IT’S HAPPENING: TMZ Report Indicates Paramount is Leaving California

Paramount Pictures headquarters in California / Credit: Wikimedia Commons

For months now, there has been wild speculation that Paramount Studios would leave the state of California, a move that would be utterly devastating to not only the entertainment industry, but the state.

The studio provides tens of thousands of jobs which would suddenly vanish along with a ton of tax revenue. Most reports have suggested that the studio would relocate to Nashville.

Now TMZ is reporting that this is actually happening.

EXCLUSIVE: Paramount to leave California, according to the L.A. Mayor's office and the California Attorney General's office.

What we know: https://t.co/X3Qv5CAVDL pic.twitter.com/1vWZS5AXVb

— TMZ (@TMZ) September 16, 2026

From the report:

L.A. and State Officials Say Studio Leaving California

Internal discussions in the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office and the California Attorney General’s Office were told Paramount would announce it was leaving California, but there’s a twist … sources tell TMZ.

We’re told the Mayor and the A.G. were told the announcement would come yesterday, but it did not happen. We do not know if circumstances changed or if there was just a delay.

As you probably know, the California Attorney General — other with 11 other state attorneys general — have filed an anti-trust lawsuit against Paramount, trying to block the Warner Bros merger.

David Ellison, the CEO of Paramount, has threatened to move the studio to Texas, Tennessee or Georgia if the Cali A.G. didn’t back off and settle.

There were settlement negotiations over the last few months, but they couldn’t reach a deal. Attorney General Rob Bonta said Paramount was being unreasonable.

Ellison threatened to leave California if a settlement wasn’t reached by October 1st. Based on conversations in both the Mayor’s and Attorney General’s offices … it sounds like no deal is possible.

Just yesterday, it was reported that the TV show ‘American Idol’ is moving production from California to Georgia, now this.

This report from Politico seems to confirm the news.

Paramount Skydance is actively looking for office space in Nashville.

It's a sign the company is seriously considering moving at least some operations from LA amid the legal fight over its purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery.https://t.co/UscamEzTQ3

— POLITICO (@politico) September 16, 2026

Spencer Pratt is predicting there will be more of this to come.

America’s Got Talent gonna be next to leave LA for the ATL. https://t.co/EuVvJS7USm

— Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) September 16, 2026

What a black eye for California and the people who run it.

Take a bow, Governor Newsom.

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