Neil Blair, founder of literary and entertainment agency The Blair Partnership, has signaled his confidence in the Paramount–Warner Bros. merger, telling Variety he believes it will continue to “honor the legacy” of “Harry Potter.”
“Harry Potter” creator J.K. Rowling, who is one The Blair Partnership’s best-known clients, has enjoyed a decades-long relationship with Warner Bros., encompassing numerous screen adaptations of her books as well as video games, licensing, merchandise and theme park rides.
A new re-imagining of the “Harry Potter” book series is currently in production and set to launch on HBO this winter.
“We are excited by the proposed partnership with Paramount Skydance and are confident that once the transaction with Warner Bros. Discovery closes, the merged company will honour the legacy of J.K. Rowling’s ‘Harry Potter’ stories while looking ahead to the future,” Blair said in a statement to Variety.
“At a time of significant change across the entertainment industry, we believe Paramount Skydance’s long-term vision and commitment to exceptional storytelling position it strongly to bring these stories to audiences around the world for years to come.”
Paramount beat out Netflix to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in late February with a $111 billion offer. Although accepted by shareholders, the deal is still pending approval by regulators in the U.S. and Europe.
Blair is not the only high-profile entertainment exec to lend his support to the merger. “Avatar” director James Cameron, who had publicly expressed concerns about the studio being snapped up by Netflix, has said he thinks Paramount is “the best choice” given its commitment to theatrical release. Adam Aron, the head of AMC, the world’s largest movie chain, has also said he supports the deal, citing Paramount Skydance chairman and CEO David Ellison’s “track record of success and his passion to make movies.”
In an earnings call this week Ellison revealed he planned to double the company’s film slate to 30 films a year once the merger goes through, reiterating that he is “firmly committed” to theatrical.
Leading the opposition to the Paramount-Warner Bros. deal is “Hulk” actor Mark Ruffalo. In an op-ed for The New York Times penned with American Economic Liberties Project research director Matt Stoller, the duo claimed the merger would cause “many harms in Hollywood.” Ruffalo was also one of the organizers behind an open letter expressing “our unequivocal opposition” to the deal, which has amassed more than 4,000 signatures.
Among the signatories are high-profile actors including Florence Pugh, Pedro Pascal and Edward Norton, directors Yorgos Lanthimos, Sofia Coppola and Denis Villeneuve as well as a number of background actors, students and self-described “film fans.”