After announcing its $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros., Netflix quickly reached out to its more than 300 million subscribers to clarify what the deal means for them. In a late-night email sent within 24 hours of the announcement, the company assured users that “nothing is changing today.”
The message noted that both Netflix and Warner Bros.' streaming services will continue to operate separately until the transaction receives all necessary approvals. "We have more steps to complete before the deal is closed, including regulatory and shareholder approvals," the Netflix team wrote. "You'll hear from us when we have more to share."
Approximately a day after revealing the major deal that will place Warner Bros. film and television studios, HBO Max, and HBO under Netflix's ownership, Netflix sent out a message to its subscribers. The email highlighted that both platforms will remain independent until the deal is finalized.
The FAQ section of Netflix's Help Center emphasized that existing membership plans will stay the same and Warner Bros. content will not be moving to Netflix's platform right away.
Hi [subscriber's name],
We've recently announced that Netflix will acquire Warner Bros., including its film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO. This unites our leading entertainment service with Warner Bros. iconic stories, bringing some of the world's most beloved franchises like Harry Potter, Friends, The Big Bang Theory, Casablanca, Game of Thrones and the DC Universe together with Stranger Things, Wednesday, Squid Game, Bridgerton and KPop Demon Hunters.
What's changing?
Nothing is changing today. Both streaming services will continue to operate separately. We have more steps to complete before the deal is closed, including regulatory and shareholder approvals. You'll hear from us when we have more to share. In the meantime, we hope you'll continue to enjoy watching as much as you want, whenever you want all on your current membership plan.
We know you might have questions. Check out our Help Centre for more information or contact us at any time.
Thank you for choosing Netflix. We're committed to bringing you more great series, films, games and live programming.
The Netflix team
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos struck an assured note during an investor call, describing the Warner Bros. acquisition as a move that is “pro-consumer, pro-innovation, pro-worker, pro-creator and pro-growth.” He said he remains confident about regulatory approvals and stressed that the combined companies would form a “stronger organisation than either could alone.”
If cleared, the merger would unite major Warner Bros. franchises including Harry Potter, Friends and Game of Thrones with Netflix favourites like Stranger Things and Bridgerton. However, any crossover between the two content libraries is still far off, as the earliest possible closing date is December 2026.
The acquisition has triggered strong backlash across Washington and Hollywood. Lawmakers from both parties have raised antitrust concerns, warning the merger could drive up prices and reduce choice for consumers. Industry bodies including the Producers Guild of America, SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild have also criticised the deal, citing fears of job cuts and diminished creative control.
