Prominents from the film and television world are speaking out about the planned, but currently paused, takeover of film studio Warner Bros. by Paramount. Marvel star Benedict Cumberbatch is one of the British actors featured this week The Guardian signs a skeptical piece about the deal. According to the objection, the takeover would collectively harm the British public.
Damn corner
“A disaster in the TV and cinema scene could be disastrous for what you watch and what you know. Act now and stop that development.” That is the loosely translated title of the piece in the leading British newspaper today (Monday, ed.) that puts the huge Paramount deal in the dark. Actors Benedict Cumberbatch and Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange) and Alan Cummings (The Traitors USA (2023– )) argue in the publication that the takeover will drastically reduce the number of (independent) films in circulation, and that far fewer creative risks will be taken.
Collective resistance
“The UK is threatened by a media deal that will damage our professionals, our culture and our audiences, but we can stop it,” it reads. The actors draw hope from an earlier statement by the British Minister of Culture, Lisa Nandy, who previously expressed her willingness to oppose the takeover. In the US, twelve United States managed to enforce in court that the deal will not be completed for the time being. According to the latest reports, completion will not take place until June 2027 at the earliest.
Beeld: Still ‘Doctor Strange’ via TMDb
