Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros • Hacker News Board

Re: Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros

#181

Post by leeter » Fri, Dec 05, 2025, 1:43 PM UTC

bombcar wrote: post #128

jmkd wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cinema is indeed second behind streaming. The theatrical window is now so short (~40) days that audiences are happy to wait for the increased benefits and reduced cost of watching at home.

It’s only older contracts and studio holdovers that are preventing simultaneous release (which has already been done at times).

I believe the Academy Awards and a few other things too also influence this. The rules to be eligible still very much favor legacy studios IIRC. But, with this that may change? Hard to say. I know that quite a few Netflix movies have had theatrical runs at random mom and pop theaters in Cali so they could meet eligibility requirements for the various awards.

Re: Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros

#182

Post by afavour » Fri, Dec 05, 2025, 1:44 PM UTC

Any consolidation like this seems like a negative for consumers. But at least it wasn’t bought by Larry Ellison, as was considered very likely (assuming this merger gets approved, in the current administration you never know).

From a Hacker News perspective, I wonder what this means for engineers working on HBO Max. Netflix says they’re keeping the company separate but surely you’d be looking to move them to Netflix backend infrastructure at the very least.

Re: Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros

#183

Post by mrweasel » Fri, Dec 05, 2025, 1:44 PM UTC

magicmicah85 wrote: post #173

Oh sweet, two of my subscriptions now reduced to one. Right?

That's my thinking. I get the argument for "reduced competition" but Netflix and HBO aren't competitors. They are just two companies in the same line of business, but with different production lines.

I do wonder what it will do for their sports deals. HBO have had the rights to a lot of sports, including Tour de France and the olympics and is the only way to get EuroSport, as well as a number of TV channels, including some country specific ones.

Re: Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros

#184

Post by dclowd9901 » Fri, Dec 05, 2025, 1:45 PM UTC

phartenfeller wrote: post #52

I don't like this. Netflix rarely creates excellent content; instead, it frequently produces mediocre or worse content. Will the same happen for Warner? Are cinemas now second behind streaming? Edit: I agree Netflix has good Originals. But most are from the early days when they favored quality over quantity. It is sad to see that they reversed that. They have much funding power and should give it to great art that re…

They're starting to up their quality. Frankenstein and Death by Lightning were two standout successes recently.

That said, I'm more uncomfortable with the continued consolidation of media ownership and more outsize influence of FAANG tech over media.

Re: Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros

#185

Post by JKCalhoun » Fri, Dec 05, 2025, 1:45 PM UTC

djtango wrote: post #81

srameshc wrote: post #39

I never imagined that a service that ships DVD via mail would one day buy Warner Brothers. It is amazing how innovation and focus can change the game. Someday a new startup will piggy bank on Netflix and probably buy it later.

More like how did these companies drop the ball so bad. Most notably Sony which produced TVs, Computers, DVD players, Media Centers. They owned a movie studio and record label. They also have in house expertise with cloud content distribution via PlayStation. Unfortunately for them around the time of Netflix's ascent they were embroiled with all kinds of financial issues but still the mind boggles

And no OS. That certainly helped Apple.

Re: Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros

#186

Post by quasarsunnix » Fri, Dec 05, 2025, 1:46 PM UTC

We’re witnessing the globalization of television.

When all is said and done there’s going to be a few players left and they’re all going to be American by the current looks of things. You could argue movies were already like this, but for television that’s quite the change as most countries had many television production companies and stations.

Now it seems like they’ll be a few global media companies and maybe some local production houses that have to sell their stuff to these guys or setup their own services like the BBC does with iPlayer in the UK, with somewhat limited success compared to these giants.

Re: Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros

#187

Post by saretup » Fri, Dec 05, 2025, 1:46 PM UTC

pcurve wrote: post #14

Not sure how many of you have WBD shares with its rather tumultuous past (spin off from ATT, the Bill Hwang mess), but if you've picked up shares on the cheap in the past few years sub $10, congratulations. "Under the terms of the agreement, each WBD shareholder will receive $23.25 in cash and $4.501 in shares of Netflix common stock for each share of WBD common stock outstanding at the closing of the transaction. "

WBD price at this moment is just $25.28. I think there are some complicated conditions associated with the terms.

Re: Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros

#188

Post by sethops1 » Fri, Dec 05, 2025, 1:47 PM UTC

afavour wrote: post #182

Any consolidation like this seems like a negative for consumers. But at least it wasn’t bought by Larry Ellison, as was considered very likely (assuming this merger gets approved, in the current administration you never know). From a Hacker News perspective, I wonder what this means for engineers working on HBO Max. Netflix says they’re keeping the company separate but surely you’d be looking to move them to Netflix…

Surely the move now would be to rename the app to Netlfix Max

Re: Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros

#189

Post by afavour » Fri, Dec 05, 2025, 1:47 PM UTC

phartenfeller wrote: post #52

I don't like this. Netflix rarely creates excellent content; instead, it frequently produces mediocre or worse content. Will the same happen for Warner? Are cinemas now second behind streaming? Edit: I agree Netflix has good Originals. But most are from the early days when they favored quality over quantity. It is sad to see that they reversed that. They have much funding power and should give it to great art that re…

Warner makes a lot of crap too. They both make what sells.

Re: Netflix to Acquire Warner Bros

#190

Post by embedding-shape » Fri, Dec 05, 2025, 1:48 PM UTC

vintermann wrote: post #113

embedding-shape wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Considering the words they're using across the announcement, it seems they're well aware what this will trigger, everything seems carefully chosen so someone can later point at this announcement and say "See, we think this will add MORE user choice, not less, which is good for competition!".

It will lead to more choice ... in videos to watch. It will reduce choice in where to watch them or who to pay for the pleasure.

Great re-iteration of my point :) Written for anti-trust regulators, intentionally misusing the words they'd use, but with very different meaning. Hopefully professionals will see through their thin veil.