Regal Cinemas CEO Eduardo Acuna backs Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger during pending antitrust case

Regal Cinemas CEO Eduardo Acuna said he supports the proposed combination of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, arguing that the antitrust dispute surrounding the deal is diverting attention rather than clarifying outcomes for the film business. In an exclusive interview published Wednesday by Deadline, Acuna framed the pending case as a drag on planning across the theatrical ecosystem, including the operators responsible for running theaters and managing local audiences.

Acuna’s comments were directed at the timeline and effect of the antitrust proceedings, which Deadline reports are set to go to trial in March 2027. He characterized the litigation as creating “more uncertainty and distraction” and said, “It is time for all parties to sit down,” language Deadline uses to describe his call for the companies and regulators to resolve the dispute.

Acuna leads Regal Global Entertainment, described by Deadline as the No. 2 theater chain, and spoke in his capacity as the CEO of a major exhibitor. His position adds another voice from the exhibition side as the industry continues to weigh how studio consolidation could affect release strategies, theater relationships, and the economics of distribution.

The interview comes as the Paramount-WBD merger remains stalled by the antitrust case, according to Deadline’s report. The article situates Acuna’s support for the merger alongside the reality of a court schedule that, rather than concluding quickly, extends into 2027.

While Acuna urged parties to move toward resolution, his remarks did not change the basic procedural posture described by Deadline: the merger is still tied to an antitrust trial, and the March 2027 date remains the focal point for when the court process will test the deal’s legality. Any outcome would determine whether the consolidation proceeds and how film rights and content offerings might be reorganized.

For Regal and other exhibitors, the practical stakes are tied to planning cycles that depend on how studios set release calendars and negotiate terms. If litigation continues to delay final decisions, theater operators may face additional uncertainty around how studios plan slates and how long-term relationships with content partners will be structured.

Deadline’s report frames Acuna’s position as supportive of the union of the two historic studios, but also emphasizes his central complaint about timing and attention during the trial phase. With the case scheduled for March 2027, the next steps for all sides are bound to the court process rather than immediate corporate decision-making.

Acuna’s comments reflect that major segments of the entertainment supply chain are not only watching the antitrust case for legal outcomes, but also judging how the dispute affects business stability. As the trial date draws nearer, exhibitor perspectives such as his may become increasingly relevant to how the industry prepares for either continued deal uncertainty or an eventual resolution.