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Netflix’s bid to buy Warner Bros. has sparked a huge amount of speculation among film fans, and now the latest development has got many of them concerned about the future of the industry.
According to a report from Deadline, Netflix are “proponents of a 17-day window”, which could mean films are in theatres for just two-and-a-half weeks before transferring to the streaming platform.
“Sources have told Deadline that Netflix have been proponents of a 17-day window which would steamroll the theatrical business, while circuits such as AMC believe the line needs to be held around 45 days,” the report reads.
The bid includes Warner Bros. film and television studios HBO and HBO Max, in a $82.7 billion deal. Paramount is also competing to take over the studio with a hostile bid.
A recent report claimed that movie theatre owners are worried that the potential acquisition could kill their business.
Now, film fans have been sharing their concerns as well, claiming that a potential 17-day window would have a huge impact.
One social media user responded to the Deadline report and wrote: "The Academy and the unions should do everything in their power to prevent this."
Another jokingly sent a message to Tom Cruise to save cinema.
Another user wrote: "So no one's gonna tell them theatrical releases make significantly more money than films dumped straight to streaming".
“Our mission has always been to entertain the world,” co-CEO of Netflix Ted Sarandos said in a statement.
“By combining Warner Bros’ incredible library of shows and movies — from timeless classics like Casablanca and Citizen Kane to modern favorites like Harry Potter and Friends — with our culture-defining titles like Stranger Things, KPop Demon Hunters and Squid Game, we'll be able to do that even better,” he continued. “Together, we can give audiences more of what they love and help define the next century of storytelling.”
Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav said the merger “combines two of the greatest storytelling companies in the world” to bring more options to consumers.
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