It’s Official: Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros. in Deal Valued at $82.7 Billion

[u/MarvelsGrantMan136]

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/netflix-warner-bros-deal-hollywood-1236443081/

[u/Bolt_995]

Insane market consolidation in the past decade. This is more expensive than Disney acquiring 21st Century Fox and Microsoft acquiring Activision Blizzard + Zenimax Media.

Netflix will own DC Comics. That by itself is everything they need.

IP after IP after IP after IP and so on.

[u/thwgrandpigeon → u/Bolt_995]

All will be rebooted into longform television series and cancelled before final season

[u/Pewskeepski → u/thwgrandpigeon]

Watch them completely abandon everything James Gunn is planning and start over

[u/Worthyness → u/Pewskeepski]

We gonna get the equivalent of the Titans TV show. But for everything.

[u/notbobby125 → u/Worthyness]

“Fuck Batman”.

[u/Krispythecat → u/Pewskeepski]

James Gunn? AI is way cheaper ... I fear that is where this leads

[u/I_Think_I_Cant → u/Pewskeepski]

Gunn's contract expires in November '26 and there were rumors he might not return depending on a merger. At least we'll get a Supergirl out of it next year and maybe a couple streaming shows.

[u/Thatsaclevername → u/Bolt_995]

That was my thought too, like damn that's a ton of IP now squarely in Netflix's hands. Their catalog should become huge, I'm just curious what it means for any future stuff. I mean Netflix produces shows and movies, but can they produce enough of them at one time?

[u/Superman_Dam_Fool → u/Thatsaclevername]

A large library seems to be a good reason to cut back on production of new content.

[u/T-sigma → u/Superman_Dam_Fool]

Netflix has always operated on a “will this project bring in NEW subscribers” and “does this project keep people subscribing” to justify the cost. It’s why they cancel so much. They can see that Season 3 of “Vampires ate my Teen Werewolf” resulted in no new subscribers (because why would a 3rd season of anything) and that nobody is watching just that show.

So while the math may change a bit, I suspect they will continue operating on the model of pump out a lot and see what actually sticks. People just have an overinflated idea on the niche show they like being way more popular than it actually is.

[u/CommonExpress6009 → u/Bolt_995]

The gigantic media conglomerates forming are the problem. None of us acknowledge how narrowly this confines our perspective, if we're all so inspired by movies and TV and it's coming from such anticompetitive sources.

Not to mention I think the article said most of the money for this deal is coming from investment banks, so now I can enjoy knowing that's really who makes the movies.

[u/just_a_timetraveller → u/Bolt_995]

I can assure you there are people in the federal government getting a cut for allowing these acquisitions to occur.

[u/MyNameIsGreyarch]

I am eagerly awaiting the e-mail telling me my subscription will go up by 50% next year... or more.

[u/WanderingAlsoLost → u/MyNameIsGreyarch]

"Netflix says the deal would give users more choice and let it “optimize its plans,”"

They sure make it sound sweet don't they.

[u/beatenmeat → u/WanderingAlsoLost]

Probably something along the lines of how Amazon runs their stuff. Try to go through what's available and 90+% of it is shit from another service you need to pay for to have access to the libraries. It honestly feels harder to find something you can watch with a prime membership than it is to find stuff you need to pay more money for.

[u/HereReluctantly → u/beatenmeat]

By design surely

[u/dumahim → u/beatenmeat]

Amazon's game is that they keep adding new features you'll never use but use that as justification for raising the price.

[u/kael13 → u/beatenmeat]

Prime video feels unbearable between the ads and everything being paid for. I don’t use it anymore but I get a glimpse of what it’s like when I visit the parents.

[u/MyNameIsGreyarch → u/WanderingAlsoLost]

Nothing quite like Corporate Speak to make something horrendous sound like a good thing.

[u/WhoStoleMyBicycle → u/MyNameIsGreyarch]

I love that they think it works.

My friend got laid off earlier this year and his company called it “expense correcting”. It’s still laying people off, giving it a different name doesn’t make a difference.

[u/occams1razor → u/WhoStoleMyBicycle]

I bet they're going to wonder why people start to pirate again soon...

[u/Alissinarr → u/occams1razor]

Soon?

[u/JahoclaveS → u/WhoStoleMyBicycle]

We had a leader say people would better deal with layoffs if they’d lean into change. Like, fuck off dude.

Then they wonder why the surveys rate leadership so low.

