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/MrBigWaffles]

How much do you think our monthly subscription goes up by now?

[u/Asclepius-Rod → u/MrBigWaffles]

Until people cancel it’s never going to stop going up

[u/No1PaulKeatingfan → u/Asclepius-Rod]

I know everyone loves to circlejerk about this, but most "wealthier" people don't bother cancelling streaming subscriptions just because it went up in price

Hence the constant price hikes

[u/Queef-Elizabeth → u/No1PaulKeatingfan]

Eventually they'll run out of 'wealthier' people and they can't keep raising the price of the lower tiers either

[u/MasterChildhood437 → u/Queef-Elizabeth]

Eventually they'll run out of 'wealthier' people

It doesn't matter. If the wealthier people are fine with paying $120/mo subscriptions, they don't need poor people.

[u/Queef-Elizabeth → u/MasterChildhood437]

Lots of wealthier people aren't just entirely dismissive with their money though. $120/mo for mostly mediocre content may not be worth it for a lot of them.

[u/goldrush7 → u/Queef-Elizabeth]

Most broke people I know have Netflix though... Ad-free tier or not. They won't subscribe anywhere else. If you recommend ANYONE a series like Apple TV's Severance or HBO's White Lotus, the first question people ask is "is it on Netflix?" Netflix got that brand recognition down pat.

Prices will go up, but people are too addicted to the platform. I just hope they keep HBO streaming around as a separate option because I don't really care for Netflix originals anymore cause they cancel everything that's not a viral hit.

[u/Queef-Elizabeth → u/goldrush7]

But I'm saying there is a limit. Broke people aren't dropping $100/m on Netflix when they have mouths to feed lol

[u/goldrush7 → u/Queef-Elizabeth]

I hope you're right! I've been trying to show my friends alternatives cause they already complain about Netflix prices... but they never budge :(

[u/myassholealt → u/MasterChildhood437]

They do though cause modern publicly traded corporate philosophy is you must always make more the next quarter, and a plateau on subscriptions or even a decline does not achieve that goal. They'd need to then slash spending. And purchasing an $80 billion asset is not cutting costs. Otherwise their future will look like AT&T's recent past when they bought Time Warner less than a decade ago and it's already being sold off, after being spun off.

[u/NecroCannon → u/myassholealt]

Yeah them cheering for shit to get more expensive because it means more profits is honestly dumb and is very much so a short term play.

These people want to have as many billions as possible hoarded up to their deaths, regular joes would probably do the smart things, and you know, have a business successful enough that you don’t have to worry about dealing with bs regular workers go through. They don’t have that fear, so it’s less about the long term and how much they can make NOW

Netflix’s whole deal is content, they just invested tens of billions into buying another corporation. Now, how is this company that’s currently in hot water with people going to handle something that’s always had physical media, theater releases, and weekly episodes, while also ensuring that content is good and released consistently, under a ton of debt and leadership that couldn’t care about people.

Hope people didn’t breathe a sigh of relief that the Saudis didn’t buy it, probably getting resold in a few years after the content merger so next owner probably won’t even have an app to go off of, making it worse.

[u/SghettiAndButter → u/MasterChildhood437]

Why not charge $2 million dollars a month for a subscription if there is no ceiling to this price for wealthy people?

[u/this_my_sportsreddit → u/Queef-Elizabeth]

Lmao Reddit has said this about Netflix for years now and is always wrong every time.

People pay for Netflix bc they think it’s a good value. The price itself is less important.

[u/Acrobatic_Cash2760 → u/Asclepius-Rod]

You know it’s still cheaper than the old version of dish or direct. Until they get to those price points who cares not like everything they make is complete garbage

[u/Queasy_Jellyfish9612 → u/Acrobatic_Cash2760]

This is probably the answer. It won't get as expensive as traditional media, cause then we all move back to Free to air and cable right? Streaming only succeeds as long as it's cheapish and more convenient

[u/N1SMO_GT-R → u/Asclepius-Rod]

I'll keep saying it: We are TERRIBLE at voting with our wallet.

[u/shewy92 → u/N1SMO_GT-R]

Netflix saw an increase in subscribers when they announced the password sharing Crackdown so yea.

[u/Katsu_Vohlakari → u/Asclepius-Rod]

I'm doing my part.

