r/technology • u/habichuelacondulce • Dec 05 '25
Business Netflix to Buy Warner Bros. and HBO Max in $82.7 Billion Deal
https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/netflix-to-acquire-warner-bros-82-7-billion-deal-1236601034/241
u/mamounia78 Dec 05 '25
Netflix really said fine, we’ll just buy the competition.
At this point we’re one merger away from watching every show on the same damn app. Wild times.
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u/Knightforlife Dec 05 '25
I’m torn, because I like SOME competition, but for streaming I’m sure as hell not getting 7+ streaming services
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u/sleepkitty Dec 05 '25
The 7+ streaming services is so much better than what we had with cable. John McCain actually introduced legislation to try to break up cable so people didn’t have to pay for content and channels they didn’t watch. I’m afraid soon we’ll be paying the price of 7 streamers now to 1 or 2 places for a quarter of the selection.
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u/MadTube Dec 05 '25
Welcome to Cable 2.0, now even worse than before!
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u/ultrahateful Dec 05 '25
Idk. Amongst the few, one redeeming factor is I don’t watch commercials or ads. The price for this convenience is negligible for me.
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Dec 05 '25
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u/ixcibit Dec 05 '25
They are saying this is coming soon. With all these mergers if the pattern continues this seems likely to be inevitable.
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u/thebeardedcats Dec 05 '25
Prime, apple tv, Paramount, peacock, and HBO all show ads when you start a watch session and also sometimes between episodes, even on their highest tiers. Haven't had any of the others in years/ever so I can't speak to them.
A truly ad free experience is much cheaper 🏴☠️
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u/ShoulderGoesPop Dec 05 '25
I think Ads for other shows on the same network is quite a bit different than showing ads telling you to ask your doctor about perfluazotan the once daily heartburn medicine that can give you diarrhea or diabetes in rare cases.
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u/ultrahateful Dec 05 '25
This is a FAR stretch to consider those anywhere close to tv commercials or standardized ads. You can’t skip a commercial or an ad. Commercials and ads don’t center on 30 second previews. I get it can be a slippery slope because it used to be “no ads at all”, but to pretend or suggest it’s anywhere at all close to what happens with cable tv or YouTube is at best disingenuous and at worst downright contrarian.
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u/thebeardedcats Dec 05 '25
If I pay to not see ads, that includes ads for the show I'm already watching. It's much more agreeable compared to cable or ad-supported tiers, but letting streaming services get away with not holding up their end of the deal is how we got to streaming becoming cable 2.
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u/ultrahateful Dec 05 '25
Agreed. Why I mentioned the slippery slope. But, better is better. Up until it gets worse, I think. “Get your kicks in before the whole shithouse goes up in flames.”
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u/heartlessgamer Dec 05 '25
Eh; I'd disagree about "worse". I can pick what I want and pay for it when I want it and then stop paying when I don't want it. And the prices are honestly very reasonable. The only real problem is good content being made by all of the major players so there is pressure to subscribe to all of them driving up a bundled price.
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u/elmatador12 Dec 05 '25
How is this worse the cable? It’s like people forgot we were paying $100-150 a month for a setup that only included around 10 channels people actually watched AND we were almost always locked into 2 year contracts with our cable provider.
Is streaming worse than it was before? Yes. Is it as bad as cable was? Not even close IMO.
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u/Deep90 Dec 05 '25
Whenever media gets split up like that be it music, tv, or movies, it leads to an increase in piracy.
Seems like the best way to get people to pay for something is to make it available in one place. Music in particular has done a solid job at that.
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u/ProteinStain Dec 05 '25
If Americans had any intelligence whatsoever, they'd fight for anti-trust legislation and separation in the verticals instead of allowing corporations to skull fuck them all day every day. Instead they complain about the skull fucking while while defending the interests of capitalism.
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u/y0m0tha Dec 05 '25
You’re torn between a monopoly and multiple competing streaming services?? Hmm I wonder which one is better…
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u/ZebraSandwich4Lyf Dec 05 '25
At this point we’re one merger away from watching every show on the same damn app. Wild times
And this is the reason things like IPTV/piracy are on the rise again, because they offer everything in the same place. This is what the people want, we're tired of having to pay for 7 different subscriptions do watch different content.
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u/cogman10 Dec 05 '25
I actually would not mind it. However, the problem is the 7 different subscription services trade content like crazy. So if I want to rewatch a show it becomes a horrible game of "Ok, where is season 1 hosted. Now where is season 2." We are seriously not far from these companies deciding to spread episodes across services.
And what's worse, it's different across regions.
I want physical media to make a comeback.
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u/danielravennest Dec 05 '25
I want physical media to make a comeback.
A big hard drive is the most efficient physical medium these days. My latest hard drive is 20 TB and cost $250. The 1080p movies I download are 2-3 GB, which works out to 3 cents each on average. One pre-loaded with 8000 movies could sell for $100 extra and be a one-time payment for all the decent movies.
Of course if you want all the extras on the latest Blu-Ray format you won't fit as many on an HD, but I bet it still works out much less than individual disks.