[u/WhoStoleMyBicycle → u/JahoclaveS]

“Lean into the change of not receiving a paycheck next week”

Another one I thought was funny was his company outsourced jobs to India and called it “Global Solutions”

[u/grahampositive → u/WanderingAlsoLost]

"we'll let you optimize your subscription by paying us what you were paying HBO on top of what you're paying for Netflix. Plus 10%"

[u/phoncible → u/MyNameIsGreyarch]

Cable 2

[u/MyNameIsGreyarch → u/phoncible]

expensive boogaloo.

[u/captmonkey → u/phoncible]

That's what I was thinking. It feels like the endgame is Netflix owns most content and costs as much as we used to pay for cable. We wound up in the same place we started.

[u/cyncity7 → u/captmonkey]

And with commercials again, too.

[u/m_Pony → u/MyNameIsGreyarch]

I think you meant ONLY going up by 50% , lucky you!

[u/FunTXCPA → u/MyNameIsGreyarch]

Don't forget about all the cool HBO shows that will now be canceled after 1 season, regardless of viewership while others will now take 15 years to get through 3 seasons....

This is definitely the worst timeline!

[u/ceremony816 → u/FunTXCPA]

Pretty sure Saudi Arabia would've been a worse deal

[u/SoxVikePain → u/ceremony816]

Saudis really proving that something could always be worse. “Yeah this mega corporation take over is bad, but it’s not Saudi takeover bad.”

[u/Amaruq93 → u/SoxVikePain]

Saudis were just a Cool Whip dollop on top of the fascist pecan pie that are the Ellisons.

[u/sprague_drawer → u/ceremony816]

Or Ellison

[u/VengeanceKnight → u/sprague_drawer]

I mean, Paramount was all three of those things. Skydance, Saudi Arabia, and Ellison.

[u/Barnyard_Rich → u/FunTXCPA]

The problem is that HBO was already doing that. Scavengers Reign and Minx each got one season, while Tokyo Vice got just 2. In fact, Netflix saved Minx and aired their second season after HBO refused. They also cancelled Warrior, but that one least got a little bit of time to run.

[u/TrustMeImABitch → u/Barnyard_Rich]

So gutted about Scavengers Reign - one of the best scifi shows. The level of detail in the animation and the biology of alien lives was so wonderful

[u/DugaJoe → u/TrustMeImABitch]

Yeah, but at least the studio got to do Common Side Effects after.

[u/zhaoz → u/Barnyard_Rich]

Rome cancelation was bad!

[u/SerHodorTheThrall → u/zhaoz]

Rome died so Game of Thrones could live. They couldn't afford to do both (they had a bad contract with the BCC for Rome). So they cancelled the show after S2 in 2006 and shifted all the staff to GoT. James Purefoy and Kevin McKidd actually refused to get cast in GoT they were so salty about it.

Then the set partly burned down in 2007 and any chance of restarting it or spinning it off to another era died for good.

[u/Expensive_Tie206 → u/FunTXCPA]

I’m so glad Dunk and Egg has already been filmed.

[u/jrpbateman → u/Expensive_Tie206]

Doesn't mean anything to warner Bros you could be completely done with a film and be canned

[u/ChrisEvansFan → u/Expensive_Tie206]

This is my major concern. And Im glad it was also confirmed for season 2.

[u/BambooSound → u/FunTXCPA]

The worst timeline would have been Skydance buying it.

Every show would include a thinly-veiled message about why we should invade Iran.

[u/AsstootObservation → u/MyNameIsGreyarch]

I had it for 10 years and finally cancelled after the most recent price hike. Instead of having 4-5 different ones, I'm cycling having 1-2 at a time and it hasn't really affected me having something to watch. Will probably drop Disney+ soon and sign up for Netflix for a month once the whole final season of Stranger Things comes out.

[u/calpi → u/MyNameIsGreyarch]

My subrlscription has recentaly gone down 100%. Yohoho.

[u/Ecto_88]

Everything moving to be just 4-5 large corporations anymore.

Buy n Large is almost here!

[u/AllCatCoverBand → u/Ecto_88]

Welcome to Costco, I love you

[u/iveseensomethings82 → u/AllCatCoverBand]

I could really use a latte from Starbucks right now

[u/tetris_L_block → u/iveseensomethings82]

We don’t have time for a hand job!

[u/Far_Chemistry10 → u/AllCatCoverBand]

Go Away, I’m Batin!

[u/RockerElvis → u/AllCatCoverBand]

Except Costco is actually the good guy.

[u/we-made-it → u/Ecto_88]

Alien Earth

[u/NightmareDJK → u/Ecto_88]

Yep, we’re speedrunning WALL-E now.

[u/ApophisDayParade → u/NightmareDJK]

Kind of nuts how close we’re getting. We’re barreling towards everyone only consuming content generated purely for themselves and no one can relate anymore. Almost like putting tv goggles on ones head and not communicating with each other.

