Paramount has told the court it is delaying the closing of its proposed buyout involving Warner Bros. Discovery, adding a major new twist to one of the biggest media deals under review. In a Friday filing, the company said the transaction will not be completed until there is a court ruling on claims brought by a group of states or until June 1, 2027.
The updated timeline comes as a federal judge continues to consider a challenge from 12 states. The move follows a temporary restraining order granted just days earlier by U.S. District Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin, showing that the legal fight around the merger is still active and could shape when, or whether, the deal moves forward.
The companies' agreement to push back the closing of the roughly $81 billion merger gives the court more time to review the states' objections. For Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, the delay means the transaction remains tied up in legal uncertainty even as both sides signal they are prepared to wait for the judicial process to play out.
The filing underscores how closely watched large media mergers have become, especially when state-level challenges are involved. With the judge still weighing the case, the Paramount Warner merger now faces an extended pause that could keep the deal in limbo until next year or longer.
