A dozen US states are taking legal action to halt the largest media consolidation in Hollywood history.

A dozen US states have joined together to block the $110bn (£85bn) merger between Warner Bros. and Paramount, claiming the largest media consolidation in Hollywood history would stifle competition and raise consumer prices. California Attorney General Rob Bonta claimed the merger would end up harming "audiences on every sofa and movie theater seat in the US". If it goes ahead, the new company would account for over a quarter of major film releases. Together with Disney, Universal, and Sony, just four conglomerates would control 86% percent of that market. Combining Paramount and Warner Bros would end a century of fierce rivalry between two of Hollywood's biggest hitmakers. Between them, they own legendary franchises like Harry Potter, Batman, Mission: Impossible, and Top Gun, alongside TV giants like CNN, MTV, and Nickelodeon. The regulatory challenge marks a significant hurdle for the entertainment giants as they attempt to merge operations. But the coalition of attorney generals has requested that the companies halt the transaction pending judicial review, threatening a temporary restraining order if they do not comply. If approved, the combined titan would control nearly a third of the US theatrical motion picture market and basic cable programming.