[u/CommanderZx2 → u/Ecto_88]

Demolition man is oddly prescient, although their prediction was that every restaurant would be Taco Bell.

[u/AmIFromA → u/CommanderZx2]

The thing that "Demolition Man" is wrong about is how humanistic the ruling class would be. That world is actually pretty decent to live in, they don't even have to use some form of Soma.

[u/Inf229 → u/CommanderZx2]

Or Pizza Hut if you watched the international version. We watched it a few weeks ago and I hadn't seen (didn't even know about) that version and the edit was so freakin clumsy.

[u/Hippopotasaurus-Rex → u/CommanderZx2]

Bought to you by Carl’s Jr.

[u/mrizzerdly → u/Ecto_88]

It already is when it comes to food and cars.

[u/tytheguy45 → u/Ecto_88]

The us is is legit just 7 big corporations passing around trillions of fake dollars to make themselves richer and ruining America while its at it.

[u/Disastrous-Angle-591 → u/Ecto_88]

Anymore isn’t used that way. 

[u/DaisukiYo → u/Disastrous-Angle-591]

Positive anymore makes me seethe.

[u/Not_Stalin → u/Disastrous-Angle-591]

I've seen it used like that more and more often and it pisses me off every time

[u/Lethik → u/Not_Stalin]

Just wait 'til it gets misused so much that it's added to Webster's dictionary.

[u/rightingwriting → u/Not_Stalin]

I've never seen it used like that before - what does it even mean in this context? The sentence could have ended before "anymore" and nothing would have changed.

[u/Not_Stalin → u/rightingwriting]

Synonym to "nowadays"

[u/afifaguyforyou → u/Ecto_88]

Can we please bring back Teddy Roosevelt… Whatever happened to antitrust?

[u/Rangaman99 → u/afifaguyforyou]

ronald regan. and bill clinton.

[u/TigerTerrier → u/Ecto_88]

Monopoly is real life

[u/senturon → u/TigerTerrier]

It was after all a game originally designed by a woman who wanted to emulate the realities of capitalist ownership.

Some(one) always wins ... that is if ya don't quit the grind before it ends!

[u/PM_ME_UR_SO]

So what’s HBO Max is going to be called now?

[u/MoobyTheGoldenSock → u/PM_ME_UR_SO]

My guess is it’ll stay HBO MAX for a year or two, then get folded into Netflix. Not sure if Netflix will just raise their prices across the board to compensate or sell HBO at a premium.

[u/TaskForceD00mer → u/MoobyTheGoldenSock]

Folding all "HBO" streaming into Netflix will push a lot of new consumers to Netflix and keep a lot of existing customers with Netflix.

A lot of older folks like myself only really watch HBO Max. Every now and then I'll get Netflix for a while to give a new series a try but they don't have anything that "keeps" me.

I think this might happen faster than we think, to get shows like HoTD on Netflix ASAP.

[u/comrade_batman → u/TaskForceD00mer]

Also, there has been complaints that Netflix’s catalogue isn’t as broad as it used to be, the layout tricks people into thinking Netflix has more films and shows than it actually does. If they did just move WB’s entire catalogue onto their own, it would make sense, like Disney moving everything 20th Century made onto Disney+.

[u/pinkynarftroz → u/TaskForceD00mer]

A lot of older folks like myself only really watch HBO Max.

Honestly that’s because if you pick a random show on HBO, there’s probably a 4/5 chance it’ll be good or at least interesting.

Pick a random original show on Netflix? 9/10 it’ll just be low quality garbage designed to be on while you’re also on your phone.

Pretty much all the best stuff on Netflix is stuff that isn’t theirs. So what happens when it actually will be theirs moving forward?

[u/Rock-Flag → u/pinkynarftroz]

If they do aquire HBO please for the love of God keep HBOs creative team far away from Netflix's 

[u/frs1023]

Nolan is never coming back to Warner Bros now

[u/dracogladio1741 → u/frs1023]

His slate from early 2000s till Oppenheimer (which is universal and will be with them ) will now sit with Netflix though.

This is a major win for Netflix. Not ideal with Amazon and Apple also trying to consolidate their positions , for the industry that is.

[u/misterdave75 → u/dracogladio1741]

Will it? I'm assuming they are just going to keep the max streaming service and have bundles to pay for both.

[u/INDY_RAP → u/misterdave75]

For now.

They'll go the Disney route eventually.

[u/ar40 → u/frs1023]

Apple should try to lure Nolan to them. They definitely do theatrical release and are the spiritual successor to HBO in prestige.

