Directors Guild of America (DGA) and IATSE, the California attorney general’s union, are calling on Rob Bonta of California to resolve his antitrust case with Paramount. They argue that continued uncertainty regarding Warner Bros. is detrimental. Discovery merger will hurt the industry.
On Wednesday, the two unions sent a letter of request to Bonta as well as Paramount Skydance’s CEO David Ellison. They urged both sides to reach an agreement which would address their concerns about harms to competitiveness.
The two unions expressed their concern about the impact that a delayed decision on the merger proposal would have on the members of the respective unions and the entire industry.
This letter places the unions in conflict with the Writers Guild of America which has filed a separate antitrust lawsuit to attempt to stop the merger. This antitrust lawsuit has caused divisions in the movie industry. Both Regal Cinemas, AMC Theatres, and Cinema United have all backed the merger.
Bonta, along with a coalition consisting of 12 state attorneys general, filed a lawsuit in July to stop the merger. They argued that it would create an illegal concentration in the markets for basic cable distribution and the theatrical market. Araceli Martinez Olguin, a judge in California, issued a temporary order halting the merger. Last week, a trial date of March 2, four months after Paramount had preferred, was set.
Ellison is trying to get Bonta at the table to negotiate. He has also been working on rallying support within the film industry for this deal. Bonta repeatedly stated that he was not interested in “behavioral remedies” — like a promise to release thirty movies per year within a 45 day window — and is instead focused on structural solutions, something Paramount is unwilling to consider.
Russell Hollander was the national executive director for the DGA and Matthew Loeb the IATSE international president signed the letter. In the letter, it is argued that the trial date of March 2, 2019 will be “damaging” for an “already-struggling industry”.
The letter says that the merger proposal is making things worse for our members, who are struggling to find work. We are aware that productions have been put on hold, or even canceled completely. This has led to a further decrease in the amount of work available for our members.
In the letter, the unions urge the two parties to reach an agreement on certain conditions. Many of these Paramount already accepted, including the requirement that the studios continue to operate as two separate companies, each producing at least fifteen films per year. They also ask Paramount to commit to continuing licensing outside content at the same level as it was before the merger.
The unions will urge both the states and Paramount to accept an earlier date for the trial if they cannot come to a compromise. Paramount was eager to have a faster timeline. However, states requested time from the judge to obtain documents and depose Paramount executives in order to strengthen their case.

Melissa Rycroft plead guilty to her DWI in Texas and won’t be spending another day behind bars.
According to documents obtained by Us Weekly, the former “Bachelor” and “Dancing with the Stars’ alum received his sentence last week following a plea agreement. The judge signed off the deal on Monday.
Rycroft received a 20-month probationary period instead of the 280-day jail sentence… she was also ordered to pay $2,000 worth of fines and costs. Rycroft will also be required to perform 36 hours of community work, complete a DWI course and submit to a substance use evaluation.
Rycroft is subject to strict probationary conditions. She cannot consume alcohol or illegal drugs during her probation.
It’s prohibited for her to drive…unless the vehicle has an ignition interlock with camera.
Rycroft, a woman from New York City was arrested for DWI in September of 2025. The police report says that Rycroft told the officers she was involved in a hit and run, but her witnesses said it wasn’t true.
Rycroft is a former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. She addressed her arrest later on social media… saying that she was struggling, but still trying to move forward.

Tony Khan made a number of announcements about tonight’s AEW dynamite.
The AEW President revealed just hours before the event that Persephone, CMLL World’s Women Champion and Hikaru will be teaming up against Thunder Rosa as well as TBS Champion Maya World.
“Persephone/@ShidaHikaru vs @MayaWorldd/@ThunderRosa22 Persephone & Shida got the win vs TBS Champion Maya World & her partner Hyan on AEW Collision! Thunder Rosa, who has a grudge against Persephone will now join Maya in a fight between Persephone/Shida tonight!
Khan also confirmed that Will Ospreay would appear tonight on the show.
Kris Statlander vs. Viva Van has been scheduled.
The episode tonight will be held at the Pearl Concert Theater in the Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas. WrestleTix reported on Wednesday that 1,680 tickets had been sold for the show tonight.
Below is the updated line-up.
AEW Dynamite line-up for August 12, 2020

Lilly Wachowski, a transgender woman who lives in Los Angeles, is trying to create a movie with a cast of all other genders… but only if the film industry allows her.
The Matrix’ co-auteur explained recently that, despite the excitement surrounding the script, investors “really do not want to make” The Hunted – a dystopian political thriller co-written by Mickey Ray Mahoney with a budget of $10 million – due to its “wall-to wall trans cast.”
Wachowski said on KCRW’s The Business Podcast that people like the film, but don’t really want to be in it. “I need to be creative in order to find different ways of getting this out there.”
The film is currently in development under Wachowski Anarchists United, and Natasha Lyonne’s Ariadne label. Last weekend the two teamed up to do a live reading event at Dynasty Typewriter.
Wachowski said, “This was a script I felt very strongly about writing. This was my response to the transgender community and what’s happening around them. It gave me an outlet to vent all my frustration, anger and rage.
She said, “I will go to the store and grab this trans-joy with my friends.” It’s nothing like I imagined, but it is still the same.
The Hunted, a political thriller in the vein of Wild in the Streets or V for Vendetta is set in dystopian America in which transgender people have been brutalized to the fringes of the society. Two transwomen search for the perpetrator of a horrific crime that sets off an uproar of resistance and mutual support within the trans community. They eventually find him at the top of the government.

Clavicular claims Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez has a personality that is “maxing”… and cites her fiery nature, charisma and charm as the reasons why he loves her. He also adds her beauty shouldn’t be sneered at!
We asked the influencer who made “looksmaxing go viral” to join us for “TMZ Live”, Wednesday, about his comments that he was able to “fix” AOC.
Clav told us two things that we should know. First, he said only that he was able to “fix” AOC in order to boost social media engagement.
He’s also not actively pursuing her because he has an existing girlfriend. The two of them are happy.
Clav says he’s drawn to “the beautiful Congresswoman”, as well as her fiery energy in protests. Clav finds her charismatic, which he also finds appealing.
Clav told us that he and his girlfriend would enjoy a fun relationship… and imagined the future as an interchange of ideas. He said she could improve her personality, and they then can discuss looksmaxing.
When asked if they share the same politics, Clavicular said he is not one of those guys. But if she wanted to talk about something with him, he was all ears.
Clav is also asked about AOC’s mixed response to the looksmaxing phenomenon in our interview. For specific reasons, he says that despite her negative comments, he does not see them as being totally unkind.
AOC has recently split with her long-term fiance Riley Roberts and is currently undergoing an IVF process that includes freezing her eggs. While a romance may not be on the table, it seems like Clav would welcome a collaboration of a more creative nature.