MCU Star Mark Ruffalo Isn’t Backing Down After the Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger Gets the Green Light
Few Hollywood stars have thrown themselves into an industry business battle quite like Mark Ruffalo. The actor, who plays the Hulk in Marvel’s films and is a regular on HBO, one of the brands about to change hands, spent the summer as the most visible face of opposition to Paramount’s takeover of Warner Bros. Now, with the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger cleared, Mark Ruffalo is making it clear his campaign isn’t over.
The deal has been in motion for months. Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery announced their definitive merger agreement on February 27, valuing WBD at an enterprise value of $110 billion. The companies said the merger would focus on expanding consumer choice and empowering creative talent worldwide.
On September 30, U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín approved a settlement clearing the way for the roughly $110 billion transaction to close on October 6. That ruling removed the last major obstacle standing between Paramount and its acquisition of the studio.
Ruffalo responded within hours. In a post on X, he argued that the merger would stifle creativity, weaken free speech, and cost people jobs, calling it a bad deal for the country that should never have been approved. He described the ruling as a deeply disappointing outcome for the many people who had pushed to block the deal, while insisting the fight was not finished.
The actor framed the issue as bigger than a single corporate transaction. He said the battle was really about pushing back against billionaire interests he believes are working against everyday people, and he encouraged supporters to keep joining the cause. He also stressed that the grassroots movement and its resolve would not fade away.
Don’t you dare @AGRobBonta, do not cave. 5670 film makers put their necks on the line for you to fight this merger. Another 75,000+ and counting have signed to tell you not to concede in just 3 weeks. You work for the people — the very people who will be hurt if you let this lousy deal filled with empty promises go forward. Please sign to send a message to the AG’s and Paramount. Reject the deal. The people don’t want it! https://t.co/AqGOK3fC7A
— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) September 19, 2026
His latest comments build on months of activism. In August, he warned that the deal would give one family control over CNN, HBO, and Warner Bros. Earlier in September, he urged California Attorney General Rob Bonta and the 11 other state attorneys general involved in the antitrust lawsuit to reject any settlement with Paramount Skydance.
At the time, Ruffalo pointed out that 5,670 filmmakers had put their necks on the line to support the fight against the merger. He also shared a petition encouraging fans to send a message to the attorneys general and Paramount.
Ruffalo’s outspoken approach hasn’t been without backlash. Last month, he faced controversy after calling out the business relationship involving Larry Ellison’s tech giant Oracle, which is backstopping more than $40 billion of the deal. Paramount responded by accusing the actor of invoking antisemitic tropes in his remarks.
He has also criticized the Ellisons’ close friendship with Donald Trump, adding a political dimension to his objections. Supporters of the deal, meanwhile, see it very differently.
On the other side, Paramount leadership has framed the merger as a major step forward. David Ellison has called the combined mega-studio a transformational moment for the industry, and Ynon Kreiz has been named co-CEO of the new Paramount-WBD.
The road ahead won’t be simple, though. The merged studio heads toward closing with more than $80 billion in debt, and Warner Bros. has been dealing with a rough year marked by box office disappointments.
With the deal set to close in a matter of days, opponents have limited options to stop it. Still, Ruffalo insists the fight has simply changed shape, casting the merger as one front in a wider battle against media consolidation.
Whether his campaign can influence how the combined company operates remains to be seen. Either way, the debate over consolidation in Hollywood is unlikely to quiet down anytime soon.
What do you think about Mark Ruffalo continuing his opposition to the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger?
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