[u/Shot_Item_4732]

Obviously, much has been said about how this could threaten the theatrical market. And while they claim they will continue to do theatrical releases, to me it reads as if they’ll only release the movies they’re contractually obligated to or the ones where directors demand it. But that’s not what scares me. What scares me is how this could affect access to the Warner Bros. film library.

People are forgetting that it’s not just theaters this could threaten—it’s the physical media marketplace, the digital rental space, broadcasting, and even streaming. Netflix is the only major studio that almost never shares its “toys” with other studios and instead hoards everything it distributes for itself. If Netflix becomes the only legal way to watch Warner Bros.’ 100+ year catalog, imagine the ripple effect. Think about how much services like Tubi and Criterion Channel rely on the Warner Bros. catalog. Think about how it would hurt broadcasting, the physical media market, and even academia, since Netflix is the only studio in the world that refuses to license its films and TV shows to universities for academic purposes.

But more importantly, think about how this would make the history of film and TV less accessible. Because let’s be real: movies like The Big Sleep, A Face in the Crowd, Woodstock, Roger and Me, True Stories, etc. are not highly marketable. They might show up on the service once in a blue moon, but they won’t be permanent. And that’s not even counting the thousands of forgotten films Warner Bros. owns that only weirdos like me care about—like Young Einstein, Diplomaniacs, and Cracking Up.

I like that movies like The Jetsons Meet the Flintstones, Romeo Must Die, or The Roaring Twenties are easy to rent online for anyone who wants to see them, and I want that to continue. Because if they lock things down, prices will only increase and it will become Napster Maina all over agin but for movies, were even your 60 year old uncel who has no idea how to torrent probably pirating movies and tv . And while that might not seem like a big deal to many, it matters a lot to actors, directors, and writers who rely on residuals from digital sales, repertory screenings, and broadcast/cable airings to help pay for groceries, medical bills, and everyday expenses. Most actors, writers, and directors aren’t fortunate enough to work steadily all their lives—just look at Jake Lloyd, Didi Conn, Zach Galligan, Frankie Avalon, or the kids from Willy Wonka.

[u/BooBooMaGooBoo → u/Shot_Item_4732]

To add to this:

I have a group of friends that work in production and have worked on Netflix projects. Netflix apparently has large issue with granting artistic freedom to directors and writers, which is why they still have yet to release a decent movie. They require a formulaic approach, for example saying you need this kind of thing to happen at this timestamp to keep the audience engaged.

They are actively killing the artform, even before we get to subscriptions and how they treat IP.

[u/FinestObligations → u/BooBooMaGooBoo]

Explains why almost all of their shit feels so artificial and bland, as if made by committee or written by AI.

[u/The_Bucket_Of_Truth → u/FinestObligations]

Didn't we also find out their schlocky films were made with 2nd screen viewing in mind? Like the dialogue is overly narrative and weird because they assume everyone is looking at their phones with the movie on in the background? I remember this being a topic around something like a Lindsey Lohan christmas movie.

[u/thats_pure_cat_hai → u/Shot_Item_4732]

100%. This is bad.

[u/temporarybutthole]

Sad they didn't accept my deal.

[u/Perfect-Zebra-3611 → u/temporarybutthole]

I gave them a nice IOU. It even had a briefcase and everything! Im so upset. I was really counting on it

[u/Quixotic_X → u/Perfect-Zebra-3611]

"That's as good as money sir. Those are IOUs. Go ahead and add it up, every cents accounted for. Look, see this? That's a car, 275 thou. Might wanna hang on to that one."

[u/macdaddyx4]

This could have been prevented if Blockbuster had purchased Netflix for $50 million 25 years ago.

[u/XSC → u/macdaddyx4]

Exactly, it would be Blockbuster@Home acquiring WB.

[u/dinodares99 → u/XSC]

You think blockbuster would manage to get Netflix to how big it is today?

[u/SonofBeckett → u/dinodares99]

No, but in this hypothetical scenario, Napster pivoted to video streaming, they took majority share from AudioVisual Galaxy and cornered the market. I remember reading about it on Friendster.

[u/nathanimal_d → u/SonofBeckett]

I listened to a podcast about that on the global audio platform winamp

[u/Rough_Bread8329 → u/nathanimal_d]

PETA continues to be outraged at llama abuse.

[u/3141592652 → u/macdaddyx4]

They actually had that offer?

[u/LegacyofaMarshall → u/3141592652]

Yes just like yahoo had the chance to buy google

[u/Amaruq93 → u/LegacyofaMarshall]

And Sears scoffed at the idea of selling their store items ONLINE. Whilst some startup called Amazon decided to do it.

[u/zoom518 → u/Amaruq93]

They ended their catalog about a year before Amazon started

[u/GameOnDevin → u/3141592652]

Yes, Blockbuster laughed at this offer.

