Recent articles
September 2, 2026
Rob Bonta’s Dogged Pursuit of Paramount Case Reflects Broader Mission: ‘I Believe in Fairness’
Rob Bonta was less than a year into the job of California attorney general when he found himself at odds with one of the state’s most affluent communities. To get around a requirement to build more...
variety.com
September 1, 2026
Pro-Paramount Group Uses AI to Pressure Rob Bonta to Drop Antitrust Case
A group supporting the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger is using artificial intelligence to help pressure California Attorney General Rob Bonta to drop his antitrust lawsuit. The group, which uses the...
variety.com
September 1, 2026
California Lawmakers Pass Film Credit Fix on Tax Cap
The California Legislature has approved a budget fix for the entertainment industry that allows studios to cash in their tax credits faster. Both the Assembly and state Senate passed the bill, SB 1...
variety.com
August 31, 2026
Trump Endorses U.S. Tax Incentive to Keep Hollywood Production: ‘Let’s Get This Done!’
President Trump on Monday endorsed a federal tax incentive for film and TV production, a move long sought by Hollywood studios and unions. In a statement posted to Truth Social, Trump said he will ...
variety.com
August 29, 2026
California Lawmakers Settle on Partial Film Carveout From Tax Credit Cap
California lawmakers have agreed on a partial carveout for the film and TV industry from a state cap on tax credits. The bill, AB 186, was unveiled on Friday evening. It addresses concerns raised i...
variety.com
August 26, 2026
Blake Lively Awarded $400,000 in Attorneys’ Fees in Justin Baldoni Case
A judge on Wednesday awarded Blake Lively about $400,000 in attorneys’ fees in her dispute with “It Ends With Us” co-star Justin Baldoni, well short of the $8 million she had sought. Lively and Bal...
variety.com
August 25, 2026
Can Rob Bonta Make His Case Against Paramount Without the Three Largest Theater Chains?
California Attorney General Rob Bonta has been on a roll. Arguing that the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger will harm theaters and cable providers, he brought an antitrust suit in July and managed to ...
variety.com
August 24, 2026
Azerbaijan’s Lawyer Defends Defamation Suit Against CNN: ‘These Untrue Statements Actually Put Lives at Risk’
Azerbaijan is very upset about a June 5 report on CNN that Israeli troops had used the country as a staging area for attacks on Iran. The country’s government says that the report, based on anonymo...
variety.com
August 22, 2026
Paramount and State A.G. to Meet Monday to Discuss Settlement of Antitrust Case
Paramount Skydance representatives are expected to meet on Monday with the California Attorney General’s office to discuss a potential settlement of the states’ antitrust case, according to two sou...
variety.com
August 21, 2026
Chris Aronson Files $4 Million Age Discrimination Suit Over Ouster at Paramount
Chris Aronson, who was let go as Paramount’s head of domestic distribution last year, has filed a lawsuit accusing the company of reneging on an agreement to pay him $1.3 million. Aronson was fired...
variety.com
August 20, 2026
Lawmakers Offer Film Industry a Fix on California Tax Credit Cap
Lawmakers in Sacramento introduced a budget fix on Thursday that helps film producers by adjusting a state cap on tax credits. The agreement, first reported by Variety on Tuesday, falls short of a ...
variety.com
August 19, 2026
Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger Will Cost 4,500 L.A. Production Jobs, Report Finds
The merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. could cost about 4,500 film and TV jobs over three years, according to a new report issued by Los Angeles County. The report, prepared by CVL Economics, arg...
variety.com
August 18, 2026
California Lawmakers Near Deal to Address Impact of Tax Cap on Film Credits
California lawmakers are closing in on a deal to help film producers who are facing new limits on their ability to monetize production tax credits. The agreement falls short of the entertainment in...
variety.com
August 17, 2026
California A.G. Rejects $1.88 Billion Paramount Bond, Says Company Wants a ‘Do-Over’ on Merger Delay
The California attorney general’s office fired back against Paramount’s request for a $1.88 billion bond on Monday, saying the company is seeking a “do-over” on its agreement to delay the Warner Br...
variety.com
August 17, 2026
Nick Reiner Trust Hearing Postponed to October as Lawyers Push for Speedy Access to Funds
Nick Reiner’s attorney pushed on Monday for speedy access to trust funds to pay for his criminal defense in the killings of his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner. Reiner, who is being held without ba...
