George Clooney has voiced skepticism about the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger. Tom Cruise, by contrast, recently called the $111 billion deal “awesome.” The two A-listers now stand on opposite sides of Hollywood’s most divisive corporate battle.
Paramount-WBD merger doesn’t make sense for George Clooney
Speaking at the Venice Film Festival on Wednesday, Clooney declined to endorse the transaction and questioned its financial logic. He received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement Award and used the platform to address industry consolidation, free speech, and the state of journalism.
“I don’t see how the merger financially ends up making sense for the people who are trying to do it,” Clooney told reporters. “We’ll see. I worry when a big company swallows up another company … I always worry whenever big companies are consolidating because it means a lot of people are going to lose their jobs.”
The actor’s remarks contrast with Tom Cruise, who backed the merger during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. Cruise framed his support around personal relationships rather than balance sheets. “It’s a community to me. It’s not an industry. The people in these studios are not just people in the studios. They’re my family,” Cruise said.
Cruise also endorsed CEO David Ellison’s commitment to release 30 films annually, a production target many observers consider unrealistic. “They’re going to deliver 30 movies,” Cruise insisted. “I want us all to come together as a community to help make those 30 movies.”
Clooney did not address Cruise directly but questioned whether consolidation benefits anyone involved, including Ellison. The deal faces an antitrust challenge from twelve state attorneys general, with a federal trial scheduled for March 2.
Beyond the merger, Clooney defended Mark Ruffalo, whose criticism of the deal and the Ellison family drew accusations of antisemitism from Paramount. “I support Mark Ruffalo’s ability to speak freely,” Clooney said. “It’s ridiculous. We’re not going to ban speech. I believe in free speech even when I completely disagree with it.”
Clooney joined an open letter supporting Ruffalo, signed by Joel Coen, Joaquin Phoenix, Todd Haynes, and others over the past few days. He called Ruffalo a “good man” while stopping short of echoing his specific arguments.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on ComingSoon.
