“Nothing Is Changing Today”: Netflix Promises Subscribers In Carefully Worded Late Night Letter On Warner Bros. Deal
Roughly 24 hours after Netflix announced its massive $83 billion deal to acquire Warner Bros.’ TV and film studios—alongside streamer HBO Max and HBO—the Netflix leadership team, headed by Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters, sent a late-night message to more than 82 million U.S. subscribers reassuring them that “nothing is changing.”
In the four-paragraph email from the “Netflix team,” the phrase “nothing is changing” appears repeatedly. The note also stresses that Netflix and HBO Max will continue to function as separate streaming services, emphasizing that subscribers should expect no immediate shifts to their accounts or viewing experience.
In the celebratory “Welcoming Warner Bros to Netflix” announcement, the company added: “We have more steps to complete before the deal is closed, including regulatory and shareholder approvals. You’ll hear from us when we have more to share.”
Coming after a day filled with understated CEO memos, internal meetings, and a Warner Bros. Discovery town hall—none of which seemed overly enthusiastic—the reference to “regulatory and shareholder approvals” may prove to be the biggest understatement of all. Netflix faces a long list of potential obstacles, including scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Justice, the European Union, all 50 state attorneys general, and even the Paramount-friendly President of the United States. There’s also the possibility of a Paramount lawsuit or a higher competing bid aimed at derailing Netflix’s $28-per-share offer. All of this remains to be determined.
For now, Netflix was eager to highlight the powerhouse library it would command if the deal closes: “Harry Potter, Friends, The Big Bang Theory, Casablanca, Game of Thrones and the DC Universe together with Stranger Things, Wednesday, Squid Game, Bridgerton and K-Pop Demon.”
The backlash to the so-called “NetBros” deal has united an unusual mix of figures and factions. What else could bring together Donald Trump—an outspoken supporter of Paramount CEO David Ellison and his father, Larry Ellison—Sen. Bernie Sanders, and the major Hollywood unions? Their motivations differ, but their concerns over Netflix’s growing dominance overlap.
Accusing Netflix of “swallowing” the crown jewels of Warner Bros. Discovery, Sanders posted today:
