Mark Ruffalo Sends a Direct Message to James Cameron About Netflix-Warner Bros. Deal

The impending deal in which Netflix buys Warner Bros. has people inside and outside of Hollywood worried about the future of movies. With a streaming giant owning a massive movie studio, will its movies still even go to theaters? Will awkward movie dates become a thing of the past?

Famed Avatar and Titanic director James Cameron wrote a strongly worded letter to Utah Sen. Mike Lee, chair of the antitrust subcommittee, arguing against allowing the mega-merger to go through.

“I believe strongly that the proposed sale of Warner Brothers Discovery to Netflix will be disastrous for the theatrical motion picture business that I have dedicated my life’s work to,” Cameron wrote in the letter, obtained by CNBC. “Of course, my films all play in the downstream video markets as well, but my first love is the cinema.”

In a statement, Lee said he shared "many" of the "concerns" he'd heard about the merger from actors, directors, and the like.

But Cameron's bold action wasn't enough for Mark Ruffalo. The Avengers star took aim at the acclaimed director in a post on Threads. "So… the next question to Mr. Cameron should be this…" Ruffalo wrote. “Are you also against the monopolization that a Paramount acquisition would create? Or is it just that of Netflix?”

Ruffalo is referring to newly-formed Paramount Skydance's attempt to outbid Netflix in a hostile takeover.

The Crime 101 star continued, "I think the answer would be very interesting for the film community to hear and one that should be asked immediately. Is Mike Lee against the Paramount sale as well? Is he as concerned about that as he is the Netflix sale?"

Ruffalo added, "We all want to know... Speaking on behalf of hundreds of thousands of filmmakers worldwide."

The proposed merger may ultimately not even come to pass, as the Department of Justice has already taken aim at the deal amid concerns it would create a monopoly in the movie industry, reports Deadline.