Is Netflix Trying to Buy Warner Bros. or Kill It? (variety.com)
- Reference: 0180305193
- News link: https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/25/12/06/0459202/is-netflix-trying-to-buy-warner-bros-or-kill-it
- Source link: https://variety.com/2025/film/columns/netflix-buying-warner-bros-killing-studio-ted-sarandos-1236601216/
> [Warner Bros. is] one of the only companies that's keeping movies as we've known them alive... Some people think movies are going the way of the horse-and-buggy. A company like Warner Bros. has been the tangible proof that they're not. Ted Sarandos, the co-CEO of Netflix, has a different agenda. [3]He has been unabashed about declaring that the era of movies seen in movie theaters is an antiquated concept. This is what he believes — which is fine. I think a more crucial point is that this is what he wants .
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> The Netflix business strategy isn't simply about being the most successful streaming company. It's about changing the way people watch movies; it's about replacing what we used to call moviegoing with streaming. (You could still call it moviegoing, only now you're just going into your living room.) It in no way demonizes Sarandos — he'd probably take it as a compliment — to say that there's a world-domination aspect to the Netflix grand strategy. Sarandos's vision is to have the entire planet wired, with everyone watching movies and shows at home. There's a school of thought that sees this an advance, a step forward in civilization. "Remember the days when we used to have to go out to a movie theater? How funny! Now you can just pop up a movie — no trailers! — with the click of a remote...."
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> Once he owns Warner Bros., will Sarandos keep using the studio to make movies that enjoy powerful runs in theaters the way Sinners and Weapons and One Battle After Another did? In the statement he made to investors and media today, Sarandos said, "I'd say right now, you should count on everything that is planned on going to the theater through Warner Bros. will continue to go to the theaters through Warner Bros." He added, "But our primary goal is to bring first-run movies to our members, because that's what they're looking for." Not exactly a ringing declaration of loyalty to the religion of cinema. And given Sarandos's track record, there is no reason to believe that he will suddenly change his spots.
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> A letter sent to Congress by a group of anonymous Hollywood producers, who voiced "grave concerns" about Netflix buying Warner Bros., stated, "They have no incentive to support theatrical exhibition, and they have every incentive to kill it." If that happens, though, I have no doubt that Sarandos will be smart enough to do it gradually. Warner Bros. films will probably be released in a "normal" fashion...for a while. Maybe a year or two. But five years from now? There is good reason to believe that by then, a "Warner Bros. movie," even a DC comic-book extravaganza, would be a streaming-only release, or maybe a two-weeks-in-theaters release, all as a more general way of trying to shorten the theatrical window, which could be devastating to the movie business.
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> Do we know all this to be true? No, but the indicators are somewhat overpowering. ( [4]He's been explicit about the windows ...)
An anonymous group of "concerned feature film producers" sent an open letter to Congress warning Netflix would "effectively hold a noose around the theatrical marketplace," [5]reports Variety .
And CNN also got this [6]quote from Cinema United , a trade association that represents more than 30,000 movie screens in the United States. "Netflix's stated business model does not support theatrical exhibition," Cinema United President/CEO Michael O'Leary [7]said in a statement . "In fact, it is the opposite."
[1] https://entertainment.slashdot.org/story/25/12/05/1728256/netflix-to-buy-warner-bros-in-72-billion-cash-stock-deal
[2] https://variety.com/2025/film/columns/netflix-buying-warner-bros-killing-studio-ted-sarandos-1236601216/
[3] https://variety.com/2025/film/columns/ted-sarandos-says-he-loves-movies-do-you-believe-him-1236385963/
[4] https://variety.com/2025/film/news/netflix-warner-bros-movies-theaters-buying-studio-1236601073/
[5] https://variety.com/2025/film/news/anonymous-filmmakers-netflix-wbd-open-letter-congress-1236600659/
[6] https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/05/business/hollywood-netflix-warner-bros-deal
[7] https://cinemaunited.org/2025/12/05/cinema-united-opposes-proposed-acquisition-of-legendary-hollywood-studio-warner-bros/
Meanwhile Bugs Bunny Cries : ( (Score:2)
Maybe there won't be any more pitch'ez.
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I just see that purchasing a company on decline is to grab the goodies and dump the junk so we might see Bugs Bunny in new contexts and it would probably be creations with the same level as "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" if we are lucky.
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Many of the classic studios are already owned by various owners that tries to make money by doing recreations of formerly successful movies instead of creating something new.
We used to love going to theaters... (Score:3)
But these days they are too expensive, doubly so if you want snacks. The last time we went, it cost us $32 for a small popcorn and 2 waters.
The sound was turned up so loud that it was borderline painful. And this is not just "that one time" it's been a trend for years. All of the joy has been robbed from the experience.
I'm totally fine letting theaters die off. People are loud and obnoxious and are always texting on their phones and frankly, I can have a better experience at home.
Someone would have to explain to me what the appeal of going to the theaters is these days, because everything about them that we loved is gone.
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> Someone would have to explain to me what the appeal of going to the theaters is these days, because everything about them that we loved is gone.
Novel respiratory infections.
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Mod parent Funny, but I thought the story had much more potential for humor and so far there's none. Maybe it's too early and the moderators haven't woken up yet?
(Not casting a stone. Felt like I was barely going to manage to wake up after that horrendous test yesterday... Second time at that test site. First time was bad, but this time was more like a circus.)
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The movie theater scene in the movie Outbreak replayed in my mind several times while I had Covid.
