After months of speculation, WB has finally found its bidder, as Netflix is ready to acquire the legendary production for a whopping $82.7 billion figure, which includes the right to its film and television divisions. Considering how prominent Warner Bros’ titles have been for theaters, it’s reasonable to be concerned given Ted Sarandos‘ previous stance on the big screen experience (via Deadline).
Although Sarandos ensured movies from the prestigious studio would hit the big screen, he opposed the practice of longer theatrical windows. On a conference call with the investors on Friday, he said,
It’s not like we have this opposition to movies into theaters. My pushback has been mostly in the fact of the long exclusive windows, which we don’t really think are that consumer-friendly
While the CEO doesn’t intend to cut Warner Bros’ robust theatrical template almost immediately, he did suggest this could happen down the line.
WB Titles Could See Shorter Release Windows Post Merger
Credit: UKinUSA/Licensed under CC-BY-SA-2.0/Wikimedia Commons
2025 was an impeccable year for WB, despite a few upsets, mostly notably Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17 and PTA’s One Battle After Another, the studio registered several wins at the box office. Even though fans can still expect to see the studio’s output on the big screen, unlike the recent releases, which enjoyed a traditional release window, their presence at the big screen could shrink considerably.
Elaborating on his approach, Sarandos expressed that, over time, theatrical windows will evolve to something more “consumer-friendly”, or in other words, more in favor of streaming.
I wouldn’t look at this as a change in approach for Netflix movies or for Warner movies. I think, over time, the windows will evolve to be much more consumer friendly, to be able to meet the audience where they are quicker.
For now, however, fans can expect to see the studio’s upcoming slate on the big screen, and hopefully, traditional release windows won’t crumble.
The WB-Netflix Merger Could Dwindle the Annual Box Office
A still from Sinners | Credit: WB
Warner Bros, unsurprisingly, has been a major backbone for the theater business, as their output accounts for a whopping 25% of the annual box office revenue. And given that theaters still haven’t matched the pre-COVID numbers, losing the studio’s theatrical releases would be a detriment to the business.
Michael O’Leary, Cinema United President and CEO, highlighted this concern and the merger’s potential impact that could reshape the industry for the worse. He further added on the call:
The negative impact of this acquisition will impact theatres from the biggest circuits to one-screen independents in small towns in the United States and around the world… Netflix’s stated business model does not support theatrical exhibition. In fact, it is the opposite. Regulators must look closely at the specifics of this proposed transaction and understand the negative impact it will have on consumers, exhibition and the entertainment industry.
Only time will tell what the future holds for this merger and theaters, and as consumers, we can only hope the big screen experience won’t be lost in the years to come.
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