Netflix announced a massive deal on December 5, 2025, to buy Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion, a move that will significantly change the streaming landscape. Once the acquisition is finalized, Netflix will gain control of Warner Bros.’ film and television studios, its extensive content library, and its streaming services. This includes incredibly popular and valuable movies, TV shows, and franchises that are well-known around the world.
Founded in 1923, Warner Bros. became a major Hollywood studio during its most celebrated era and has since produced over a century of films and television. If the acquisition goes through, Netflix will gain access to a vast library of content, including iconic films like Casablanca and Citizen Kane, as well as popular franchises such as Mad Max, The Conjuring, Final Destination, and Looney Tunes, plus channels like Cartoon Network and Adult Swim. This deal, encompassing ten more significant franchises, is poised to reshape the entertainment landscape.
10) MonsterVerse
The MonsterVerse – the hugely popular franchise with movies like Godzilla vs. Kong and the series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters – is primarily owned by Legendary Pictures. However, Warner Bros. is also involved, co-producing the films and shows and handling their distribution. Now, that distribution will be managed by Netflix. It’s unclear whether Legendary will continue to use Netflix for distribution, which would be a somewhat surprising decision considering Netflix focuses on streaming.
9) Friends
Originally airing from 1994 to 2004, Friends is still one of the most popular and long-lasting sitcoms of all time. It’s a valuable addition to Netflix thanks to the Warner Bros. agreement, but fans hope the story isn’t revisited with a reboot. The show followed the lives of six friends navigating their 20s and 30s in Manhattan, becoming a major part of pop culture. However, a spin-off series called Joey, set in Los Angeles and starring Matt LeBlanc, didn’t achieve the same success. With the tragic loss of Matthew Perry in 2023, Friends now also serves as a touching tribute to his memory.
8) Dune
Just like with the MonsterVerse movies, Legendary Pictures owns the rights to the Dune story, which began with Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel. However, Warner Bros. has been handling the distribution of the recent Dune films and the Dune: Prophecy series on HBO. Now, those distribution rights are moving to Netflix, potentially opening up new possibilities for the franchise with things like spin-off shows, sequels, and short films. This change shouldn’t affect the planned release of Dune: Part Three in December 2026, as the deal with Netflix likely won’t be completed before then.
7) Lord of the Rings
Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema share the rights to make movies based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit, which are set in the world of Middle-earth. Although Warner Bros. currently handles the films, the overall ownership of The Lord of the Rings intellectual property actually belongs to the Embracer Group. Netflix is buying the existing movie and anime library—including The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and the anime film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim—allowing them to expand the franchise as the owner of the studio, but they won’t be able to independently plan entirely new projects.
6) The White Lotus
Even though it’s not a traditional franchise, Mike White’s The White Lotus has quickly become one of HBO’s biggest hits. A move to Netflix could significantly expand its audience. Netflix has a proven track record of successful shows like Squid Game, Stranger Things, Adolescence, and 3 Body Problem, so adding The White Lotus to their lineup would likely be a good fit. As The White Lotus prepares for its fourth season, its future remains bright despite the ongoing changes with HBO, HBO Max, and Warner Bros.’ streaming plans.
5) The Sopranos
Created by HBO between 1999 and 2007, The Sopranos is widely considered a landmark achievement in television and a prime example of high-quality drama from Warner Bros. Now, with its move to Netflix, the show is expected to be a major draw for subscribers. This acquisition also opens the door to potential spinoffs and sequels, not just for The Sopranos itself, but also for The Many Saints of Newark—the 2021 film that explored Tony Soprano’s younger years. This could establish The Sopranos as a much larger franchise under the Netflix banner.
4) The Matrix
With Netflix now owning the rights to The Matrix film series – which was previously co-produced and distributed by Warner Bros. – fans can expect to see the movies on the streaming platform. Warner Bros. recently released The Matrix Resurrections in 2021, and announced in April 2024 that a fifth Matrix film is in the works. It’s currently unknown how the Netflix deal will affect that new movie, but this acquisition could mean a much bigger future for the franchise, which many believe still has a lot of untapped potential.
3) Game of Thrones
During its eight seasons, Game of Thrones was a massive hit for HBO, becoming one of the most popular and influential TV shows ever made. Its success led to spinoffs like House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which will now be available on Netflix after the acquisition. While HBO had trouble developing these spinoffs, Netflix may be better equipped to expand the world of Westeros, potentially bringing more stories to life for fans.
2) Harry Potter
Netflix is set to gain control of the incredibly popular Wizarding World franchise, including the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films. This also affects the upcoming Harry Potter reboot series planned for HBO, potentially changing its future and any related sequels or spin-offs. The new series, starring Dominic McLaughlin, Alastair Stout, and Arabella Stanton as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, may now premiere on Netflix instead of HBO in 2027.
1) DC
With Netflix buying Warner Bros., many fans are wondering what will happen to DC’s movies and TV shows. However, the fact that James Gunn and Peter Safran are staying on as heads of DC Studios is reassuring, and Netflix’s involvement could actually benefit the new DC Universe. Netflix could provide a place for DC projects that aren’t suited for big-screen releases, allowing for more stories and characters to be explored. This is also potentially great news for upcoming DC TV shows, as they might find a new home on Netflix.
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2025-12-07 18:44