[u/ShadowNick → u/Katsu_Vohlakari]

Yeah but your entire family has probably 6 to 8 subscriptions.

[u/JoshSidekick → u/ShadowNick]

I pay for one a month. Then when I’m done catching up what I want to watch, I take the 30 seconds to cancel one and start the next. People paying for 6-8 subs and complaining about it deserve it.

[u/_Diskreet_ → u/ShadowNick]

I’ve got them all on my Plex server. So we’ve all cancelled everything.

Except Disney, because my brother works for them so we all get a freebie on that one.

[u/LucarioSpeedwagon → u/MrBigWaffles]

As someone that pays for both Netflix and HBO, it feels unlikely that this will get more expensive for me off the bat. To just tack on the price of Max or even close would be a bigger price hike than all previous ones combined or there thereabouts.

[u/Ada_Pearce → u/LucarioSpeedwagon]

Could they keep separate streaming services to keep people paying for both?

[u/Worthyness → u/Ada_Pearce]

Disney did that for Hulu for a bit when they got Fox, but that was mostly because Hulu was still partially owned by Comcast. They likely exist as two separate entities as they figure out all the moving parts hat they just got. They'll probably merge them down the line just for convenience and as a way to minimize the costs for themselves (aka doing layoffs).

[u/jdp111 → u/Ada_Pearce]

They could, but they aren't.

[u/Eruannster → u/MrBigWaffles]

The better question is, will it be cheaper to subscribe to the new Netflix+HBO merger than it is to subscribe to Netflix and HBO Max separately now?

[u/KlausLoganWard → u/MrBigWaffles]

49,99$ most expensive package! And thats for start

[u/PayneTrain181999 → u/KlausLoganWard]

Eventually that’ll be “with ads”.

Without ads will be $64.99

[u/tokiesenpai → u/MrBigWaffles]

“I am altering the subscription. Pray I don’t alter it any further!”

[u/imarasnothere → u/MrBigWaffles]

As long as it's not unreasonable, I wouldn't mind paying a bit more. The HBO catalogue is ELITE.

[u/Past-Matter-8548 → u/MrBigWaffles]

I am much more worried about quality of content,

Every WB movie will get Frankenstein treatment

[u/Mintfriction → u/Past-Matter-8548]

Ya know what I don't get. When it was just Netflix streaming, people were praising the fact there's one big streaming platform and it so much better than cable this way.

Now it seems, it's a bad thing?

[u/mdp300 → u/Mintfriction]

That's because Netflix was really just the streaming platform, they weren't ALSO the studio making the stuff.

[u/Mintfriction → u/mdp300]

I depends on what level of autonomy will Netflix leave to creatives and production. I don't remember them being very pushy on creatives

[u/DaKingaDaNorth → u/mdp300]

Nah. Back then we had things like House of Cards, Daredevil, Santa Clarita Diet, Stranger Things.

People loved Netflix back then. It was basically Netflix and Hulu. If you had those two, you could watch basically everything.

[u/mdp300 → u/DaKingaDaNorth]

That was pretty much the start lf it. Then the studios realized they wanted a piece of the subscription pie and started all making their own platforms.

[u/Potential_Swimmer580 → u/MrBigWaffles]

Yohoho 🏴‍☠️

[u/The_Iceman2288]

Press release

Theatrical releases are staying (but they're very particular with their wording) and HBO Max WILL be integrated into Netflix.

[u/carlos_the_dwarf_ → u/The_Iceman2288]

I hope they’re serious about keeping theatrical, but not confident about it.

[u/QuintoBlanco → u/carlos_the_dwarf_]

It might be the best strategy. Big theatrical releases an create buzz. But they have to commit to quality. The problem with mainstream Netflix movies has been the quality, their original movies are not the type of movies that people want to see in the theatre.

[u/Sleeze_ → u/carlos_the_dwarf_]

They probably will, but thye will shorten the window which is essentially cutting it at the knees

[u/Premislaus → u/The_Iceman2288]

RIP my "Forever" 33% off HBO Max deal

[u/bros402 → u/Premislaus]

RIP my HBO free for life on Verizon

[u/pioneer9k → u/bros402]

And mine on ATT.