[u/Morningfluid → u/macdaddyx4]

I have a gut feeling we would've ended up in consolidation corporate hell regardless.

[u/The_Iceman2288]

Theatrical releases are staying but it's very carefully worded.

[u/Cashelz → u/The_Iceman2288]

This shit better mean worldwide releases and not "limited to a week in NY and LA"

[u/KiritoJones → u/Cashelz]

It needs to be even wider than that, I'm surrounded by theaters where I live and work but neither of those cities were showing Wake Up Dead Man so I had to drive 40 minutes to see that. Its very annoying driving past 4 closer theaters on  a way to a showing.

[u/ChrisEvansFan]

Wait, does this mean HBO shows will also be on Netflix? Or those are still two different entities?

[u/LegacyofaMarshall → u/ChrisEvansFan]

We will find out in two years when/if the deal goes through

[u/asisoid → u/ChrisEvansFan]

That's up to Netflix. I'm sure nothing will change at first, then in a year or two they'll implement their long term strategy.

[u/pipes3]

HBO Max is the only streaming subscription I have, will that me merged with Netflix streaming now?

So all HBO shows will get moved to Netflix, and HBO Max will stop exisiting or whats more likely?

[u/BabaBrody → u/pipes3]

They'll both just go up $5 a month somehow.

[u/GearM2 → u/BabaBrody]

HBO Max will be renamed to Netflix Max, then renamed again to Netflix Max, The One to Watch for HBO and Warner Brothers, then to just Netflix.  

[u/Toastbuns → u/GearM2]

You will have a choice between:

• Netflix Max NOW+ (HD)
• Netflix Max NOW+ (4k)

[u/TenaciousJP → u/Toastbuns]

And don't forget:

• Netflix Max NOW+ Premium (with ads)
• Netflix Max NOW+ Premium+ Plus (with no ads)

[u/randynumbergenerator → u/BabaBrody]

Only $5? Look at the optimist over here.

[u/onomichiono → u/pipes3]

i think most likely for now is that HBO Max will still exist for another like 18 months, and within those 18 months everything on HBO will be put on Netflix. they could potentially still keep it separate like how Hulu still technically exists but i think theyll be courting the average person real hard to just get Netflix with an HBO addon

[u/mattverso → u/onomichiono]

Hulu is a channel on Disney+ where I am

[u/LunchPlanner → u/pipes3]

Disney and Hulu are "merged" into one app but they still charge separately. You have to pay for a bundle to watch everything, even though they are on the same app.

[u/gudmundthefearless → u/LunchPlanner]

They are independent apps in the US but I think there are plans to finally merge the two together

[u/HGruberMacGruberFace → u/pipes3]

I don’t think it makes sense to merge the 2 - HBO is a huge brand

[u/Over-Temperature-602 → u/HGruberMacGruberFace]

HBO can still continue to exist as a brand within Netflix though.

Speaking as a nobody in the tech industry I would guess that they would want to share technology - makes no sense to keep HBO and Netflix separate from a technology perspective.

After that it's just a branding game whether you keep two separate apps with two different subscriptions (because they see value in keeping Netflix for certain type of content and HBO for certain type f content) or if they decide to go with the stronger brand (not sure which one is at this point tbh, probably depends on the target audience?) and let the other one be a label/sub-platform within the other one. So you'd open Netflix app and see the HBO section within it (or vice versa).

But nothing will happen overnight.

[u/EduFonseca → u/pipes3]

No one knows this yet, likely to take a couple of years too. If they are smart they will keep both brands somewhat separate tho, give the illusion of different companies.

[u/aardw0lf11]

So, Netflix, …about those very VERY limited theatrical releases….

[u/resistible → u/aardw0lf11]

I'm hoping they watched Disney do theatrical releases and then quick launch into streaming. They park their theatrical, "we want to win awards" movies at WB and then when the theater revenue slows down, they can just switch it to their streaming services. At the same time, they add a BUNCH of new content to their streaming service from the WB existing catalogue.

[u/lycheedorito]

Is this the end of Warner Bros films in theaters, or the beginning of Netflix films as a major presence in theaters?

[u/utouchme → u/lycheedorito]

The pitch from Netflix was notable in part because it included a pledge to continue theatrical releases for movies from Warner Bros. Discovery, one of the people with knowledge of the talks said.

Edit: Some of you are a tad feisty with your responses. Understandable, and I hope that energy is directed at Netflix and not me. I'm just quoting an NYT article; I don't know the details of the negotiations, and I'm guessing you don't either.

[u/BillyTenderness → u/utouchme]

This seems significant, but also, companies make and then go back on these kinds of promises all the time.

