Paramount Skydance has secured its $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery by reaching a settlement with a coalition of 12 US states and the Writers Guild of America, clearing the final legal hurdles for the merger. The agreement prevents the forced sale of major assets like CNN and allows the deal to close before a 30 September deadline, which avoids a $7 million daily penalty fee. Key commitments from the settlement include: Production Quotas: Paramount must release 30 films annually for the first two years, rising to 32 for the subsequent three years (including at least four independent films and 20% blockbusters). Shortfalls will incur a $30 million penalty per film, with funds primarily supporting workers. Domestic Investment: An additional $300 million must be spent annually on US film production. Theatre Protections: Paramount will freeze rates for cinema operators for three years. Editorial Independence: A dedicated board will be established to ensure the journalistic independence of CBS and CNN. Following the state settlement, the Writers Guild of America dropped its parallel lawsuit, citing the financial impracticality of proceeding without government backing, though the union maintains the deal will harm industry jobs. Following the news, Warner Bros Discovery shares surged by over 10%. Article by @Reuters, link on the following post.