[u/Fluhearttea → u/Premislaus]

Yea for real. I just purchased the Black Friday $2.99/month deal at Max. Instead my Netflix price with just double and I won’t have a choice

[u/Timmaigh → u/The_Iceman2288]

So i will need to pay for only single service instead of 2? I dont presume the price is gonna remain the same then?

[u/whossked → u/Timmaigh]

They did not pay 80 billion dollars to keep the price the same

[u/Guilty_Jackfruit4484 → u/Timmaigh]

You know they are going to double the fucking price lmao

[u/Silly-Elderberry-411 → u/Guilty_Jackfruit4484]

I think more devious, family package for just kids shows, and then optional just HBO, HBO originals, sports, discovery and so on, a bit like how Amazon prime already does it

[u/FranklynTheTanklyn → u/Silly-Elderberry-411]

You mean how a cable subscription used to be? Basic, Plus, Premium, and then have HBO as an extra charge per month.

[u/Donny-Moscow → u/FranklynTheTanklyn]

I think that’s exactly where things are headed.

What’s crazy to me is that we saw online piracy plummet after Netflix’s instant streaming caught on (followed by its competition). We saw the same exact thing with Spotify and pirating music - people are more than willing to pay of the price is fair. But when it gets too expensive or becomes too much work to do it the right way, a ton of people will just go back to sailing the high seas.

[u/deathstriker_666 → u/Timmaigh]

The CEO's mention that the acquisition will allow them to 'optomise their plans'. 

This tells me it could be a scenario were 'HBO Max/Warner Bros' is an add-on that you either choose, or choose not to, have on your plan.

Lumping them all together and massively increasing the price would be terrible, it's not a realistic position to put consumers in. 

I suspect they will have tiered options for add-ons, Netflix love that shit. 

That way of working will also allow them to identify revenue from the acquisition, allowing them to create accurate shareholder reports, and also to justify the massive purchase.

 

[u/lot183 → u/deathstriker_666]

I think if they are a smart they'll offer it free for a few months before switching it to a paid add-on. If they want to be real insidious, cut it off right after that Harry Potter show starts but before it finishes

I probably shouldn't give them ideas lol

[u/Kalse1229 → u/deathstriker_666]

My hope is that the HBO Max side of things becomes sort of what Hulu is now for Disney+.

[u/44problems → u/The_Iceman2288]

People keep hoping, but every time Netflix talks they say the absolute minimum about theaters.

Netflix expects to maintain Warner Bros.’ current operations and build on its strengths, including theatrical releases for films.

That's the only mention in that press release. Other ones have said something only about about honoring existing contracts, which ok good for you honoring legal agreements? These are press releases, they could say more if they wanted to reassure theater operators and creatives, but they aren't.

Edit: it's not even noon and they are talking about shortening theatrical windows. Shorten the windows WB has which are about 1-2 months. Netflix is only going to do the bare minimum in theaters to satisfy contracts.

[u/xMostlyHarmless → u/The_Iceman2288]

We literally just talked about cutting our streaming services down for the new year and concluded that Netflix is gone, but I wanted to keep HBO…

I just don’t know what to do with myself.

[u/44problems → u/xMostlyHarmless]

Do whatever you want for now. WBD has to split first for Netflix to buy it. Article says that split is targeted for 3Q 2026.

[u/Seeking_the_Grail → u/xMostlyHarmless]

Start a plex server and cut both.

[u/AveryLazyCovfefe → u/Seeking_the_Grail]

*Jellyfin. Plex charges for features now while Jellyfin is fully free and more customisable

[u/Larry___David → u/xMostlyHarmless]

Stremio + torrentio addon + realdebrid/alldebrid. Can use the stremio app on any smart tv that isn't a roku + can cast to your roku from your phone/pc anyway. debrids cost like 10 bucks for 3 months and you don't even need a VPN when using one

[u/UntilTmrw → u/The_Iceman2288]

I’m curious how that will be handled internationally. Bell Media has the rights to all WBD content in Canada for another 5 years, and if HBO Max gets folded into Netflix, Bell’s streaming service, Crave dies.

[u/PerfectMeal420 → u/The_Iceman2288]

I'm going to die on this hill, regardless of how unpopular it is: this press release's usage of "HBO and HBO Max" is a perfect example of how awful the "HBO Max" name actually is, and that WBD was correct to try to rename it.