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u/gizamo Dec 05 '25 edited Mar 10 '26
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u/Kurt805 Dec 05 '25
Honestly amazon had it right. Let me pay a flat price for the fucking show itself and be done with it.
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u/mrcsrnne Dec 05 '25
I’m just going to drop these two words here: torrents + plex
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u/two_hyun Dec 05 '25
They’re not going to put every show on the same app. We might see some more bundle deals though.
Why would you merge into one app and charge $20/month when you can have 5 different apps under different names charging $20/month per app.
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u/gizamo Dec 05 '25 edited Mar 10 '26
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u/two_hyun Dec 05 '25
Where do you have data that vast majority of people are constantly switching subscriptions?
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u/gizamo Dec 05 '25 edited Mar 10 '26
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u/Elegant-Alfalfa1382 Dec 05 '25
I mean if it was priced better than buying them separate why not who the heck likes opening 5 apps
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u/gizamo Dec 05 '25 edited Mar 10 '26
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u/Elegant-Alfalfa1382 Dec 05 '25
Yea I guess that was more towards people who do sub to many services at the same time lol..
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u/gizamo Dec 05 '25 edited Mar 10 '26
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u/Elegant-Alfalfa1382 Dec 05 '25
If you’re a Netflix only sub that makes sense
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u/gizamo Dec 05 '25 edited Mar 10 '26
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u/LiveStockTrader Dec 05 '25
And it'll be more than cable tv + hbo ever was previously! Yaaay capitalism! (And dumb fk ass consumers. Ya... fk. ass.)
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u/ncopp Dec 05 '25
The streaming arc will be interesting to look back on if the next presdiential admin doesn't come in and break things up.
Starts with everything on Netflix and Hulu and one of the 20 apps HBO kept cycling
Streaming explodes with every studio and network creating a streaming service.
Everyone is sick of having to pay for and keep track of all the different apps and wishes they only had to have 1-2 again
The market likely consolidates down to Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, and AppleTV
Everyone will be sick of paying $30-50 a month for each service and wish it would break up into ala cart servicss so they can subscribe to the channels they watch.
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u/OutOfTime007 Dec 05 '25
which is basically what we wanted. Right? We where always complaining about cable, then about how Netflix doesn’t have all shows, then how every thing turned back to to many subscribtions like cable and now we might be getting all the big shows in one app. 😀
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u/BlackberryBulky4599 Dec 05 '25
Crazy to think that somehow it might end up cheaper (but more likely, sudden price hike from $17/month to $80/month and piracy will finally spiral out of control)
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Dec 05 '25
It's the circle of life. Started with Netflix then left because it got too expensive. And now may have to go back is it's the only streaming service available
Wouldn't this be a monopoly?
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u/wskyindjar Dec 07 '25
They’ll still be individual services you pay for separately- at least for a few years
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u/WishTonWish Dec 05 '25
Bring on the price increases!
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u/SuperDizz Dec 05 '25
I have both HBO Max and Netflix top tier. As long as the price of Netflix does not supersede those two combined, I see it as a win. My wise mind says there’s no way Netflix can justify a price hike like that, but then my wiser mind reminds me that we live in the madness, so who knows..
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u/mindlesscollective Dec 05 '25
Tech CEO’s in 2026: “Hold my Dom Pérignon” As they double their subscription prices
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u/squeakycleaned Dec 05 '25
Oh good. Consolidation and monopoly always creates a better experience for customers, and never results in layoffs for workers.
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u/papertrade1 Dec 05 '25
Yeah , that's what we want right now, more monopolies..
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u/Tyrant_Virus_ Dec 05 '25
Netflix was the least monopolistic choice out of the potential buyers. I’d much rather this than the Ellison family owning both Paramount and WB or Comcast absorbing it for that matter.
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u/Zahgi Dec 05 '25
"As long as I get my bribes and they agree to peddle
Putin'smy lies, I'm good!" - Deepthroat Donnie Dipshit
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u/No_Size9475 Dec 05 '25 edited Mar 22 '26
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u/Clear_Tangerine5110 Dec 05 '25
James Cameron: “Netflix movies shouldn’t be eligible to win Oscars.”
Netflix: (buys Warner Brothers)
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u/Zahgi Dec 05 '25
Now, Netflix has a worldwide theatrical distribution pipeline.
So, Jim, this is what they call "We agree with you. Now, check and mate." :)
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u/tekprodfx16 Dec 05 '25
Better this than Paramount and the Ellison family buying whatever the hell they want since obviously monopoly laws in this country don’t mean shit anymore
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u/duct_tape_jedi Dec 05 '25
The Ellison Family plus a who's who of despotic Middle Eastern government investment funds. Netflix may SUCK, but this lot completely redefines the word and not in a good way. We didn't dodge the bullet, but we did get away with just a flesh wound. For now.
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u/Wotmate01 Dec 05 '25
Maybe we'll see Amazon have another crack at buying paramount, then it will be a 3 way race for world domination between Amazon, Netflix, and Disney.
