John Shahinian, Vice President, Sales, Sony Pictures Classics speaks onstage during CinemaCon 2026 at The Dolby Colosseum at Caesars Palace. Getty Images for CinemaCon The biggest story to come out of CinemaCon so far has nothing to do with superheroes or theatrical windows.
Paramount has allegedly threatened to yank its ads from The Ankler — after the studio caught wind that the Hollywood newsletter’s co-founder, Richard Rushfield, landed in Las Vegas with some “Block the Merger” buttons, referring to Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
Rushfield apparently Instagrammed an image of the buttons with no caption en route to Vegas, and Paramount was allegedly calling to complain before he checked into his hotel, we hear. (Adding to the intrigue, we hear sources close to Ankler Media are buzzing that a heated journalistic rival alerted the studio to the offending IG image before Paramount called.)
Richard Rushfield’s (right) swipe at Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery has apparently ruffled feathers with executives. Getty Images for HBO Either way, the situation had begun boiling over Monday morning when an open letter signed by more than 1,000 actors, directors and writers advocating against Paramount buying WBD was published — and Rushfield’s name was on it.
A source told us: “They obviously have an issue with Richard’s reporting and him signing the letter… it’s reached a bit of a boiling point. Their reaction is now one of the main storylines, which is so counter to what they were aiming for — now we’re all taking about these buttons.”
But sources close to the studio called the entire situation overblown.
The veteran journo who was allegedly at CinemaCon the same day with a bag of “Block the Merger” buttons, but said he wasn’t handing them out — just delivering them to someone else as a member of the Future Film Coalition. (He’s openly criticized the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger in his columns.)
Regardless, the move seemingly prompted enough concern at the highest levels of Paramount that senior execs at the studio called Rushfield and Ankler CEO Janice Min and reportedly threatened to yank advertising if Rushfield didn’t cool it. (In addition to writing a bi-weekly column Rushfield also sits on the board of the Future Film Coalition of independent filmmakers.)
Paramount insiders downplayed the episode denying there was talk of any ads being yanked, and by Tuesday, we hear, no ads were pulled.
Ankler CEO Janice Min attends the Matrix Awards in 2016. FilmMagic Adds Matt Stoller, a Substack writer: “If Paramount were confident they would get their merger through, they would not feel an obligation to retaliate against critics. It also shows that Paramount, if they win the bid for Warner, will not hesitate to use their market power in coercive ways. Someone at Paramount is making a good case against this merger.”
Some might accuse Rushfield of breaching the line between industry “reporter” and industry activist. Others insist he’s a columnist who has been very open about his views. “Richard’s position on the merger couldn’t be more clear,” said a source.
Paramount and The Ankler did not comment, but Rushfield posted an Instagram shot of The Wrap’s report on the alleged brouhaha with the caption, “It all began with some Instagrammed buttons,” and, “Unfortunately for some free speech remains legal. Even in Hollywood 2026.
