Damon Lindelof: Why I’m Speaking Out Against the Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery Merger
‘I’m more of a puker than a stormer. But these boats are heading for the beach whether we like it or not.’
Damon Lindelof is an Emmy Award-winning writer and producer, best known for co-creating Lost, The Leftovers and Watchmen. He’s among more than 1,000 creators and professionals across the film and TV industry who signed an open letter opposing the Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery merger that was released on Monday. The following post from Lindelof’s Instagram feed is reprinted in Pressing Issues with his permission.
When I was asked to sign a letter that openly opposed the sale of Warner Brothers to Paramount Skydance, I felt two things. The first was that yes, absolutely, of course, I opposed it. The second was, oh shit, I’m afraid to say so publicly.
Fear is embarrassing. No one wants to be the guy puking in the boat in Saving Private Ryan. They want to be the ones storming the beach. So why was I afraid?
Some implied retaliation? Being put on some list of rabble-rousers? Getting kicked off the beloved Warner Brothers backlot I have called home for the last 15 years?
I actually sort of know my (potential) new boss, David Ellison. We produced a few things together not too long ago, and I found him to be bright, ambitious and passionate. He loved movies and trusted the people he made them with. But still …
Better not to risk it. Me opposing an inevitable merger would be pointless, and signing a letter that will evaporate into the shitstorm of an unrelenting news cycle would be even more pointless.
But is it?
Pointless?
Because Hollywood, believe it or not, is a blue-collar town. It’s thousands and thousands of Grips and Gaffers. Drivers and Decorators. Builders and Boom operators. Camera teams and Caterers.
And they’re all about to get fucked.
Hollywood mergers mean fewer movies and fewer TV shows, and that means fewer jobs. When two storied backlots are owned by the same company, the outcome is intuitive — one becomes a Ghost Town.
I’m scared. But I’m not a ghost. And a fight is already lost if it’s never fought.
So I signed. Proudly. I understand why many of my peers have not — trust me, I’m more of a puker than a stormer. But these boats are heading for the beach whether we like it or not …
The only thing we have any control over is what we do when we get there.
Action News
The House of Representatives is expected to vote as soon as Wednesday to authorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act — which has been used to conduct millions of warrantless searches of Americans’ phone calls, text messages and emails.
You’ll be shocked to learn that the government spying on its own people is incredibly unpopular. Stephen Miller and friends are trying to sneak through reauthorization of these unchecked surveillance powers while folks are distracted by, well, everything else.
But at Free Press we’ve made it easy to weigh in against government spying. Add your name here to oppose handing over this unchecked power without real reforms. And then call your representatives to make sure they get the message!
The kicker
“Another loss for the censorship and control campaign being waged by this Administration. Another victory for the First Amendment and the right of the press to report freely, without fear of government retaliation.” —FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez on the federal court decision tossing out Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal for reporting on his 2003 birthday greeting to Jeffrey Epstein.
