The mega merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery is temporarily on hold after a judge issued a restraining order.
Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín ruled on Monday, preventing the two sides from closing the deal until she considers a larger antitrust lawsuit brought by 12 state attorneys general and led by California, CNN reported.
The restraining order is only good for two weeks, but it could be extended for two additional weeks.
Paramount is trying to buy Warner Bros. Discovery for $81 billion, The Associated Press reported.
The lawsuit claims that the deal would “extinguish competition” in Hollywood, giving consumers fewer choices, especially when it comes to movies and cable options in the U.S.
Check back for more on this developing story.
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