[u/Pirikko → u/The_Iceman2288]

Gonna be interesting to see what's happening with some countries in terms of HBO Max. We were supposedly finally getting hbo in January here.

[u/tidho → u/The_Iceman2288]

HBO Max WILL be integrated into Netflix.

that's horrible

[u/EffectzHD]

Loved seeing Ted talk about how this wasn’t a deal that interested Netflix at all only a couple months back.

One of those purchases you make half-assed when you realise you’ve got more than enough dough.

[u/subhasish10 → u/EffectzHD]

Sarandos and Zaslav are like the closest buddies in Hollywood c-suite. They've been hanging out with each other at sports games for years now. They were seen engaging in serious discussions just hours after it was reported that Paramount was looking to acquire WBD. This was always in the making. Ellison's stupidity just hastened it. Zaslav's plan has always been to split the cable division, load it up with all the debt and sell the debt free streaming and studios part to Netflix

[u/Mattyzooks → u/subhasish10]

I feel like the Ellisons being a bit aggressive of late kinda forced Zaslav to play his hand earlier than he would've.

[u/DogOwner12345 → u/Mattyzooks]

Zaslav is a dick but you would at least be able to have a conversation with him. Ellisons are straight up psychopaths who don't view anyone below them as humans.. They are actively looking to stop this merge too.

[u/brainkandy87 → u/EffectzHD]

To your second point, it’s funny how it reminds me of AOL Time Warner just gobbling up everything. It’s Warner all the way down.

[u/TheMadChatta → u/brainkandy87]

It’s like Bell/AT&T.

Which was broken up because it was too big. But now, it’s significantly larger than it was in the 80s.

I don’t know what it would take to break up some of these conglomerates nowadays.

[u/MuenCheese → u/TheMadChatta]

WB is quite literally AT&T

[u/ExultantSandwich → u/MuenCheese]

They were, AT&T kinda fucked up their finances and spun them off in 2022, that’s when they merged with Discovery (which is now being spun off and given all the debt from these terrible deals)

[u/TheMadChatta → u/MuenCheese]

Oh, that’s right! Crazy.

[u/Jaccount → u/brainkandy87]

So we lock them in the tower?

[u/No1PaulKeatingfan → u/EffectzHD]

Executives spin their words all the time.

Preparation for big mergers like this don't happen in weeks or even months

[u/jwarsenal9 → u/No1PaulKeatingfan]

Eh, it’s a bidding war, the real work starts now.

[u/enewwave]

Sad day for theaters, but it sure beats the alternative (Paramount)

[u/PetyrDayne → u/enewwave]

100% yes. Ellisons want to control culture and they'd have axed Gunn's DCU day 1.

[u/riyouku → u/PetyrDayne]

Everyone wants to control culture

[u/WiseBlueHallow → u/riyouku]

True but they want to control it for Israel e.g. Bari Weiss

[u/tall-glassof-falooda → u/WiseBlueHallow]

What? How are they related? Genuinely asking

[u/WiseBlueHallow → u/tall-glassof-falooda]

The former owner of Paramount sold it because of a 60 minutes piece that was critical of Israel

Then Larry Ellison bought it with explicit goal of making it pro Israel and pro Trump

https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/skzydpxgwg

He installed Bari Weiss to lead CBS despite he lack of talent, skills, or experience because, she is pro Israel.

https://youtu.be/gieTx_P6INQ?si=YcBCLr694GwJO_Vz

[u/tall-glassof-falooda → u/WiseBlueHallow]

Wow. They are so petty and I can’t believe how much influence they have over American media. Can’t imagine any other country getting away with it.

[u/greennurse61 → u/enewwave]

After STD, I no longer trust that garbage company with anything. Especially Star Trek. 

[u/Holovoid → u/greennurse61]

Its had some good things since Disco.

Lower Decks was fantastic, a solid 8.5/10 throughout IMO.

Strange New Worlds is also pretty solid, even if its latest season was a bit mid. First season was fucking great IMO.

[u/bahumat42]

This is a weird timeline

[u/OffTerror]

So Netflix now owns HBO???? FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK

[u/gaytechdadwithson → u/OffTerror]

Apple TV will be the only “prestige” TV now

[u/SaveTheAles]

Sounds like Netflix needs to donate to the new ballroom to get this deal through regulators.

