Mark Ruffalo opposes Paramount-Warner Bros deal, says ‘don’t trust empty promises from billionaires’
Mark Ruffalo testifying at a hearing on the Paramount-WBD merger called by Cory Booker:
— More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) April 15, 2026
" Don't trust empty promises from billionaires driven by greed and corrosive ideology. Don't trust that somehow this new company will make more films with less money and so much more debt." pic.twitter.com/DLtHvDqdhM
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Actor Mark Ruffalo spoke out against the potential Paramount-Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) deal during a hearing called by Democratic Sen. Cory Booker, the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, on Wednesday, April 15.
He warned that if Paramount-Skydance completes the proposed takeover of Warner Bros Discovery, it could "devastating" impact on the film, TV, and new media industries.
His reaction came after Paramount CEO David Ellison said the merger would create jobs and result in around 30 films being released each year. Ruffalo challenged that idea, cautioning people not to believe what he described as “empty promises from billionaires.”
The 'Avengers' actor spoke via a video call at a hearing led by Booker.
Mark Ruffalo opposes Paramount's proposed deal with Warner Bros Discovery
The Marvel star blasted the Paramount deal, saying, "We do not have to watch ‘Citizen Kane’ or read ‘1984’ to understand that the concentrated oligarchic control this merger represents is a threat to free press, an informed populace and democracy itself."
“The merger threatens more than our livelihoods,” he added. “It threatens one of the world’s most vital industries.”
Ruffalo also said the deal is coming at “the worst possible moment,” pointing to the sharp drop in entertainment jobs in Los Angeles. “I can personally say that Los Angeles right now is hanging by a thread,” he said.
Even though the Paramount CEO promised more opportunities for artists, Ruffalo pushed back, saying, "Don’t trust empty promises from billionaires driven by greed and corrosive ideology. Don’t trust that this new company will somehow make more films with less money and so much more debt."
Instead, he urged people to "trust competition." The ‘13 Going on 30’ actor is among more the 3,000 Hollywood celebrities who signed an open letter calling to block the deal.
He also claimed "tens of thousands" of media workers could be at risk of losing their jobs as the Ellison family and their Middle Eastern investment partners, including sovereign wealth funds from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, would try to "squeeze" maximum profit from the combined company.
Mark Ruffalo believes Warner Bros Discovery CEO would benefit out of the deal
Ruffalo alleged that one of the biggest winners of the Paramount-Warner Bros Discovery deal would be WBD CEO David Zaslav. He claimed Zaslav could receive at least $550 million once the deal closes, adding it is “for basically crushing Warner Bros. to the point where they were carrying so much debt they had to sell it... It’s obscene.”
The Paramount-Warner Bros Discovery agreement is still pending and needs approval from regulators and shareholders, with a vote scheduled for April 23.
If completed, Paramount+ and HBO Max will be merged into one streaming service. This could help Paramount better compete with major rivals like Netflix and Disney.
According to Variety, when Paramount and Skydance merged in August 2025, around 2,000 jobs were cut. Ruffalo said this kind of pattern keeps repeating, with big promises followed by layoffs and fewer productions. He warned that the same could happen again, leading to the industry undergoing fresh suffering.
