Paramount has enlisted the crisis communications firm Brunswick Group as it faces a legal challenge from a coalition of 11 state attorneys general seeking to block its $110 billion deal for Warner Bros. Discovery. The lawsuit, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, was filed Monday, with the coalition also seeking a restraining order to prevent the deal’s closure before the legal proceedings conclude.
Brunswick Group has a significant history with both Paramount and the Ellison family. The firm was hired by the Ellisons for their initial takeover attempts of Warner Bros. Discovery and previously represented the Paramount board of directors in 2024 during the sale process to Skydance. During those negotiations, Paramount Global chair Shari Redstone was often at odds with factions of her board.
Furthermore, a Brunswick partner, Justin Dini, headed up corporate communications for Paramount predecessor Viacom from 2017 until the Skydance deal closed. In 2016, National Amusements, the former controlling entity of Viacom and owned by Sumner Redstone, fired Brunswick after just one month amid a legal battle with former Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman and questions surrounding the elder Sumner’s health.
The lawsuit filed by the state attorneys general represents a significant hurdle for Paramount's proposed acquisition. Bonta has been threatening legal action for months to block the merger.
In parallel with the legal battle, David Ellison was reportedly in Washington D.C. on Monday meeting with House Republican lawmakers regarding a bipartisan federal film tax bill, an initiative Ellison has previously championed. The visit was first reported by Politico.
Reports indicate that Ellison’s advisors are considering a