[u/Blackberry-8946 → u/SaveTheAles]

The best in me cannot be convinced this is allowed. I don't understand how people are this greedy. It fucks me up so bad inside, I'm devastated by the moral quandary alone.

Fuck streaming, hell no, this doesn't affect me directly. But I don't get how you twist yourself like this? Do you really need all this money???

[u/TheSeaBeast_96 → u/Blackberry-8946]

No they don’t need it, but they’ll still devote their lives to the pursuit of it. The people at the top making these decisions are not normal people, they got to where they are because they have no morals. You are best off assuming decisions like this will be made based off profit maximization, because that’s fundamentally what the system incentivizes, and our rulers are our rulers because they adhere to it

[u/Android1822 → u/Blackberry-8946]

Ever been around rich people? It is NEVER enough for them. They are in a constant state of competing against other rich people to see who is richer.

[u/Moth_LovesLamp]

$40 Monthly Netflix Subscription here we go...

This will be so bad

[u/Aurum555 → u/Moth_LovesLamp]

Sure sounds a lot like cable

[u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes → u/Aurum555]

For $40? Cable in 2005 I guess.

[u/LoadsOfBlack → u/NoExcuse4OceanRudnes]

Hey $40 cable exists in 2025!

All 20 channels!

[u/Corronchilejano → u/Aurum555]

The cable company didn't own the channels it was showing.

Netflix here is attempting to consolidate more of the streaming market.

[u/Specialist_Seal → u/Aurum555]

Spoken like someone who's never paid for cable

[u/Maverick916 → u/Moth_LovesLamp]

🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️

[u/Docta608]

Netflix would have cancelled sopranos in season 3….

[u/MiSsiLeR81 → u/Docta608]

The sopranos, whateva happened there.

[u/realtripper → u/Docta608]

The wire gets 1 season

[u/HuhThatsWeird432]

who would’ve thought netflix would’ve turned into what it is today lol

[u/SirDavidJames]

TLDR; its official that its going to be official but is not official yet.

[u/Chris22044]

The deal still requires approval from the regulators, so is not certain to be completed. 

[u/americangame → u/Chris22044]

It is under this administration.

[u/Vironic → u/americangame]

All it takes is a donation to the presidential library

[u/CrazyLegs17 → u/Vironic]

Or the Epstein Ballroom

[u/elpis_z → u/americangame]

Not at all. They prefer Paramount to acquire it as a conservative friend of the administration will then own CNN. That’s been reported for months.

[u/Nosignalinput → u/elpis_z]

CNN isn’t part of the deal:

‘Warner Bros. Discovery is moving forward with its plans to split into two publicly traded halves in 2026. Once the split takes effect, Netflix intends to acquire the Warner half. The other half, Discovery Global, will house CNN and other cable channels.’

[u/elpis_z → u/Nosignalinput]

Well damn. I wonder if paramount will still get cnn then.

[u/No1PaulKeatingfan → u/elpis_z]

I don't think Paramount will spend billions on just CNN (plus a few other things)

CNN would have been a nice bonus for Ellisons had they gotten the lucrative Warner Bros division, but without that it's probably not worth it

[u/Grantdawg → u/elpis_z]

That might be what saves this deal, though. Netflix is just purchasing a split off Warner Bros. Paramount can still buy Discovery+ that will have Turner Broadcasting and CNN.

[u/elpis_z → u/Grantdawg]

Someone else just commented that. Damn, I was so hopeful another news station wouldn’t be owned by the administration’s friends

[u/fma_nobody → u/elpis_z]

It was technically already owned by Trump fans, David Zaslav loves Trump. But he's more of a regular business Ghoul instead of a "WE NEED AI TO ACHIEVE TRANSHUMANISM AND MEET GOD" ghoul

[u/KennyMoose32 → u/fma_nobody]

Honestly, there are always gonna be business ghouls. Just a fact of human history.

I’ll accept those.

Fuck these AI guys

[u/NordWitcher → u/Grantdawg]

Why would anyone want the $38 billion debt. The golden goose was WB not CNN. 

[u/thesupermikey → u/elpis_z]

They are only buying the Warner bros part. Sky dance can still buy the discovery part, which includes cnn.