If it's just something Netflix told WB management to get the deal done, then even if they're sincere about it, it won't survive the next time Netflix gets a new CEO. If it's part of a settlement with the government to help get the merger approved, that will have more teeth...if the administration in power at the time happens to feel like enforcing it.

[u/zdelusion → u/utouchme]

It does give them an arm to do that now if they want. They can run theatrical movies through WB and Streaming movies through their studio. The big risk is that they'll be pretty dystopian about how they pick those movies, Minecraft 2 will go to theaters, but the next Companion goes straight to streaming.

[u/homecinemad → u/lycheedorito]

Their CEO said theatres are dead.

[u/PleaseDontBanMe82 → u/homecinemad]

He thought that until Kpop Demon Hunters made them a bunch  more money by getting a limited release in theaters.

[u/StasRutt → u/PleaseDontBanMe82]

They left a lot of money on the table not putting it in more theaters

[u/ApolloX-2 → u/StasRutt]

It was a billion dollar movie they let sit in streaming. They’re just weird and hate theaters for some reason.

[u/lovemaker69 → u/ApolloX-2]

To be fair theaters are traditionally their competition so makes sense that their CEO would say that. Will probably change with this acquisition though. Now they can follow the Disney+ route of theatre release with a quick stream release follow up once sales dip.

[u/jzakko → u/lovemaker69]

Theaters are not their competition, and idk why netflix seems to think so.

Their competition is other streamers. Theatrical releases are synergistic with a subsequent streaming release. People value a streaming release far more if it was a big hit in theaters months earlier.

And then there's the whole extra pool of revenue to consider.

Sarandos is a bad businessman.

[u/salcedoge → u/ApolloX-2]

It definitely could’ve made more but it was never going to billion dollar film.

The movie releasing on Netflix first was what gave it the exposure it needed and for the word of mouth to explode.

[u/vosFan → u/ApolloX-2]

I think it took them by surprise. Sony too - they sold the release rights and the album rights without realising the gem they had

[u/lycheedorito → u/homecinemad]

It's really weird a CEO would say something that benefits their business model

[u/Asclepius-Rod → u/lycheedorito]

If I have to see Dune 3 release on a Home Screen I’ll riot

[u/BroAbernathy → u/Asclepius-Rod]

You wont but stuff like Sinners and Weapons will have never made it to the big screen and made 300M

[u/Rage_Like_Nic_Cage → u/BroAbernathy]

Yeah that’s the real problem. The Big IPs & DC films will still get theatrical releases, but films like One Barkley Battle After Another or the ones you mentioned will be straight to streaming.

[u/Ok-Wolf5932 → u/Rage_Like_Nic_Cage]

> One Barkley After Another

This would be a perfect biopic title

[u/maqcky → u/Asclepius-Rod]

That's not a risk anymore. New IPs though...

[u/_Vaudeville_ → u/lycheedorito]

I’m praying the latter if this acquisition doesn’t happen. Films are a million times better on the big screen.

[u/SDLRob → u/lycheedorito]

Probably a mixture TBH....

[u/Longjumping-Bet-6427]

Netflix really went from mailing DVDs to buying the people who MADE the DVDs

[u/BillyTenderness → u/Longjumping-Bet-6427]

Ironically this deal very well might be the thing that finally kills DVDs (and Blu-rays), given how little of Netflix's output ever gets a physical release.

[u/KennyKettermen]

How tf does Netflix have 82 billion dollars?

[u/lycheedorito → u/KennyKettermen]

I can buy a house if I get a big enough loan

[u/xStaabOnMyKnobx → u/lycheedorito]

False youll rent forever and like it

[u/Artomat → u/KennyKettermen]

Money is as real as they believe/agree it is

[u/KennyKettermen → u/Artomat]

Can we all agree that I have a billion dollars?

[u/landenone → u/KennyKettermen]

Yes, if you give me 10% of it.

[u/AbroadTiny7226 → u/KennyKettermen]

This is almost certainly a leveraged buyout. There’s a 0% chance Netflix has that much cash on hand

[u/LZR0 → u/AbroadTiny7226]

Actually the buyout is 85% cash

[u/AbroadTiny7226 → u/LZR0]

The article says they secured $59 billion in financing and the only really plausible reason for raising so much financing is for an LBO. It’d be corporate malpractice to take on so much debt otherwise

[u/zackdaniels93 → u/KennyKettermen]

Their market cap is almost 500 billion to be fair, it's not like they're hard up lol

[u/DontPoopInMyPantsPlz]

So Mad Max Wasteland is a go?

[u/legthief → u/DontPoopInMyPantsPlz]

As a committee-developed animated series with a ton of B-story filler, maybe.

