I had been hearing rumors for the last couple of weeks about Netflix trying to buy Warner Brothers. That is huge news in the streaming world and the streaming wars. Twenty years ago Netflix was a burgeoning mail order DVD rental company. They are now the leader in the streaming business closely followed by Amazon Prime. In the last couple of years Amazon has positioned itself to challenge Netflix and take dominance over the streaming world. Today the news broke that the deal had been inked, and Netflix would acquire Warner Brothers, making it the uncontested Streaming Giant.

The planned Netflix–Warner Bros. deal is being treated as a once‑in‑a‑generation shake‑up that could effectively end the “streaming wars” with Netflix on top if regulators allow it to close. For around 72 billion dollars in equity (82.7 billion including debt), Netflix would fold in Warner’s studio, HBO/HBO Max, and massive library—DC, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and a century of catalog, creating a single platform that controls roughly one‑third of the U.S. subscription streaming market and an outsized share of viewing time. That scale, plus ad tiers on both sides, positions the merged company as a kind of “super‑platform” for premium series, blockbuster films, and global franchises in one subscription.​

Amazon should be worried because this deal directly threatens Prime Video’s claim to be one of the default entertainment hubs of the household. A combined Netflix–Warner instantly leapfrogs Prime Video on must‑have Intellectual Property, concentrates more cultural “event” titles in a rival service, and gives Netflix far greater leverage in talent deals, theatrical windows, and global marketing than any single competitor currently enjoys. If Netflix becomes the primary home for prestige TV and big‑franchise cinema, Prime risks sliding into a secondary position where it either has to spend dramatically more on originals and sports, or lean harder on its e‑commerce bundle to justify itself as an equal destination in viewers’ minds.

FROM NETFLIX:

We recently announced that Netflix will acquire Warner Bros., including its film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO. This unites our leading entertainment service with Warner Bros. iconic stories, bringing some of the world’s most beloved franchises like Harry Potter, Friends, The Big Bang Theory, Casablanca, Game of Thrones and the DC Universe together with Stranger Things, Wednesday, Squid Game, Bridgerton and KPop Demon Hunters.

What’s changing?

Nothing is changing today. Both streaming services will continue to operate separately. We have more steps to complete before the deal is closed, including regulatory and shareholder approvals. In the meantime, we hope you’ll continue to enjoy watching as much as you want, whenever you want on Netflix.