![Even TV's Scariest Business Executive Is "Concerned" By the Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger [Exclusive]](https://static0.colliderimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/tcdseve_g2008-1.jpg)
Patricia Arquette and Tramell Tillman in 'Severance'Image via Apple TV
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Aidan Kelley
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Perri Nemiroff
Published Mar 1, 2026, 7:50 PM EST
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The entertainment industry is still reeling from fear and uncertainty after news that Paramount will purchase Warner Bros. Discovery, following a months-long battle with Netflix for the home of HBO, DC, Harry Potter, and more. While the deal has a long way to go before being finalized, many, both in and out of the entertainment world, have expressed concerns about how this mega-merger between two of Hollywood's oldest and most historic studios will impact both artists and consumers. Now, Oscar-winner Patricia Arquette (who happens to play a cuthroat business executive in Severance), has some scathing thoughts on Hollywood's ongoing "monopolization."
Speaking to Collider's Perri Nemiroff on the red carpet at the Actor Awards (formerly the SAG Awards), Arquette was asked what she would change about the movie and TV industry if she could, and why. Arquette responded:
"I'm concerned about all this consolidation. First of all, it's gonna hamper artists, and it's very politicized, and I think it's gonna limit their creativity and the stories that they're telling. But besides that, I think it's really bad for the consumer, besides the freedom creatively. Once you start monopolizing and ending up with like four networks, they can drive up your prices, and you're gonna be paying a lot more for entertainment. So it's not even in your best interest in the long run to allow these things to happen. But I'm also concerned that there doesn't seem to be any looking at monopolization, and if it starts with this industry, it's just going to steamroll across all industries."
Arquette may not have mentioned Warner Bros., Paramount, or their merger by name, but it's clear she was referencing them in her comments. She's also not hyperbolizing when she says that there will only be around "four networks," at least when it comes to the major Hollywood studios. The "Big Six" historically has consisted of Disney, 20th Century Fox, Universal, Paramount, Warner Bros., and Sony/Columbia. That number dropped to 5 when Disney merged with 20th Century in 2019, and will drop once again should the Paramount merger go through.
What's Next for Patricia Arquette?
Industry turmoil be damned, Patricia Arquette is still keeping busy. In the years following her Academy Award win for her performance in Boyhood, Arquette became an instant fan-favorite in Apple TV's breakout sci-fi hit, Severance, where she plays the conniving and complex Lumon boss. Arquette is expected to reprise her role in the highly anticipated Severance Season 3, and is also set to return to the big screen soon with the action-packed thriller They Will Kill You.
You can see Patricia Arquette in the first two seasons of Severance, streaming now on Apple TV. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Severance
Like Follow Followed TV-MA Drama Mystery Science Fiction Release Date February 17, 2022 Network Apple TV Showrunner Dan Erickson, Mark Friedman Directors Ben Stiller Writers Anna Ouyang Moench, Wei-Ning Yu
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