Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Skydance expect delay in closing deal

(CNN, KYMA) - Media insiders expect the brakes to be pumped on Paramount Skydance's purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD).

Attorneys general from 12 states, including Arizona and California, asked a federal court to issue a temporary restraining order against the deal, saying it violates antitrust law.

People close to the matter believe the restraining order will be granted. If that happens, it will trigger a process that could take months to resolve.

This would endanger Paramount's forecast that the merger will be completed by the end of September.

In addition, the lawsuit might not be the deal's final hurdle as government officials in the U.K. have signaled they may also intervene.

Not only that, the Writers Guild of America filed a lawsuit to block the WBD-Paramount merger as they believe "it violates antitrust law and will cause specific harm to writers."