Netflix & Paramount fight to acquire Warner Bros.

[ranger_scout]

Netflix's CEO is once again trying to assure that his company won't make the theater industry collapse if it purchases Warner Bros. Discovery.

https://deadline.com/2025/12/netflix...ow-1236642421/

[Wildcat]

I'm pretty indifferent to this whole thing. Same with Disney/Fox. I think people are overreacting. I was told on Blu Ray.com I'm wrong, mergers are doom for the company that's bought and it's the end of WB physical media.

Be that as it may, I hate how every Youtuber has to chime in with a 15min or longer video (ad revenue). All you see are those stupid thumbnails with "shocked" or "disappointed" faces and the WB logo being destroyed in someway

It'd be one thing if it was in cases like this...they do it for everything. Daily clickbait for very video game, movie and TV subject. Honestly I watched some from the few I actually follow (who aren't as clickbait-y) but they were just saying it was the worst deal ever too. So whatever.

Only thing I really thought about was Batgirl and SCOOB 2. Haha. Someone asked about Batgirl but it still needed significant work. I guess it was a tax write off. However SCOOB was to be completed. The producer said they would finish it for the sake of seeing it through. Can't find anything saying it was a tax write off or if that even matters after they merge.

[IMJ]

Originally Posted by Wildcat

I'm pretty indifferent to this whole thing. Same with Disney/Fox.

Absolutely agree....
The Puritan-Generation must be bored to be making such a big deal out of this.

The next thing will be a deluge of YouTube videos about the topic titled "This Changes EVERYTHING!", and the Tubers will think that they are brilliant for it.

[sdp]

All the people that are against it area also the people that were pro Disney-Fox, and the only reason they wanted that deal was so they could have X-Men in the MCU, which didn't even matter since the MCU died and now we have one less studio.

I'd rather have Paramount have WB but at the same time, it's not like they have a great strategy either and someone who can actually absorb the debt ends up owning Paramount+WB. So yeah in a few years if the Netflix deal doesn't go through you'll see ParamountWB for sale and either the Saudi's will own it completely, or Netflix or Apple.

The save physical media and theaters arguments are laughable at best, physical media is already dead and just a niche at this point. Theaters are dying and will continue to die. I think in 10 years by 2035 they'll only be a niche relic that people will go to from time to time like they do other live type of events.

[Wildcat]

I do love physical media and collecting games/movies/shows.

I speculated Netflix might release more physical stuff now that WB will be part of them. People told me I was dumb to think that they'll even allow WB to continue physical releases. I think they'll keep doing it though.

What bothers me about Youtubers, that ones that constantly post...1. they're doing it for the ads and 2. it's all just thoughts and opinions. Which is fine but they frame videos as though they have some insider info. Either that or they just want to drum up a debate.

Anything along the lines "We need to talk about", "The REAL reason...", "listen to this before" and ya "This will change everything" I automatically ignore. I always take notice of the run time too.

Sorry but these channels should be demonetized. John Campea made a video about this very thing not long ago. Even saying he's guilty of doing it once in awhile but always tries not to.

[Vegita-San]

netflix is owned in part by the obama's, IIRC. if netflix gets it, expect nothing to change at DC.

however, at least Paramount has a chance at turning it around, being an unknown entity.

latest news is, hostile take over happening now.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by IMJ

Absolutely agree....
The Puritan-Generation must be bored to be making such a big deal out of this.

The next thing will be a deluge of YouTube videos about the topic titled "This Changes EVERYTHING!", and the Tubers will think that they are brilliant for it.

Puritan is not a word that fits the people you're describing. Puritanism has nothing to do with being left-wing or anything. On the contrary. Puritanism is a conservative thing and something I'd associate with right-wing Americans who profess certain branches of Protestantism.

Originally Posted by Wildcat

I do love physical media and collecting games/movies/shows.

I speculated Netflix might release more physical stuff now that WB will be part of them. People told me I was dumb to think that they'll even allow WB to continue physical releases. I think they'll keep doing it though.

What bothers me about Youtubers, that ones that constantly post...1. they're doing it for the ads and 2. it's all just thoughts and opinions. Which is fine but they frame videos as though they have some insider info. Either that or they just want to drum up a debate.

Anything along the lines "We need to talk about", "The REAL reason...", "listen to this before" and ya "This will change everything" I automatically ignore. I always take notice of the run time too.

Sorry but these channels should be demonetized. John Campea made a video about this very thing not long ago. Even saying he's guilty of doing it once in awhile but always tries not to.

Unfortunately youtube's algorithm rewards clickbaity video titles and thumbnails, which is why every decent sized youtuber uses them nowadays. The root of the problem is youtube itself and most content makers are just playing the game.

Originally Posted by Vegita-San

netflix is owned in part by the obama's, IIRC. if netflix gets it, expect nothing to change at DC.

however, at least Paramount has a chance at turning it around, being an unknown entity.

latest news is, hostile take over happening now.

Wait it is? Newsflash for me.

[Wildcat]

Originally Posted by Prowler

Unfortunately youtube's algorithm rewards clickbaity video titles and thumbnails, which is why every decent sized youtuber uses them nowadays. The root of the problem is youtube itself and most content makers are just playing the game.

Does it reward it though? Everything in my algorithm reflects stuff I recently/consistently watch, which is half general videos not clickbait-y ones.

One user, who I never subscribed to but occasionally watch completely dropped out of my algorithm/recommendations once I stopped. Took maybe a month to happen or could be my recent viewing habits pushed him out.