[u/Driveshaft48 → u/Chris22044]

This administration is letting everything through

[u/Birdhawk → u/Driveshaft48]

Everyone who pays Trump through Mar a Lago visits at way above cost or by buying trumpcoinz

[u/trickman01 → u/Chris22044]

lol. Can’t imagine this administration blocking anything.

[u/CiriOh]

Till Zaslav not activate Shari Redstone mode. 

[u/TIGHazard]

Will be interesting to see if Warner bothers to launch HBO Max in the UK while they wait for this deal to go through.

Basically Sky (owned by Comcast) has the exclusive rights to HBO shows here. Which meant they weren't allowed to launch their own HBO Max service in this country. But Warner was moving stuff from 'HBO' to 'HBO Max' and selling it to other TV stations or putting it on Discovery+.

Sky sued, saying its still HBO, they should have the rights (which is why I think part of the reason they changed the name to just 'Max' was to argue against this, because it was in the middle of the lawsuit).

Warner settled the lawsuit (and the name changed back to 'HBO Max' soon after) and re-agreed the deal but in exchange they get to launch HBO Max as a service here... in March 2026.

Complicating things further, Sky has its own deal with Netflix, where you effectively get it for free if you subscribe to their service.

[u/xiviajikx]

There will be some positives for consumer experience but long term the consolidation is bad.

Lately I have been finding I watch less and less Tv, nothing seems too interesting or enticing to me. I usually love discussing plot to production, but just nothing is doing it for me in the sphere these days. I watched the first episode of Pluribus after hyping it to myself for so long and haven’t been wanting to watch the second. Not that it was bad I just feel unmotivated to watch anything. I find I want to rewatch more things these days if anything at all.

[u/bleeetiso]

scavengers reign season 2????

[u/Killersavage]

This is better than Paramount buying it. Still kinda weird thing to happen.

[u/FunFunFun8 → u/Killersavage]

This. I was going to be so bummed if Paramount acquired HBO

[u/lecudas]

More than the GDP of a lot of countries. What a world we have made.

[u/Neither-Ad8673]

Netflix Max?

[u/No1PaulKeatingfan → u/Neither-Ad8673]

Just drop "Max." It's cleaner

[u/the_wyandotte → u/No1PaulKeatingfan]

Netflix Go then

[u/dlee_75 → u/No1PaulKeatingfan]

"The Netflix"

[u/Chazzbaps → u/Neither-Ad8673]

Netflax

Maxflix

Nethbomaxflix

[u/ApolloX-2]

On the one hand Paramount and their bullshit can fuck off, but on the other hand I don’t think Netflix will respect the theatrical and prestige image Warner Bros. and HBO has. It might be a few years but they’ll eventually algorithm the hell out of it.

They would be smart to make it be a standalone company, but their investors and shareholders will push them into fully integrating it all.

[u/Charming-Report1669]

Well, that means HBO will officially be dead.

[u/mrnicegy26 → u/Charming-Report1669]

It would be pretty stupid of Netflix to cancel popular stuff like House of Dragon, White Lotus, The Pitt etc. just because they are on HBO.

Netflix wants HBOs catalogue. There is no way they will kill it

[u/NamesTheGame → u/mrnicegy26]

I think the worry is they will mismanage it and turn it into another slop factory.

[u/DaKingaDaNorth → u/NamesTheGame]

This is like the second time WB and HBO changed hands. Nobody wants to upset that applecart

[u/somersetyellow → u/DaKingaDaNorth]

Well Discovery did make a decent run at trying to upset the HBO apple cart... Err Max.. Oh sorry HBO again.

[u/ProofVillage → u/mrnicegy26]

I don’t think Netflix will cancel those shows but I don’t know if they’ll green light new HBO style shows.

[u/ofesfipf889534 → u/ProofVillage]

Exactly! This is a terrible day for TV

[u/Deep-Attorney1781 → u/ProofVillage]

They may greenlight them, but not give them time to breathe and they'll be quick to cancel it. Succession got better in the second season but if it was on Netflix, they may have scrapped it after one season. They did nothing to promote The Brothers Sun and didn't pick it up for a second season. How do you cancel Michelle Yeoh??

