Paramount-Skydance Warner Bros. Merger Cleared in Australia and New Zealand
Australia's competition regulator has approved Paramount Skydance's $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, with New Zealand also clearing the deal. The ACCC determined the merger would not substantially lessen competition, as other film studios would continue to constrain the merged entity. The approval comes as the UK's Competition and Markets Authority has opened a formal investigation, with a decision deadline of August 7, 2026.
Paramount Skydance has received regulatory clearance for its $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery in Australia and New Zealand. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission concluded the merger would not substantially reduce competition in theatrical film supply, noting that other studios would continue to constrain the combined company's market power. New Zealand's Commerce Commission indicated it does not intend to pursue further review. The filing also noted recent approvals from competition authorities in Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Serbia, and North Macedonia, as well as foreign investment clearances from multiple European nations. However, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority has opened a formal investigation into the deal, with a decision on whether to proceed to a deeper phase 2 review due by August 7, 2026.
What different sources said
- The Hollywood ReporterCenter
Paramount-Warner Bros. Deal Cleared in Australia
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