George Clooney criticizes conglomerate dominance in Hollywood, likens Paramount to mom-and-pop shop

George Clooney has expressed concern over the increasing dominance of conglomerates in Hollywood, likening the transformation to the takeover of small businesses by giants like Walmart and Amazon. In an interview with GQ UK, Clooney pointed out how iconic studios like Paramount are now viewed as "mom-and-pop shops" in an industry increasingly controlled by massive corporations. "Paramount’s one of the great original studios," Clooney said. "But some of it you just have no say in. Because the business, it’s all getting eaten up. It’s like everything—it’s all getting eaten up by big Walmarts and Amazons around the world."

Clooney referenced Amazon's acquisition of MGM Studios and the establishment of Amazon Studios, highlighting the shift in power dynamics within the industry. While Walmart has yet to fully enter the filmmaking realm, Clooney noted its influence through projects like the recent "Mean Girls" commercial, connected to Walmart’s subscriber program Walmart+, which includes access to Paramount+.

The actor also reflected on the changing nature of stardom in Hollywood, noting that studios no longer invest in developing stars as they once did. "They haven’t developed stars the way the studio system used to," Clooney explained, recalling how, in the past, actors would work on multiple films with a studio under a planned trajectory. "I don’t think that’s necessarily the case any more. So it’s harder for you to sell somebody something on the back of a star."

Despite these changes, Clooney acknowledged that there are more opportunities for young actors today, citing the vast increase in available content. "Now there are 600 shows, so there’s a lot more work for actors," he said, contrasting it with the limited number of TV shows and films produced in previous decades.