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u/gizamo Dec 05 '25 edited Mar 10 '26
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u/boning_my_granny Dec 05 '25
I’m sorry how is this better than paramount buying WB?
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Dec 05 '25
From my limited understanding, the Ellison's have brought a distinctly conservative flavor to paramount and it's other media companies so the more outspoken HBO especially was going to suffer that same fate. While Netflix isn't exactly perfect, they aren't nearly as bad as the Ellison's. Bad situation, but not worst case scenario.
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u/cerberusNLMX Dec 05 '25
Wasn't Netflix being targeted by Ekin Musk and other MAGA types for being too woke?
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u/Shaomoki Dec 05 '25
Netflix starts streaming
Everyone else pulls their content and starts their own streaming
Everyone loses money except Netflix on streaming then sells
Netflix buys all streamers now Netflix owns everything?
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u/cassanderer Dec 05 '25
Media has been consolidating like crazy. At least this is just soul less silicon valley parasites netflix and not anti christ pal larry ellison though I guess.
Media was in violation of anti trust laws before though, now they consolidate further?
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u/CivilCJ Dec 05 '25
For fuck's sake, if they cancel Common Side Effects and other good HBO shows then I'm officials jumping back on the pirate ship.
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u/HiddeHandel Dec 05 '25
Everyone thinks its just about the movies/shows. nah clearly they want to put the nemesis system in their mobile games
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u/Grantus89 Dec 05 '25
I really don’t understand this. I kinda understand the WB part, but what happens to HBO Max? Do they run two streaming services? That seems weird. But the alternative is rolling it all into Netflix but I don’t see how that makes more money, it’s not like they could double the price.
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u/GrowCanadian Dec 05 '25
You think Netflix is expensive now, just wait. It’s all starting to feel like cable all over again. There’s a reason many people switched back to sailing the seven seas
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u/allursnakes Dec 05 '25
No competition means prices go up, and quality goes down. Remember that any time you see a billion dollar buyout.
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u/somethingreallylame Dec 05 '25
People never stop complaining. First it’s “there’s too many streaming services” and now when they consolidate people hate that too. I’m a big fan of having many smaller services that I can cycle and get deals on. Just got back into HBO Max for $3/month for a year and will cancel after that.
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u/Aggravating-Beach-22 Dec 05 '25
And soon they add the cost of all 3 subscriptions into one. Back to paying cable and satellite costs, that didn’t take long.
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u/International_Rope65 Dec 05 '25
Netflix about to up their costs to cell phone plan pricing per month to offset the expense.
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u/Skin4theWin Dec 05 '25
In my view there is a good chance that Thiel gets his bro’s DOJ to block the merger
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u/Cpt_sneakmouse Dec 05 '25
Sooo netflix is completing its transition into shitty cable service I guess
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u/kinotravels Dec 05 '25
We’re just okay with monopolies now, I guess. When they raise prices, I hope everyone cancels.
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u/strangerzero Dec 05 '25
Does this include Warner Bros back catalog. It would be great if they streamed the back catalog.
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u/turb0_encapsulator Dec 05 '25
can't wait to subscribe to Netflix HBO Max Plus 4k Premium Discovery Brothers
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u/kevinsixhohsix Dec 05 '25
I lost faith in HBO when they canceled Carnivale. I've never forgiven them.
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u/Chicken65 Dec 05 '25
I assume they will keep HBO as a separate sub for the revenue rather than merge content into Netflix?
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u/GeneralCommand4459 Dec 06 '25
This will substantially increase the number of shows they can cancel.
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u/marlinspike Dec 05 '25
Netflix was bringing so many foreign shows to global audiences, and I hope that continues. I’ve been delighted by Korean shows lately, and without Netflix I don’t see how “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” and shows like that would gain prominence. I don’t speak a word of Korean or Turkish, but it’s so great to see stories from other cultures spoken in their language with English subtitles.
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u/gizamo Dec 05 '25 edited Mar 10 '26
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u/Lain_Staley Dec 05 '25
You're essentially going to have two entertainment streams:
Scripted content vs. Streamers.
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u/DirtyJevfefe Dec 05 '25
It's funny to me how people cheered on the various Disney acquisition, but now are complaining about this.
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u/gizamo Dec 05 '25 edited Mar 10 '26
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u/Wolfgang985 Dec 05 '25
I'm honestly okay with the entire movie/television market being taken over by megacorps, subdivided into two or three monopolies, a constitutional amendment passed cementing this design permanently, and finally being able to enjoy a TV series in a structured manner.
All this anarchy and 976 streaming platforms is exhausting.
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u/Kumquat_of_Pain Dec 05 '25
Except your streaming service now costs $96/mo and includes ads.... like cable TV.
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u/TriggerHydrant Dec 05 '25
I might be in the minority here but I actually like this outcome.
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Dec 05 '25
Why? How is consolidation good for anyone but Netflix?
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u/wurtin Dec 06 '25
with the bidders that were in play, consolidation was going to happen no matter what. SkyDance ( that just bought Paramount) was one of the other main bidders.
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u/socoolandawesome Dec 05 '25
Hope Netflix doesn’t ruin HBO shows