Paramount Denies It Leaked Details Of Talks With AG’s Office, Company “Hopeful” And “Ready To Continue Good Faith Discussions”

David Ellison’s Paramount is publicly denying that it leaked details of upcoming talks with Rob Bonta‘s office on its Warner Bros. Discovery deal after the Attorney General canceled a scheduled Monday meeting, accusing the company of “playing games.”

“We share AG Bonta’s concerns about the public discussions and misreporting that has surrounded this deal,” read a statement from a PSKY spokesperson. “As we have assured the Attorney General’s office, Paramount has not been the source of the leaks of any of our confidential discussions with the AG’s office. We remain hopeful and stand ready to continue good faith discussions to resolve the Attorneys General suit and move forward with our plans for increased competition and increased output to the benefit of the talent and entertainment workers.” 

Bonta canceled the scheduled sit-down late Sunday soon after the WSJ reported details of an August 21 meetup between the parties, including details of potential remedies the AG would require to drop ongoing legal action against the Par-WBD merger.

“My office had a meeting with Paramount on Friday. Paramount did not maintain the confidentiality of that meeting,” Bonta said in a statement to Deadline last night. He is leading a group of a dozen Attorneys General in suing Paramount to block its planned acquisition of WBD on antitrust grounds.

More to come.