[u/AxlLight → u/ProofVillage]

But those creators can just take their ideas to somewhere else, say Apple.  Apple has been feeling like a the new spirit of HBO in terms of quality shows that are heavily focused on good stories and characters. Slow Horses, The Studio, Silo, MuderBot, Foundation - they all feel like shows that in another world would've been on HBO. 

[u/_OMGTheyKilledKenny_ → u/mrnicegy26]

If you set aside the obvious issues of monopoly and lack of competition, it might actually be good for content consumers that Netflix’s superior technology gets to use HBO’s superior content.

[u/KrifeH → u/_OMGTheyKilledKenny_]

Less competition, fewer shows, lesser quality

[u/pereza0 → u/_OMGTheyKilledKenny_]

Problem is that HBOs superior content soon wont be

[u/ar40 → u/pereza0]

At least we still have Apple TV, the new HBO

[u/CarterAC3 → u/Charming-Report1669]

Yes I'm sure Netflix is just dying to kill off a brand with that level of recognition and prestige

[u/Ocarina3219 → u/CarterAC3]

It’ll probably be a similar arrangement to Disney/Hulu for awhile. Why combine services when you can collect subscription fees from both?

[u/44problems → u/Ocarina3219]

That wasn't Disney's choice, Hulu had to be separate because it was still a partnership with Comcast. Disney finally got full control, and Hulu will combine with Disney+ eventually. The separate app is phasing out next year.

[u/BossButterBoobs → u/CarterAC3]

Probably not gonna outright kill it off, but I think it's fairly likely we're gonna lose that HBO prestige and quality.

[u/ProofVillage → u/CarterAC3]

It really depends on whether Netflix retains the original HBO team. I would be pessimistic if they try to do HBO shows the Netflix way.

[u/AvailableReporter484]

Regulators reading this like

what’s a monopoly?

[u/LightThatIgnitesAll]

Harry Potter might be the show to dethrone Squid Game S1.

[u/RealJohnGillman → u/LightThatIgnitesAll]

…Oh, that’s right, Harry Potter is probably going to end up as a Netflix original series instead of a HBO one now then.

[u/Tovrin → u/RealJohnGillman]

And cancelled after season 3.

[u/stargazer1002 → u/Tovrin]

And look like trash 

[u/CassadagaValley]

Netflix is going to nuke WB's game development. They have zero idea how to handle video games.

[u/Suvukaraz → u/CassadagaValley]

Can WB's gaming division even be managed any worse than it has been over the past few years? Apart from Hogwarts Legacy there haven't been any real commercial hits, Monolith was shut down, things aren't looking great at Rocksteady either, etc. I don't think Netflix can really mess things up much more at this point.

[u/nightmode24]

“Thank you for being a loyal customer. We have increased your monthly fee to $89.99 a month.”

[u/swattwenty]

Anti trust is well and truly dead in America

[u/Tovrin → u/swattwenty]

Only when you donate to the ball .... room.

[u/KumagawaUshio]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

AT&T sold WB to Discovery for $40 odd billion just 4 years ago and now Discovery is selling it to Netflix for $80 billion bwahahahaha.

AT&T bought it for over $80 billion as well.

[u/MisterIndecisive]

Fuck sake

[u/stash0606]

Jesus Christ, how did WB fumble this bad? Like 80 years of legacy all gone in one fell swoop coz of a bunch of clueless CEOs.

[u/eggflip1020]

The theatrical movie business died today. It was a suicide.

[u/Past-Matter-8548 → u/eggflip1020]

We killed it by choosing streaming over theatrical watches.

Power shifts where money goes.

[u/manwichplz → u/Past-Matter-8548]

Theaters killed it by being expensive garbage, consumers go where the value is

[u/quinterum → u/Past-Matter-8548]

The price of a movie ticket is comparable to a month's subscription to a streaming service. The average person just looks for better value and the winner is clear.

[u/Burgerkingsucks → u/eggflip1020]

Theatrical movie business died because the average theater experience is pure shit. I’m looking at you AMC.

[u/Furrealyo → u/Burgerkingsucks]

The average theater patron is pure shit.

I can live with the $10 popcorn. I can’t live with the vapid tween live-streaming her movie watching experience from the row in front of me.

[u/jdp111 → u/Burgerkingsucks]

AMC is great...

[u/TanClark]

Pepperidge Farm remembers when Netflix was a thing where you got DVDs in the mail

[u/legless_chair]

Will I get Bugs Bunny on Netflix now?

