Paramount–WBD judge sets March 2027 trial date for antitrust fight | CNN Business

A federal judge has set a March 2027 trial date for the antitrust challenges to Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN’s parent company. The trial timeline is another setback for Paramount, which had wanted to complete the merger this summer. A coalition of state attorneys general and the Writers Guild of America both filed lawsuits in mid-July seeking to stop the merger. After Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín issued a temporary restraining order pausing the deal, Paramount agreed to stand still until a ruling after trial or until June 2027, whichever comes first. Paramount then proposed to have the trial in November; the states and writers challenging the merger proposed an April start date, asserting that more time is needed to gather evidence and prepare arguments. On Tuesday, Martínez-Olguín said the trial will begin March 2 and run for 12 court days. The timeline set by the court means the merger will remain in limbo for at least seven more months, putting further strain on the companies and financiers involved. The delay will prove costly for Paramount. Under the merger agreement, the company must pay WBD shareholders roughly $7 million for every day afte