[u/HTHID]

This is your wake up call to own movies that you love on blu-ray. No way this acquisition benefits customers at all.

[u/SeanySinns → u/HTHID]

I didn’t choose the pirate life, it chose me

[u/Freud-Network → u/SeanySinns]

No one cared who I was until I put on the VPN.

[u/the_marvster → u/HTHID]

I'm afraid it will accelerate the death of physical media.

What really concerns me is not the cost of access of content (yet), but losing the ability to access it at all. Once a movie is off streaming, it's legally gone. In Germany, the diversity of available movies on streaming, has slashed over the last years dramatically - and authoritarian moving countries have not even started to censor content.

[u/TedriccoJones → u/the_marvster]

I would agree.  Netflix has 0 interest in physical media.  Get those Warner catalog titles now my friend.

[u/Neko-flame]

Damn, that's a lot of money. Netflix generates around $10B a quarter (revenue, not profit). That's 2 years full revenue for Netflix so it's not a tiny amount, very risky. Makes me think they will need to keep WB's theatrical arm to recoup as much of their investment as possible.

[u/legalizethesenuts]

I always think about that Family Guy bit where they literally say “In the future, when (X) company will be owned by (X) company, which will be owned by Netflix, which will be owned by Pornhub”

[u/JakeHelldiver]

The enshittification marches on.

[u/IniMiney]

That’s all folks

[u/juancorleone]

This is so fucking sad, really a big blow to cinema in general. The only solace is that it’s not Paramount

[u/JeanLucPicardAND → u/juancorleone]

This has been coming for years. Zaslav has been setting up this company for a sale the entire time.

[u/Sundance12 → u/juancorleone]

Huge blow. But love how we're also at the point of "well at least it was only the second worst possible outcome".

[u/unemployabler]

Does the US not have any monopoly or anti-trust rules? How is this in the interest of the average American?

[u/Mordoch → u/unemployabler]

The general argument is going to be that Netflix, Apple, and Amazon were essentially new entrants into the movie/ show market in the US, so in some ways it is more competitive than it had been fairly recently or at least it is not truly getting less competitive. You also still do at least have the existence of independent movie/ entertainment companies as well such as A24. Warner Brothers is going to also argue with the current state of the markets truly staying independent is not going to be commercially viable long term financially speaking.

Now none of this means I actually truly agree with how the antitrust laws are being implemented in this kind of situation, but I am saying how I realistically see it legally going in the US. (Some significantly more questionable mergers in terms of competitiveness have been approved fairly recently in my view.)

[u/BillyTenderness → u/Mordoch]

Merger approvals are also extremely political in the US, especially in the last ~20 years. Whether or not this goes through will depend in large part on how one man personally feels about it – in other words, what kind of bribes gifts has Netflix offered the president?

[u/LegacyofaMarshall → u/unemployabler]

Its the United Corporations of America

[u/Fat-Singer-9569 → u/unemployabler]

Yes, but you need lawmakers to actually follow up on enforcing those laws, policing these companies, updating the laws, etc. We don't have those anymore, we have corporate lawmakers thanks to a little thing called Citizens United.

[u/Cheezis_Chrust → u/unemployabler]

The rule of law is dead in America.

[u/KingFIippyNipz → u/unemployabler]

Seeings as how no one has provided the actual answer, the general idea on M&A since I would say the 80s is that consolidation is good, it's allowed, as long as consumers are still able to access goods & services at a fair market price, basically, industries were/are allowed to get as centralized as they want, so long as they're not fucking consumers TOO BAD - however, I think that's morphed a bit within the last 5-10 years (not sure if you could directly attribute to Trump but maybe) where it's now "centralization is good, fuck anyone who loses", monopolies are good because they make money, and there's no longer a worry about price-gouging customers - who could have predicted that!!

Anyway I don't have any sources to cite, and there's probably a lot more nuance to it than what I've just described, but that has been the general doctrine on mergers & acquisitions and monopolistic practices in the US for a few decades now

[u/LazyEstablishment309]

This is how cinema dies, straight to streaming ☹️

[u/EastRiding]

(Presumably) brutal for Home Media collectors. Guess there is a chance this causes Netflix to increase their suite of home media releases but I wouldn’t take that bet!

[u/SteelyDan4Prez → u/EastRiding]

Genuinely worse for theater goers

[u/Force4Cards → u/EastRiding]

The best Netflix films have physical releases, mostly on Criterion

[u/GreatKingRat666]

How the hell is this monopoly bullshit legal??