Anyway people do not need to do this even if the algorithm supports it.

One I'll mention by name is The Sonic Show (his avatar is a racoon). He blatantly lies in his thumbnails/titles. I fell for it once when I first came across the channel. It's not even about clickbait. They literally lie. Seriously this Youtuber should be banned.

[IMJ]

Originally Posted by Prowler

Puritan is not a word that fits the people you're describing. Puritanism has nothing to do with being left-wing or anything. On the contrary. Puritanism is a conservative thing and something I'd associate with right-wing Americans who profess certain branches of Protestantism

"Puritan" is a perfect adaptation to describe the nonsense mentalities of judgement and hierarchy that the "complainers" have put out there. That's why people use it - not because they are misusing it.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by Wildcat

Does it reward it though? Everything in my algorithm reflects stuff I recently/consistently watch, which is half general videos not clickbait-y ones.

One user, who I never subscribed to but occasionally watch completely dropped out of my algorithm/recommendations once I stopped. Took maybe a month to happen or could be my recent viewing habits pushed him out.

Anyway people do not need to do this even if the algorithm supports it.

One I'll mention by name is The Sonic Show (his avatar is a racoon). He blatantly lies in his thumbnails/titles. I fell for it once when I first came across the channel. It's not even about clickbait. They literally lie. Seriously this Youtuber should be banned.

So you never get super random video recommendations by youtube like everyone else does? There's always one random video or two that gets recommended to people for several weeks even though it's not the kind of video you normally watch. Clearly youtube pushes certain videos like that.

And it rewards it since people are more likely to click on videos with those thumbnails and titles. Which is why popular youtubers all keep on using those. They wouldn't if it didn't get them clicks, would they?

And YT's algorithm is not that good anyway. You watch one single video about, I dunno, bridge repairing one day and then suddenly you get recommendations for dozens of videos about bridges in general. Youtube assumes that you're some bridge enthusiast just because you watched one single video about a bridge that one time several weeks ago.

[Wildcat]

Originally Posted by Prowler

So you never get super random video recommendations by youtube like everyone else does? There's always one random video or two that gets recommended to people for several weeks even though it's not the kind of video you normally watch. Clearly youtube pushes certain videos like that.

And it rewards it since people are more likely to click on videos with those thumbnails and titles. Which is why popular youtubers all keep on using those. They wouldn't if it didn't get them clicks, would they?

And YT's algorithm is not that good anyway. You watch one single video about, I dunno, bridge repairing one day and then suddenly you get recommendations for dozens of videos about bridges in general. Youtube assumes that you're some bridge enthusiast just because you watched one single video about a bridge that one time several weeks ago.

I do get random recommendations or ones slightly related to something I watched. Most are based on my viewing habits though.

I understand people use clickbait titles/thumbnails to grab attention...but if people stopped clicking them all the time they would fade from everyone's algorithm. At least that's been my experience.

Of course you'll still get recommended stuff based on a general subject that may be clickbait-y. It's up to you to ignore it.

My point is we should not watch or subscribe to people who do this. There's plenty of channels that don't. It's obvious who does.

[ranger_scout]

Warner Bros. is expected to rebuff Paramount's $108 billion offer.

https://www.ft.com/content/6443abe1-...a-408a3e8f6077

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by ranger_scout

Warner Bros. is expected to rebuff Paramount's $108 billion offer.

https://www.ft.com/content/6443abe1-...a-408a3e8f6077

I thought it was coming down to purely the shareholders themselves voting? WB can't stop that.

[ranger_scout]

It's now official. Warner Bros. Discovery is now telling shareholders to reject Paramount's hostile bid.

https://deadline.com/2025/12/warner-...er-1236650715/

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by ranger_scout

It's now official. Warner Bros. Discovery is now telling shareholders to reject Paramount's hostile bid.

https://deadline.com/2025/12/warner-...er-1236650715/

Which they don't have to do.

[sdp]

while true, there's little reason to believe they wouldn't for the most part since the Netflix deal is better for them. Unless there's a hostile takeover and they change the shareholders to people who will which has its own hurdles on its own so I find that unlikely to happen. The most likely scenario of this not happening would be if the government says no but that doesn't seem like it's going to be the case either.

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by sdp

while true, there's little reason to believe they wouldn't for the most part since the Netflix deal is better for them.

How is the Netflix deal better for them? Their shares go up by almost a third under the Paramount deal vs. the Netflix one.

[sdp]

Less risky. Can Paramount pay because their funding is shaky, not for sure, they could be riddled with debt after it. Netflix is liquid, much lesser risk and includes protections in case things go wrong. There is a lot of scrutinity with hostile takeovers I don't even know all the legal stuff that goes on there, stock can drop quickly if it fails leaving them in a worse situation. It's about risk vs reward. Netflix deal gives shareholders guarantees basically in case anything goes wrong. So yeah it's not just about the bigger number but which scenario is going to assure them the most money.

[ranger_scout]

Warner Bros. Discovery has a message for Elison of Paramount.

https://www.wsj.com/business/media/w...n-bid-7f942087

[neatoman]

This is all surprisingly interesting. When Disney bought Fox, Discovery bought WB and Skydance bought Paramount it all amounted to a sad reminder that these giant companies can just merge with no meaningful resistance despite the obviously bad effects. At least with this we have some real serious competition over who gets it. It's still a "whoever wins, we lose" scenario but at least it's one interesting to follow.