Big changes are happening in the streaming world, and one of the biggest ones right now is Netflix’s bid to acquire Warner Bros in a massive $72 billion move. This means Netflix would now own the entire Warner Bros portfolio, including HBO and HBO Max, all rolled into one giant content platform. Basically, Netflix is trying to become the place for movies and shows.
If this deal goes through, Netflix will have one of the biggest libraries in streaming—maybe the biggest, period. We’re talking Harry Potter, The Hobbit, Batman, Superman, and pretty much every iconic franchise you can think of. One entertainment platform to rule them all!
While this is obviously a huge win for Netflix, Apple TV could take a big hit because of it (and by hit, I don’t mean the blockbuster kind). You see, while Apple does produce some of its own shows, a lot of its popular content actually comes from other studios. One of those studios is Warner Bros, which produces major Apple TV hits like Ted Lasso and Shrinking.
For now, those shows (and any other Warner Bros–produced content on Apple TV) will probably stay put. At least until their licensing deals expire. But once that happens, their fate rests in the hands of Netflix and there’s no reason for them to keep lending their content to a competitor. If you own the shows, why not move them to your own platform and keep all the viewers to yourself?
There’s also the bigger picture to think about. The announcement suggests that Netflix and Warner Bros studios would merge into a single unit. If that’s the case, future Warner Bros content would almost certainly be made with Netflix in mind first—if not exclusively. That could mean Apple won’t be able to license new Warner Bros shows at all going forward.
Sure, Netflix could license out shows it doesn’t care about anymore, or leave a few titles on other platforms just to play nice. But let’s be real—that’s probably not how this is going to go. At the end of the day, capitalists gonna capitalist.
What is pretty likely is that Apple TV can no longer rely on Warner Bros as a steady content partner. And that puts more pressure on Apple to fully commit to original productions or find new studios to work with. Meanwhile, Netflix keeps stacking the deck, tightening its grip on the streaming world.
Personally, I’m not a fan of the idea of Netflix having this level of control over streaming. I really hope Apple finds a way to stand its ground in what is shaping up to be an all out streaming war.