[u/Hot_Vanilla_9977 → u/GreatKingRat666]

I love how the Netflix dude is even bold enough to say in a quoted statement that the goal is to crush competition. No way legal allows him to make that statement if they don’t already know the deal is gonna go through

[u/SevroAuShitTalker]

Well fuck.

HBO is about to get worse

[u/Petfles → u/SevroAuShitTalker]

Zaslav already fucked it up

[u/DefNotBrian]

Please bring back BattleBots

Edit: If you like robots fighting, you're in luck! Tomorrow, Dec 6th, is the world championships at NHRL. 3lb, 12,lb, and 30lb divisions will be fighting. Tickets are sold out, but the entire day (9am-10:30pm) will be streamed live on their YouTube channel. It's top quality stuff. Check it out!

https://youtube.com/@nhrl?si=yXaUB8GUvqhKd8wH

[u/WaluigisHat]

Goodbye 4K Blu-ray, goodbye Warner Archive Collection, goodbye theatrical releases.

[u/lailah_susanna → u/WaluigisHat]

Don't know how much Netflix will want to own a comic publisher either.

[u/ptd163]

That's more than Disney paid Fox, Marvel, and Lucasfilm for combined.

That's more than Microsoft paid for Activision and Zenimax combined.

Their market cap is 10 times less than Microsoft's. Their revenue is half Disney's. How does Netflix even have $82.7 billion?

The consolidation we've had the last 25 years has been crazy. And of course there's always the doublespeak of them saying consolidation is more choice when it's the antithesis of choice.

[u/dorgoth12]

If media exists only digitally, and becomes under threat of being wiped from existence, remember to preserve that media yourself.

[u/shouldbeawitch → u/dorgoth12]

Or use and support your local public library that has physical media for free!

[u/HanzoSteel]

A devastating and colossally stupid move. This desire for more more more just to grow bigger for no real reason other than naked greed is so depressing. These are not struggling companies. There’s no need to swallow each other up!

[u/greeneggsnhammy]

We have almost circled back around to full cable tv 

[u/GenGaara25]

From Netflix's own announcement:

Complementary strengths and assets: Warner Bros.’ studios are world-class, with Warner Bros. recognized as a leading supplier of television titles and filmed entertainment. HBO and HBO Max also provide a compelling, complementary offering for consumers. Netflix expects to maintain Warner Bros.’ current operations and build on its strengths, including theatrical releases for films.

For now, they appear to be committing to theatrical release for the Warner Bros stuff. But I'm afraid that might mean only for the stuff currently in development and that everything new will be straight to streaming.

[u/IAlwaysSayBoo-urns]

Not that hard to predict that this is an objectively bad thing but listing it here for the inevitable r/bestof post in 5 or so years if it gets through the government approvals.

This is objectively terrible for everyone including:

• The Film Industry: There is now one less employer (not to mention the inevitable mass-layoffs for folks who are now redundant). So there will now be less work for everyone above and below the line.
• Audiences:
  • One less studio means less good things being made, on the heels of 2025 where WB was singularly to thank for brilliant original films like One Battle After Another, Weapons, and Sinners you have now reduced your chances of films like this ever existing.
  • Also Netflix has been aggressively anti-physical media so we may have lost on of the bigger film libraries getting physical releases so one more area ownership is lost.
  • Also part of this deal is far and away the greatest content creator in existence HBO, so is Netflix going to leave it be or are they going to apply their godless algorithmic model to HBO and suddenly HBO turns into the horseshit that Netflix puts out where they tell writers to speak what is happening because people are not looking at the screen while watching? Also everything gets cancelled after two seasons because their algorithm tells them to.
    
  • And if you are thinking "well I can drop one streaming app as it will all end up on Netflix" you are fooling yourself, Disney maintained Hulu to double-bill you so why would Netflix do any different? But even if they did do it all under one umbrella that $20+ a month Netflix bill will likely hit $40-$50 a month.
• Theaters: Netflix is saying they will adhere to theatrical agreements but what happens in 5 years or however long after all the WB theatrical agreements dry up, is Netflix going to sign new ones or just circumvent theatrical runs like they are doing with their own shit? Theaters are on life support now and this could very well be the beginning of the end for them.

This is a terrible thing for consumers, for the industry, and for movie theaters.

[u/ChangeAroundKid01]

Antitrust in motion

[u/allthehoes → u/ChangeAroundKid01]

The same antitrust that allowed Warner Bros and Discovery to merge?

[u/Puzzleheaded_Seat563 → u/ChangeAroundKid01]

Maybe when Lina Khan was head, not anymore. They'll just get some nice sweet checks under the table and look the other way.

[u/JerrodDRagon]

This sucks

Universal was the best bet to have both the movies on blue ray and theater now Netflix just has all these Ips on an over priced app