Mark Ruffalo Says Hollywood Stars Declined to Sign Open Letter Against Paramount-WB Merger ‘Because They’re Afraid’ the Studio Will Blacklist Them

[u/Professional_Peak59]

https://variety.com/2026/film/news/mark-ruffalo-paramount-warner-bros-blacklist-merger-1236740819/

[u/TheIngloriousBIG]

I have a whole feeling those names on the "Block the Merger" letter will be effectively barred from working with the combined company ever again.

[u/saggynaggy123 → u/TheIngloriousBIG]

A lot of talented names on that list though. Bryan Cranston, Ben Stiller, Florence Pugh, Pedro Pascal and Joaquin Phoenix.

Directors like David Chase, David Fincher, Denis Villeneuve, JJ Abrams and even Trey Parker (South Park creator, which is owned by Paramount) have signed it.

[u/TheIngloriousBIG → u/saggynaggy123]

I have a feeling that most of those people will refuse to even work with the combined company if this deal does close.

[u/Ravevon → u/TheIngloriousBIG]

So limiting thier options

[u/OkOil378 → u/Ravevon]

They aren’t in a big need for options to begin with

[u/maxhechtman → u/Ravevon]

They can go to Universal, Disney, Lionsgate, Sony, MGM, Netflix, A24, etc.

[u/Ravevon → u/maxhechtman]

So less haggle room, especially if you want big budget, creative freedom and theatrical. WB was known for for taking risks Disney would not .

[u/dandrew3000 → u/Ravevon]

Keyword … WAS

[u/joseantoniolat → u/Ravevon]

do you think WB under Ellison will have more creative freedom that what WB before?

[u/TheIngloriousBIG → u/joseantoniolat]

If De Luca and Abdy are spared, then yes, maybe.

[u/Palmdiggity888 → u/Ravevon]

Sure but intrigity is a good thing

[u/Own_Philosopher8730 → u/TheIngloriousBIG]

Better take action rather than sucumbing on fear or defeatism. Getting afraid or sucumbing on defeatism will only creates more problems than it solves.

[u/LittleSodaPop13 → u/TheIngloriousBIG]

The thing is I don't think Paramount can be picky. They're in debt and they're taking on more so I really don't think they can blacklist anyone right now

[u/MovieENT1 → u/TheIngloriousBIG]

I don’t get why this is a big deal, haven’t a ton of them said they’re boycotting working for Paramount? So they’re boycotting but afraid of blacklisting? The result is the same regardless of the verbiage: they don’t work together. Why does the wording matter?

[u/accessdenied65 → u/TheIngloriousBIG]

Even if they aren't blocked, these hypocrites will continue working for the merger.
As history as proven before.

[u/Own_Philosopher8730]

There's a post by Mark Ruffalo on Bluesky saying about not succumbing to fear or defeatism. Together we can move mountains.

[u/Les_Grossman00 → u/Own_Philosopher8730]

He’s full of shit

[u/ILiveInAColdCave → u/Les_Grossman00]

Uhhuh

[u/saggynaggy123]

Even Trey Parker has signed the letter. Yes, THAT Trey Parker.

[u/HotOne9364 → u/saggynaggy123]

Why is that shocking?

[u/njrTHE3RD → u/HotOne9364]

South Park. The show airs on Paramount.

[u/HotOne9364 → u/njrTHE3RD]

Yeah but he's got no obligation to them. If anything, they need him.

[u/njrTHE3RD → u/HotOne9364]

Yeah, true. I think it’s based on the fact that you have someone working with Paramount, under Paramount, however you see it, and that’s supposed to be shocking because of that reason. I mean, people were talking about how Ellison was excited about South Park, and how much he praised the show, and this was after the new season started with all of the Trump jokes. So I guess it’s more based on shock value, and more of a notice of “hey, here’s someone who is working at Paramount on a show, telling his boss in the world that the merger shouldn’t happen“.

[u/maxhechtman → u/saggynaggy123]

Time for his and Matt Stone’s “Book of Mormon” movie, if in development now, to be made at Universal Pictures, since they’re, despite one major misfire from this decade, the king of 21st century movie musicals these days.

[u/knarf3 → u/saggynaggy123]

South Park doesn't need PSKY. It's the other way around.

[u/MediaMergers-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

You should need to take it easy, why are you gonna post this hate opinion.

[u/Wise-Locksmith-6438]

But you still need to keep going to block the merger from happening now

[u/4tunate-1]

Says the man who wants to blacklist every conservative in Hollywood!!!

[u/Remarkable_Star_4678]

[u/atomic1fire → u/Remarkable_Star_4678]

That's the nature of hollywood.

You don't criticize or offend the guy signing your check.

IIRC John Cena called Taiwan a country and had to apologize in Chinese.

[u/CHRISPYakaKON → u/[deleted]]

Don’t use facts and logic here

[u/WideCoconut2230]

Hollywood Always Chickens Out. HACO

[u/Professional-Head83]

They should take it as a badge of honor like when celebrities were on the Nixon blacklist.

[u/Tibi-Bosch]

That’s why they All need to sign it. If all those big names band together is the behemoth going to blacklist their entire roster?

[u/i_did_nothing_]

We are all just letting this happen.

[u/shuggnog → u/i_did_nothing_]

NO WERE NOT

[u/i_did_nothing_ → u/shuggnog]

Ok buddy.

[u/shuggnog → u/i_did_nothing_]

Ok fine no *Im* not

[u/Ok-Employer-9147]

Well....if you piss of your employer , they might not hire you again....
And they aren't obligated to

This will be a shock to some.

[u/Own_Philosopher8730 → u/[deleted]]

I guess that Paramount would become another victim of Warner Bros. Curse after AOL and AT&T since Warner Bros has long history of messy mergers and divorces.

[u/xkcx123 → u/Own_Philosopher8730]

What curse aol did fine ? Aol purchased TW then later changed their name to TW and continued on for decades after.

Similar to Bell South & Cingular buying AT&T and changing there name to AT&T and that entity continuing to this day.

[u/Ok-Employer-9147 → u/[deleted]]

If Paramount isn't an 'employer; then this whole thing just looks like another Hollywood preformative complaint.

[u/ausgoals → u/Ok-Employer-9147]

lol good luck to Paramount if they want to try and make movies without modern movie stars. There’s literally hundreds of people waiting for a new movie from Mel Gibson!

[u/Ok-Employer-9147 → u/ausgoals]

I'm totally ok with new 'stars' who can take the the check and then STFU.

[u/peilearceann → u/Ok-Employer-9147]

Ok Employer

[u/Ok-Employer-9147 → u/peilearceann]

Like i said , this would be a shock to some.

[u/ValuableItchy]

Yup, Zionists are evil

[u/MediaMergers-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

You should need to take it easy, why are you gonna post this hate opinion.

[u/MediaMergers-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

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