Info in Movie News | The combination of Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery is the main topic that everyone is talking about as the conversations regarding their possible merger are getting more and more intense. In case this colossal deal receives the green light, the worldwide entertainment environment might be changed in such a way that it hardly can be imagined, which is especially true for the case of streaming series and the fashion of new protagonists as the core of the latest narratives. The conversation is not only about corporate consolidation, but also about creative power, audience behavior, and the evolution of fictional worlds that dominate today’s culture.
According to LA Times, industry analysts expect the most significant impact of the merger to be serialized storytelling world, rather than theatrical movie production. For instance, Netflix has been globally successful for years mainly through such series as Stranger Things, Wednesday, The Witcher, and a variety of international titles that quite often get millions of viewers from different continents. On the other hand, Warner Bros. Discovery, powered by HBO, is the producer of some of the most prestigious and critically acclaimed series ever made, like The Last of Us, House of the Dragon, Succession, and Euphoria. The union of these two libraries can be a next powerful force that is able almost immediately to dictate worldwide trends.
The potential merger impact on the character development in the main roles is probably the most fascinating aspect among others. To give a few examples, Netflix has the history of making characters overnight global idols, which is the case of Eleven in Stranger Things or the totally new version of Wednesday Addams. Whereas HBO is brilliant in developing characters with a deep psychological layer and long-lasting emotional influence, as in the case of Joel and Ellie in The Last of Us or the characters facing moral dilemmas in Succession. A combined creative ecosystem could allow characters to be both globally viral and narratively complex, potentially giving rise to a generation of protagonists with worldwide cultural reach.
Essentially, the combined entity will change the way the creators of shows will work. Generally, Netflix operates on data-driven decisions, quick production cycles, and very aggressive worldwide marketing. However, HBO is more of a careful and detailed approach which mainly focuses on the writing, the tone, and the character development. So, if these two ways of thinking were to be combined, it would likely be a hybrid production model that would give the artists more money, deeper insights into their audience, and a more solid basis for long-term world building. A series like House of the Dragon could benefit from Netflix style global rollouts, while a Netflix international hit like Squid Game could be developed with HBO level narrative refinement.
Reports from Variety and The Hollywood Reporter suggest that the merger may require 12 to 18 months to receive full regulatory approval in the United States. During this period, several industry organizations have expressed concerns regarding the possibility of reduced creative diversity. The consolidation of fewer larger companies controlling a greater number of content libraries might result in a reduction in the number of unconventional voices or experimental projects. Unions in the entertainment industry, particularly those representing writers and production crews, are still skeptical of the possibility of job cuts as a consequence of a large-scale corporate restructuring. Most of the time, their worries have not been proven as analysts sometimes argue that such a merger could have the positive effect of opening the doors to more storytellers worldwide by providing them with the extreme large and diverse distribution network.
There is a combination of excitement and uncertainty in the potential results to the spectators. By any means, the viewers will have to be ventured a wider choice of quality TV-shows, better and deeper development of the characters, and products made with the international market in mind. The painful possibility is that changes in subscription models, release schedules, and content availability can occur so drastically that the viewers' habits will be totally reshaped. In case the merger is handled properly, it can be the source of a new benchmark for the streaming community on a global scale, a place where each series is designed to be socially relevant, emotionally touching, and get connected with the worldwide audience.
The merge between Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery goes beyond being just a business event that grabs attention of the media. It is a turning point that has the potential to radically change the way stories are invented, how the characters get introduced, and how the audiences establish connections with the fictional universes. While the industry is still waiting for the regulatory decisions, the only thing obvious is that the creative standard might get revolutionized by the combination of Netflix's worldwide roll-out power and Warner and HBO's storytellers' genius. It is going to be the new standard for the streaming era and the shape of the future of series development for the years to come.
Source LA Times, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix
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