HMM: Judge pauses Paramount-Warner merger.

U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín of the Northern District of California issued a temporary restraining order barring Paramount from closing the transaction, a corporate tie-up that would unite two movie studios, two streaming platforms and two news organizations under the control of David Ellison, the son of billionaire technology tycoon Larry Ellison.

Martínez-Olguín’s order said the restraining order will remain in effect for 14 days. The judge, who is presiding over the case, scheduled an Aug. 3 hearing on the states’ motion for a preliminary injunction, which would freeze the transaction while the legal process plays out.

The plaintiffs, led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, sued to block the merger July 13, arguing in a 38-page complaint that it would “extinguish competition” in Hollywood.

I’m more or less agnostic on the merger, other than it might be the only way for two storied studios to survive outside the Netflix behemoth. But there’s no end of entertainment to be found in California using every means at its disposal to create a more and more hostile business climate.