The Pitt star Noah Wyle is at the forefront of the fight to stop Trump-favorite company Paramount-Skydance from taking over Warner Bros. Discovery.
The proposed merger, which follows Ellison’s takeover of Paramount last August in a Trump-approved deal that coincided with Paramount’s decision to end Trump foe Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show, is now in court after 12 states filed to block it. Skydance’s previous merger handed Ellison CBS News, which he’s since made over in Trump’s image by installing MAGA-friendly executive Bari Weiss.
His plans to take over HBO parent company Warner Bros. Discovery, which follows a heated battle with Netflix to acquire the properties, include putting Weiss in charge of CNN and openly threatening to move its productions out of California if the lawsuit aiming to block the deal could not be settled.
“I hope this is saber rattling because I can’t think of anything that would less engender you to the population of this industry than to say you’re going to take Hollywood out of Hollywood,” Wyle told Variety on Sunday at the HBO Max Emmy Nominee Celebration in Los Angeles.
Under the new merger, HBO Max would be part of Ellison’s empire.
“But I’m an Angeleno, so I have a vested interest in that one,” Wyle added. The Emmy-winning actor spoke at a hearing regarding the court’s decision on whether to lift its temporary restraining order on Ellison’s deal.
“I was asked to participate in today’s hearing to tell a success story,” he said, according to AP. “I’m happy to report we’ll commence shooting season three this summer, and that a rising tide has indeed lifted all boats.”
The rise includes The Pitt’s five wins from 13 nominations at last year’s Emmys, and its whopping 25 nods ahead of this year’s awards ceremony, making it the most-nominated show of the year. That success has translated to 600 production jobs and $125 million for California’s economy, the star said at the hearing.
Wyle also told Variety that he can’t say which way the tide will turn on the Warner Bros. takeover. “One article that says this, one article says that, one rumor leads you to believe one thing. They haven’t painted the place yet, so who knows,” he remarked.
The $110 billion acquisition is currently on hold until mid-2027, following a 12-state antitrust lawsuit that also includes the Writers Guild of America. Paramount retaliated by asking a federal court to force those states and the Guild to pay $1.88 billion to cover the delay costs. The next trial is set for March.
