Paramount Threatens California Exit That Could Cost State Billions

Paramount could pull nearly 58,000 jobs and $21 billion in annual economic activity out of California if the company follows through on a threat to relocate its headquarters and operations amid an antitrust fight over its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, according to a preliminary economic analysis from the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp.'s (LAEDC) Institute for Applied Economics, which was obtained by Politico.

If no resolution is achieved, Paramount has threatened to begin moving its headquarters and thousands of jobs out of the state starting Oct. 1, 2026, with Georgia, Tennessee and Texas floated as possible destinations.

The threat traces back to a lawsuit that California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) and eleven other Democratic state attorneys general filed on July 13 to permanently block the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger under the Clayton Act. Their complaint argued the combined company would reduce competition in wide-release theatrical films, in the market for anticipated top-grossing pictures, and in the licensing of basic cable channels.

The lawsuit came after the Justice Department had reached the opposite conclusion in June, closing its own investigation without filing suit and finding the deal unlikely to harm competition in streaming, linear television, or theatrical film production and distribution.

The LAEDC report makes it clear that California's economy would suffer huge losses if Paramount decided to move out of state. Apart from the 28,990 and 57,980 potential full-time jobs that would disappear, California would also see annual economic output decline somewhere between $10.6 billion and $21.2 billion. Annual state and local tax revenue would also drop by about $585 million.

This is, however, a worst-case scenario based on LAEDC assumptions, not a definite forecast, since Paramount does not publicly break down its operating expenses or employment by state.

Even the more conservative scenario still involves a heavy loss. Even a slower, partial retreat tied to merger-related ticking fees and financing costs totaling roughly $1.88 billion, spread over five years, could still result in the state losing 550 to 1,110 job-years each year and between $202.7 million and $405.4 million in annual economic output.

The merger agreement requires Paramount to pay additional amounts to Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders, called ticking fees, if the transaction is not completed by September 30. From October 1 onwards, the LAEDC sets the fees at about $7 million per day, so each week of legal proceedings becomes a separate charge. As a partial gesture to resolve the issue, Paramount has promised to make 30 theatrical releases each year from the combined company. This pledge the LAEDC believes could result in between 1,020 and 2,760 job-years and between $377.7 million and $1.01 billion in economic output throughout the state over a five-year period.

It's unclear whether this proposal will persuade Bonta's office.

For now, Bonta isn't backing down on his public messaging. "California is the fourth largest economy in the world and the best place to do business," his office said, adding, "Strong antitrust enforcement is essential so everyone can benefit from a vibrant economy."

"When companies create a monopoly and illegally use that power to get out of negotiating, that hurts our economy, it hurts Californians, it makes things more expensive, and it makes things worse," Bonta's office said.

Steve Hilton, the Republican candidate for governor, has made this dispute a campaign talking point, calling the lawsuit "totally politically motivated" last month and saying he would "use whatever power I have to discourage any litigation that would be destructive to California, including this one."

Hilton has also framed Paramount as one data point in a broader exodus. "There's always something, because the people in charge of California are just running this state into the ground," he said on Real America's News last month, adding that business owners tell him on the trail they're "hanging on till November" and will leave if the state's political direction doesn't change. "I think that we are heading for economic collapse in California," he said. He also predicted the recent trickle of departures "is going to turn into a stampede" without a course correction.