Paramount-WBD Deal Delayed Again as Judge Extends Restraining Order by 2 Weeks

Skip to content With Thursday’s ruling, the earliest David Ellison’s deal for Warner Bros. Discovery can close is Aug. 17 David Ellison presents Paramount's 2026 slate at CinemaCon (Credit: Getty Images) Paramount’s deal for Warner Bros. Discovery was delayed further on Thursday after a federal judge extended the temporary restraining order pausing the deal by an additional two weeks, pushing the earliest David Ellison could close the $110 billion deal to Aug. 17. “The Court finds good cause to extend the TRO on multiple grounds, including the need to resolve two preliminary injunction motions, the parties’ disputes regarding the schedule and the proposed format of the preliminary injunction hearing, and Defendants’ stated willingness to abide by the terms of the TRO for some weeks into the future,” U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín wrote in her order on Thursday. Since state attorneys general and Writers’ Guild of America have both requested a preliminary injunction, she said the best course forward is to hear the arguments on the same schedule. As a result, Paramount’s opposition brief to both the state AGs and the WGA will be due by July 27, with replies due July 30 and a hearing set for Aug. 3 at 3 p.m. PT. Martínez-Olguín’s ruling came as Ellison stares down a self-imposed ticking fee that goes into effect if he fails to close the deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery by Sept. 30. More to come …