variety.com
August 15, 2026
Netflix Pushes Back on Tyra Banks ‘Reality Check’ Defamation Suit
Netflix filed a motion Friday to throw out Tyra Banks’ defamation suit over a documentary series about “America’s Next Top Model,” arguing that Banks is taking issue with routine editorial decision...
variety.com
August 14, 2026
Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger Gets Mexico’s Approval, Leaving States’ Lawsuit as the Only Barrier Left
Paramount announced Friday that it has won approval from Mexico’s competition authority for its merger with Warner Bros., leaving only 12 state attorneys general standing in the way of closing the ...
variety.com
August 14, 2026
If Paramount Leaves California, It Might Cut Costs but Wouldn’t Save on State Taxes
Paramount is threatening to leave California if it cannot reach a deal with Attorney General Rob Bonta to allow it to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. Puck reported the threat on Tuesday, following ...
variety.com
August 13, 2026
DGA and IATSE Push Rob Bonta to Allow Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger With Conditions
The Directors Guild of America and IATSE are urging California Attorney General Rob Bonta to settle his antitrust lawsuit with Paramount, arguing that prolonged uncertainty over the Warner Bros. Di...
variety.com
August 4, 2026
Streaming Residuals Drop for First Time as Secondary Market Sputters, Per WGA Report
Writers received less in streaming residuals in 2025 than they did the year before, amid a downturn in the once-robust streaming market for old movies and TV shows. Writers took in $330.7 million i...
variety.com
July 31, 2026
Paramount Seeks Antitrust Trial in November, While States Ask for April 2027
Paramount Skydance asked a judge on Friday to schedule its upcoming antitrust trial in November, while a coalition of states and the Writers Guild of America asked for a date in April 2027. The sch...
variety.com
July 29, 2026
Jason Cloth, ‘Babylon’ and ‘Joker’ Financier, Indicted in Alleged $100 Million Ponzi Scheme
Jason Cloth, a financier with executive producer credits on “Joker,” “Babylon,” and “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” has been indicted in Chicago on allegations that he ran a $100 million Ponzi scheme. C...
variety.com
July 28, 2026
Hollywood Foreign Press Association Sues Penske Media Corporation Over Golden Globes Purchase
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association filed an antitrust lawsuit Tuesday against Penske Media Corporation, the parent of Variety, over the 2023 acquisition of the Golden Globe Awards. The suit, f...
variety.com
July 24, 2026
Paramount Agrees to Postpone Warner Bros. Merger Until After Antitrust Trial
Paramount Skydance has reached an agreement with a coalition of state attorneys general to postpone the Warner Bros. Discovery merger until after an antitrust trial. The company entered a joint sti...
variety.com
July 23, 2026
Judge Extends Order Blocking Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger for Another 14 Days
A federal judge on Thursday extended the order blocking the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger for an additional 14 days, meaning the deal cannot close before Aug. 18. Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin is s...
variety.com
July 23, 2026
L.A. Production Volume Down Slightly, as Recovery Continues to Sputter
Los Angeles production volume fell slightly in the second quarter of 2026, as an increase in state tax incentives has failed to overcome industry headwinds. Shoot days for TV, film and commercials ...
variety.com
July 22, 2026
Nexstar Accused of Violating Injunction by Appointing Tegna Board
A coalition of 13 attorneys general joined with DirecTV on Wednesday in accusing Nexstar of violating an injunction by appointing the members of Tegna’s board. The two TV station groups were ordere...
variety.com
July 22, 2026
European Commission Approves Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger
The European Commission approved the merger of Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery on Wednesday, removing one of the few remaining obstacles to closing the $111 billion deal. As a conditi...
variety.com
July 20, 2026
Judge Pauses Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger
A federal judge ordered a temporary halt to the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger on Monday, as a state coalition argues it would violate federal antitrust law, leading to higher prices and fewer movie...
variety.com
July 17, 2026
Court Hears Argument on States’ Move to Pause Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger
A judge on Friday heard arguments on a state coalition’s bid for a restraining order to pause the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger and said she would issue a ruling by next Wednesday. Judge ...
variety.com