’t anyone else’s argument. It’s ours.”
Court has put a temporary stay on the merger
Meanwhile, David Ellison sought to reassure Paramount employees in a company-wide memo after the company agreed to halt the merger while legal proceedings continued.“We are confident that there are no legal issues with this transaction and that we will complete it and bring these two companies together,” Ellison wrote.He added, “We believe this is the right course because the facts and the law are on our side, and a full hearing will demonstrate why the plaintiffs’ arguments should not be accepted.”A US federal judge has since granted a 14-day temporary restraining order, temporarily blocking Paramount from completing the acquisition while the court considers a request for a preliminary injunction. The hearing is currently scheduled for August 3, although the date may change. If the deal is not completed by September 30, Paramount could reportedly begin paying Warner Bros. millions of dollars a day. Investors under the merger agreement.