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It's probably more the case that theaters don't go away but continue to consolidate and move to the IMAX model of fewer theaters but the ones left are higher end. It can better justify the high cost and are really capable of offering an experience beyond what you can get at home.
The variability of the experience despite the prices continue to rise adds to this effect, the AMC with the smaller screens and standard seats and at least around me I think the sound is always too soft (audio is just so subjective
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I still like going out to a movie. It seems like more of an occasion. Moviegoers here tend to be respectful and quiet, and they will get kicked out if they use their phones during the movie.
As for snacks, any serious moviegoer will smuggle in their own snacks. Or *GASP* last for 150 minutes without eating something.
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Totally this. I enjoy good, clean, very loud audio in a movie, but at most "regular" movie theaters, it's very loud, but not clean or good. Like WTF! Why!?!? I'd be a *much* better experience if they simply turned down the volume until the sound stops effing clipping!
The exception to this is iMAX theaters, which have enormous screens and crystal clear (and very loud) audio. I'll probably never go to a "regular" movie theater ever again, unless the trend changes, but iMAX is worth it for a special scree
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The theater I go to has none of those problems. Tickets are cheap, munchies are also not obscenely priced, the picture and sound are great and the closest I have come to distractions and noise was when I went to see Moana 2 with a bunch of kids in the theater (and even then it wasn't distracting enough to be a problem)
And the experience of seeing a movie on the big screen is going to be far better than watching it on my 32" 1080i TV with inbuilt speakers or my 1080p computer monitor and somewhat basic Creat
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Good. There will always be a place for budget theaters. If the distributors allow it.
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So, buy the DVD.
With Netflix, I'm afraid we'll have to pause the movie to put the kids to bed. Then come back and discover that Netflix has dropped it from their catalog.
As far as I can tell, the Netflix business plan has been about erasing the archives so people will have to watch their new stuff. And if you aren't fast, even their new stuff becomes archival. Then, "Poof!"
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Yah, I like having access to old catalogs to re-watch old favorites. Roku was advertising $3 or so for access to old movies/tvshows/whatevers which might be worth it. Ofc they'll prolly double or triple within a couple of years.
movie theaters don't make shit on the tickets so m (Score:1)
movie theaters don't make shit on the tickets so maybe change is due or the movie theaters need to push back / take an stand.
Theaters are dinosaurs (Score:2)
...that deserve to fade away
A few will survive as art houses or bars or eateries with entertainment
A home theater is a far better way to watch stuff
My hope is that the new company will support creativity and avoid the remakes, reboots, franchises and retelling of old stories
But sadly, if I was a gambler, I wouldn't bet on it
the Microsoft model (Score:2)
embrace, extend, extinguish
Why not both? (Score:2)
I mean it works for them either way. If they manage to make something useful out of it they get something useful out of it but otherwise they destroy a competitor and can jack up prices. It's a win-win.
We have basically eliminated competition from capitalism. It's funny because we are all acting surprised when capitalism breaks down in the absence of the fundamental system for regulating it.
But hey, at least one the girl hands you your coffee at the one coffee shop available in a 20 mi radius she c
This isnâ(TM)t about the importance of theatr (Score:2)
Rather, itâ(TM)s about money. If Netflix goes streaming, all that money made in distribution, percentages of gross, etc. goes away. WB doesnâ(TM)t care because, except for payments such as percentages of gross, much of it rolls back to them eventually. All the creatives, OTOH, may lose out on a lot of money.
As if! (Score:3)
> Now you can just pop up a movie — no trailers! — with the click of a remote.
In the first place, trailers - which play before the movie, are a feature, not a bug.
In the second place, streamed movies can be interrupted by ads - and I'm not talking about mere product placement. So when it comes to streaming - no, fuck you very much.
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And the trailers before the movie starts will be replaced by ads, and not (only) ads for other movies.
You know, like what's been happening in theaters for years.
Antitrust (Score:1)
The whole point of antitrust law is to prevent one company from eliminating the competition by buying them out. Sounds quaint, I know, but that's because [1]the US hasn't enforced antitrust in some time [pluralistic.net].
[1] https://pluralistic.net/2025/09/17/cause-and-effect/
The cursed hand of Netflix (Score:2)
Regardless of whether they want to destroy it as competition or genuinely buy it to steal all content, one thing is absolutely certain - either way they will destroy it like they do with everything they touch.
Inevitable conclusion (Score:2)
Wasn't Time Warner/Discovery losing a bunch of money? The only way they survive is a buyout. They've already made cuts and restructured without getting back into the black. If Netflix wanted them dead, all they'd have to do is wait (and then snap up the remains if necessary).
Netflix (Score:3)
While Netflix have had quite a few really good ones I'm reminded of a joke.
A priest, a rabbi, a lesbian woman, a trans man, an teen hacker girl, a black gay, a white overly racist guy and a black woman with a PhD walks into a bar.
Bartender: What? new a new Netflix series?
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You forgot Latina. The lesbian? That would be a hat trick for the checkboxes.
How does one do this? (Score:2, Interesting)
> An anonymous group of "concerned feature film producers" sent an open letter to Congress
How does a group anonymously send a letter to "Congress"? Is there an address and mailbox for anonymous letters? Do you just let it slip out of your pocket while walking on the steps of the big building and a staffer picks it up to process? What are the mechanics of this?
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Quite easily, it turns out. From the Variety link: "The letter was sent via email to members of Congress from both parties..."
Re: How does one do this? (Score:1)
Not sure how one sends a letter to Congress but their phone number is 1-800-328-7448 or 1-800-EAT-SHIT.
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Congress members have official mailing addresses.