REUTERS/via SNO Sites/Dado Ruvic
Paramount and Netflix logos are seen in this illustration taken December 8, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
The integrity of either film or news media will take a significant hit if Warner Bros. Discovery is acquired by Netflix or Paramount Skydance.
Late last year, Netflix offered to pay close to $83 billion in exchange for WBD’s studio and streaming assets.
Paramount challenged with a bid of over $108 billion to acquire all of WBD’s assets, including CNN.
If WBD is acquired by Netflix, it will hurt movie theaters across the country, resulting in a decline in the art form.
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck explained on Joe Rogan’s podcast that Netflix typically requires script writers to reiterate the plot of the movie three to four times because they assume viewers aren’t paying attention for some reason.
This results in bad writing and film pacing.
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos has called theaters outdated and argued that consumers want to watch movies at home before making a strange argument about people not being able to walk to theaters, as if there are no other modes of transportation.
While it can be convenient streaming movies at home, there are plenty of people aware of the fact that certain movies were meant to be watched in theaters.
No one who truly appreciates the art of film is looking forward to watching “The Odyssey” on their TV.
Most people can figure out how to get to a movie theater. Most people can’t afford a theater level sound system, and they definitely can’t figure out how to get a 52-foot-tall IMAX screen in their house.
Netflix only gives extremely limited releases to award-worthy films, purely for eligibility purposes.
Guillermo Del Toro’s “Frankenstein” is nominated for Best Picture at The Oscars this year.
It was released on Netflix and in just 10 IMAX theaters across the nation.
Along with the Best Picture nomination, it received others for things like Best Sound and Best Cinematography, aspects of film that are significantly heightened by a theater experience.
If Netflix acquires WBD, they will own the rights to DC Comics, which is very concerning for the theatrical release of “The Batman Part II.”
“The Batman” released on 405 IMAX screens nationwide in 2022, coming off the pandemic. Netflix will undoubtedly stunt the sequel’s release.
As disheartening as that is for film fans, in the grand scheme of things it may not even be the worst option.
Netflix just wants the WBD film and TV studio, plus ownership of HBO.
Paramount also wants CNN, one of the biggest global TV news networks.
Paramount is trying to rival Comcast and Disney in terms of media conglomeration and take over America’s news ecosystem in the process.
They already own CBS News, so acquiring CNN would be a clear conflict of interest, further breaking the trust between the news media and the general public.
However, they aren’t completely anti-theater.
As usual, America is faced with two terrible options, but in this case the people don’t get a vote.
The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission need to step in and stop either one of these potentially monopoly-forming mergers from happening.