Actor Mark Ruffalo continued objecting to the merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. this week, even after California Attorney General Rob Bonta settled his lawsuit. The deal now appears ready to close, leaving Ruffalo still publicly fighting a transaction he opposed from the outset.
In a Threads post, Ruffalo argued that bringing the two classic studios together would damage creative expression and eliminate jobs. His latest remarks repeated the concerns that have driven his opposition throughout the merger battle.
Rather than softening his position following Bonta’s settlement, Ruffalo portrayed the development as a major disappointment for opponents. He also insisted that the movement against the merger would continue despite the apparent path toward closing the deal.
“This merger will stifle creativity, weaken free speech, and cost people their jobs — it is a bad deal for this country and should never have been approved,” wrote Ruffalo.
“This is an incredibly disappointing outcome for the hundreds of thousands of us who stood up to block it, but it’s also not the end. This grassroots movement isn’t going to fade away and neither is our resolve.”
For all the intensity of Ruffalo’s declaration, it arrived after the California attorney general had settled his lawsuit. The actor nevertheless treated the settlement as another stage in a wider political and economic fight rather than the conclusion of his campaign.
Ruffalo then broadened the dispute beyond the proposed combination of the two studios. He described his opposition as part of a battle against wealthy figures he accused of disregarding ordinary people for personal gain.
“This was never about just one merger: this was about fighting back against corrupt oligarch billionaires trampling the interests of everyday people to line their own pockets. We’re still in that fight. Join us,” he added.
This merger will stifle creativity, weaken free speech, and cost people their jobs — it is a bad deal for this country and should never have been approved. This is an incredibly disappointing outcome for the hundreds of thousands of us who stood up to block it, but it's also not…
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) September 30, 2026 [1]
The closing invitation reflected Ruffalo’s effort to keep supporters engaged even as the deal appeared ready to move ahead. His statement offered no retreat from the arguments about jobs, creativity, free speech, and concentrated wealth that he attached to the merger.
The merger fight has also become entangled with a bitter dispute between Ruffalo and Paramount CEO David Ellison. Ellison accused the actor of antisemitism after Ruffalo targeted him and his father, Larry Ellison, over their support for Israel.
Ruffalo had accused David and Larry Ellison of being complicit in “genocide” against the Palestinians because of that support. The actor vehemently denied Ellison’s accusation and argued that his political criticism was being misrepresented.
“The accusation that I am antisemitic is appalling and fundamentally dishonest,” Ruffalo said in response.
