US Senator Elizabeth Warren Comments on Netflix’s WB Acquisition

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Shortly after Netflix announced its $82.7 billion purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery, Senator Elizabeth Warren expressed strong concerns, calling the deal a potential “anti-monopoly nightmare.” She worried it could lead to job cuts and higher prices for consumers. Senator Warren urged the Justice Department to investigate the acquisition and ensure it complies with antitrust laws.

Netflix is set to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, bringing popular content from HBO Max and other Warner Bros. properties to Netflix’s streaming library. This deal also includes Warner Bros. Games and its studios, such as NetherRealm, TT Games, and Rocksteady. As part of the agreement, Discovery Global will become an independent company. Negotiations between Netflix and Warner Bros. have been ongoing for months, following reports that Warner Bros. was seeking a buyer. While companies like Comcast and Paramount Skydance also expressed interest in acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery, Netflix ultimately made the winning bid. The acquisition is expected to be completed by late 2026, subject to final approval.

Netflix’s WB Buyout Draws the Ire of the US Government

Netflix’s recent $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery is facing criticism from US officials. Shortly after the announcement, Senator Warren expressed strong concerns, calling the deal a potential “anti-monopoly nightmare” for consumers. She warned that if the merger is approved, Netflix could control roughly half of the US streaming market, limiting viewer choices. Senator Warren also fears the deal could lead to job losses at both companies.

Netflix claimed buying Warner Bros. would eventually give customers more value for their money through increased content. However, Senator Warren predicted the merger would actually lead to higher subscription costs, a prediction that came true when HBO Max raised its monthly price from $16.99 to $18.49 in late October. Representative Pramila Jayapal also voiced concerns, arguing the deal would reduce creative freedom for artists and lower pay for staff. Both Jayapal and Warren urged the Justice Department to investigate potential antitrust violations. Senator Mike Lee agreed, stating the deal would negatively impact both content creators and viewers.

Netflix’s Buyout is Not the First To Draw Government Scrutiny

As a longtime movie and gaming fan, I’ve seen a lot of big company deals face scrutiny, but the Microsoft-Activision Blizzard acquisition was a real rollercoaster. Everyone was worried about it – government officials, people concerned about fair competition – but eventually, it went through. The UK’s competition folks were the last to sign off, but Microsoft made a few changes to get their approval. It was a massive deal – $68.7 billion! – and it meant big changes at Activision Blizzard, like Bobby Kotick stepping down as CEO and franchises like Call of Duty and Diablo officially becoming part of the Xbox family. It was definitely one of the biggest stories in gaming for a while.

Lina Khan, the former head of the US Federal Trade Commission, publicly criticized Microsoft’s purchase of Activision Blizzard. She initially tried to block the deal in court, but was unsuccessful. In a recent post on Twitter, Khan suggested the acquisition led to Microsoft’s layoffs of over 9,000 employees and also contributed to price increases for Xbox consoles and Game Pass subscriptions. Now, with concerns raised by officials like Warren about Netflix buying Warner Bros. Discovery and its potential negative impact on consumers and workers, it remains to be seen whether the Justice Department will step in to investigate.

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2025-12-06 00:07