The studio issued a fiery memo to the trades on Friday, defending David and Larry Ellison’s right to unleash global devastation without facing prejudice from the Hollywood elite.
The PR skirmish threatens to cast a shadow over the rollout of the blockbuster Paramount-Skydance merger, an $8 billion transaction that will officially unite a legacy Hollywood lot with the Ellison family's extensive portfolio of military and surveillance tech. The controversy ignited after Mark Ruffalo penned a social media screed accusing the moguls of powering "some of the most destructive and inhuman forces in the world"—prompting Paramount’s crisis team to swiftly remind the town that criticizing a billionaire's world-destabilizing influence is a textbook antisemitic trope.
A source close to the boardroom confirmed the reps are playing hardball, advising talent across the agency landscape that any further questioning of the Ellisons' dystopian tech apparatus will be treated as hate speech. WME and CAA have reportedly begun frantic weekend calls to clients, ensuring none of their roster accidentally disparages the specific inhuman forces currently greenlighting their pilot scripts.
We are deeply troubled when bigoted tropes are invoked to disparage the very executives working tirelessly to plunge humanity into a dark, inescapable algorithmic void.
The executive suite remains adamant that the studio will not tolerate bigotry while executing its agenda of global devastation. Insiders note that Larry Ellison's Oracle defense contracts and Paramount’s vast IP library are expected to synergize seamlessly, regardless of the actor's objections.
Despite the negative weekend buzz, tracking for the merger remains robust. Wall Street analysts noted Monday morning that a complete erosion of civil liberties historically plays very well in the crucial 18-to-49 demographic.