A New Chapter in the Block the Merger Campaign
The State AGs’ lawsuit to block the merger has been filed. Here's what it means–and why our work continues.
Six months ago when we launched the #BlockTheMerger campaign, the idea that we would play a meaningful role in one of the largest media antitrust cases in recent history might have seemed unlikely.
Today, that changed, and some amazing news broke:
A coalition of twelve state Attorneys General, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, filed a lawsuit seeking to block the proposed Warner Bros. Discovery-Paramount merger under the Clayton Act, arguing that the transaction would substantially lessen competition. The states suing are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Washington.
This moment demonstrates what's possible when a field speaks with one voice. Thousands of filmmakers, distributors, exhibitors, creative workers, and supporters came together to ensure that the real-world impacts of media consolidation became part of the public conversation. While the legal process is just beginning, today's action marks an important step toward protecting a competitive marketplace for independent storytelling.
This victory belongs to you—and we built it together.
More than 5,500 of you signed the Open Letter calling on state AGs to act. You packed town halls in LA, New York, and Atlanta, flooded AG offices with calls, and submitted testimonials for the record. Our coalition backed that energy with evidence, placing it publicly for the officials who just filed this case.
While competition policy can feel distant from everyday creative work, watching this grassroots campaign grow from a simple website to mobilizing thousands has demonstrated something remarkable: when a field speaks collectively, policymakers listen.
Together, we helped demonstrate that this merger has real consequences for filmmakers, creative workers, small businesses, cultural organizations, and audiences across the nation. Every contribution to our gathering of statements about how this merger would impact independent film workers has strengthened the public record and helped ensure that the harmful impacts of rapid media consolidation became part of a national, cross-sector conversation for small businesses, independent companies, freelance workers, and audiences alike.
What Happens Now?
The filing of this lawsuit marks the beginning of a federal court process:
From here, the litigation moves through several stages that may include motions, discovery, hearings, expert testimony, and potentially a trial before a judge reaches a decision. Appeals are also possible. Since this is a large-scale case, we anticipate this unfolding over a longer timeline.
Our goal is to make this process understandable and accessible to everyone who cares about the future of independent film. We launched a new “What Happens Next?” section on BlockTheMerger.com where you can stay up to date with:
Regular campaign updates and timeline
Plain-language legal explainers
Opportunities for filmmakers and supporters to stay engaged as the case moves forward.
The Bigger Picture
This lawsuit addresses one proposed merger, but the underlying challenges facing independent film extend far beyond a single transaction.
For years, filmmakers, distributors, exhibitors, festivals, and creative businesses have described many of the same market conditions:
fewer buyers competing for independent work
increasing concentration among distributors and platforms
shrinking opportunities to negotiate meaningful terms
greater barriers to reaching audiences
fewer pathways for emerging filmmakers to build sustainable careers
The #BlockTheMerger campaign was never just about opposing a single corporate transaction. Whether this merger ultimately proceeds or not, those larger structural questions remain.
Our broader mission is about building a healthier ecosystem so that independent film can flourish alongside the broader entertainment industry and ensure audiences benefit from a diverse and thriving cultural landscape for generations to come.
That’s why our work through the Future Film Coalition doesn’t end here.
We’ll continue building the long-term civic infrastructure our field has rarely had:
research that helps policymakers understand the economic value of independent film
public education that translates complex policy into practical language
coalitions that bring together individuals and organizations across the field
opportunities for film workers to participate in shaping the policies that affect their work
Stay Involved
If you’d like to continue supporting this work, here are a few ways to help:
Register for Tuesday’s Town Hall on July 14 @ 12PM EDT/9AM PST on the lawsuit and what comes next.
Thank State AGs for taking action by tagging them in social media posts.
Join Future Film Coalition. Become part of a growing community working to strengthen the civic, cultural, and economic infrastructure supporting independent film. Our coalition is free to join!
Support our research. FFC is a new 501(c)(3) organization, and your tax-deductible contribution will help us produce independent research, public education resources, and policy analysis that will serve the field long after this case concludes. One of the greatest challenges facing independent film is that, despite its enormous cultural and economic contribution, our field has never had the kind of comprehensive national research that other industries rely on when making the case for public investment, economic development, or policy change. That’s why we’re working to launch the first national economic impact study of U.S. independent film production—providing baseline data that will help policymakers, regulators, funders, and the public better understand the industry’s contribution to communities across the country. This is a significant endeavor, and contributions of any size will help kick this important work off as soon as possible!
Together, we’ll continue working toward a future where independent filmmakers, creative workers, small businesses, and audiences benefit from a more competitive, diverse, and sustainable media ecosystem.
Thank you for being part of this movement!