Tennessee is courting David Ellison’s Paramount, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
In a letter to Ellison on July 2, Tennessee Deputy Governor Stuart McWhorter urged the Paramount CEO to relocate the studio’s corporate headquarters amid a rift with California over its $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery.
“Our success is rooted in fiscal discipline, low taxes, predictable governance, and a steadfast belief that government should be a partner in private-sector growth,” stated the letter. “Companies that choose Tennessee find more than a favorable business climate — they find a state committed to helping them succeed.”
The invitation was delivered as California signaled its intent to block the deal. Paramount has extended what it perceived as an olive branch leading up to the filing of Monday’s lawsuit by committing to produce 30 films per year with a 45-day theatrical window, an offer that was ultimately rejected.
Leaving California isn’t optimal considering Paramount relocated out of New York last year, but a longtime adviser to Ellison tells THR that “everything is on the table.”