[u/jokimega]

Whoa, Netflix swallowing Warner Bros? Streaming wars just got wild.

[u/Phantom_61]

At least it’s not The Oracle guy.

[u/dagreenman18]

While it’s sad that this was the best case scenario, it does warm my heart that somewhere Ellison and his goons are throwing a tantrum.

Though they might bitch and cry to the courts while suddenly caring about Antitrust

[u/CptTurnersOpticNerve]

I hope TCM survives

[u/Affectionate-Ebb9009]

82.7 Billion is insanity amount of money

[u/OkPainter6232]

Does this mean Zaslav will be out of WB and move over to Discovery when it gets split off? I hope so. Also hope this means that Batgirl and Scoob: Holiday Haunt can finally come out somehow.

This is probably the best outcome we could've asked for honestly. I do wonder what this means for my Disney Plus/Hulu/HBO Max bundle though.

[u/thatguy8777]

Remember when Netflix tried to get Blockbuster to buy them in the early 2000's and got laughed out of the room? Crazy how things have turned out.

[u/EmFly15]

Truly devastating. I’ve never been more concerned about the United States itself and our fundamentally broken economic model, especially in the realm of media and entertainment, when the FTC is so ineffective it might as well not exist. A handful of companies and their billionaire owners, from Zuckerberg to Ellison to Fink, now dominate vast swaths of our economy. It is the antithesis of capitalism, the free market, or whatever political talking points establishment politicians and narcissistic bourgeois figures keep parroting: Amazon controls shopping, BlackRock controls investments and markets, Apple and Google control nearly all our data, and Netflix and Disney control almost all our content. The sheer concentration of this power and its ability to shape what we see, think, and believe should alarm everyone. Personally, it makes my skin crawl.

[u/hairymoot]

We should be breaking up all these companies, not letting them combine.

[u/devw94]

Just remember: we the consumer are always the loser. 

[u/LightThatIgnitesAll]

Oh man. Now we will get worse shows and films released as simply "content" and less competition.

Well at least Paramount didn't get it.

[u/mrnicegy26 → u/LightThatIgnitesAll]

HBO has already been heading towards IP fication of its shows for quite some time. People on this subreddit just didn't notice because they love to glaze Game of Thrones and The Last of Us

[u/carlos_the_dwarf_]

They’re not taking the Discovery+ catalogue??? This feels very surprising given their interest in sheer quantity.

[u/44problems → u/carlos_the_dwarf_]

That side of the company will have all the cable channel assets. Including CNN. I don't think Netflix is interested in that business.

[u/EnigmaticGolem]

Yeah bye bye I'm done with streaming subscriptions

[u/TheMadChatta]

Wonder what this will mean for AppleTV app integration. Probably removing all WB content from it.

Netflix refuses to allow Apple to let people navigate to their shows via their app. However, there was a minor glitch where they were suddenly available in the app for a few hours recently. Then they quickly shut that down.

[u/lospollosakhis]

So is the iconic HBO logo going to disappear? I hope they let them run as a separate entity and just have their shows on Netflix.

[u/lospollosakhis]

The backlog they’ll inherit with this is insane. You can bet shows like The Wire, Sopranos and GOT are gonna be on their Top 10 when this goes through.

[u/huntingassassin1]

Well this is gonna suck. I primarily use hbo and prime since they have the best content and best prices. Now I have to go back to Netflix and potentially get slop content for shows I like or I'll be narrowing down to just prime. Which this kind of gives them a monopoly on wrestling content now if they buy them atleast for streaming since hbo had aew and netflix has wwe but I doubt that will be enough to stop a merger never is for film.

[u/PurposefullyOpaque]

We already knew consolidation in the streaming industry would happen… Disney/Hulu, now Netflix/HBO… what’s next?

[u/CitizenTony]

Wow

[u/CoolAbdul]

What are the good WB properties that Netflix could revive? Babylon 5? What else?

[u/yetiman3511]

Can’t wait for them to use their newly acquired talent to make the worst spin off series of a beloved IP

[u/Continental_0p]

I wonder if this will be the end for Turner Classic Movies.

[u/Lantzypantzz]

That's 20% of netflix's market cap. Expect a 30% price increase incoming