9 Major Franchises Netflix Will Own After the Warner Bros. Deal

If Netflix successfully acquires Warner Bros., it will gain access to a huge library of popular franchises. Warner Bros. has a massive collection of well-known properties, including classic cartoons, famous superheroes, and grand fantasy stories.

Even though the agreement isn’t final, it’s worth thinking about what could happen. This could be Netflix’s biggest purchase ever, moving beyond traditional films and prestige movies. If the deal with Warner Bros. goes through, expect to see popular franchises added to Netflix.

‘Dune’

Warner Bros. Pictures

Frank Herbert’s celebrated science fiction series, Dune, has been successfully brought to the big screen by Warner Bros. The story, which centers on a planetary civil war fueled by the fight for resources and questions of leadership, delivered a captivating cinematic experience. The franchise’s award-winning success is thanks to Denis Villeneuve’s two Dune films and the spin-off series, Dune: Prophecy.

I’m really excited about the future of Dune! Even though it’s relatively new to Netflix, there’s so much potential. Frank Herbert wrote a ton of books, and his son Brian continued the series, meaning there’s a huge amount of story to tell. Plus, Denis Villeneuve is already planning the third movie, which will cover Dune: Messiah, so if Netflix picks it up, we’re in for a lot more adventures on Arrakis with all the spice and giant worms!

‘Mortal Kombat’

Warner Bros. Pictures

Warner Bros. has been successfully building on the popularity of Mortal Kombat in recent years. After acquiring the rights to the classic 1990s fighting game – famous for its over-the-top finishing moves – following Midway Games’ financial difficulties, Warner Bros. has released a string of connected animated Mortal Kombat movies and recently launched a live-action film series that’s gaining momentum.

As video games increasingly become major movie franchises, Mortal Kombat would be a great addition to Netflix’s lineup. The franchise already boasts a dedicated fanbase and continues to be popular. Warner Bros. has even previously built two cinematic universes around it. While Netflix has adapted some video games before, Mortal Kombat would be a significantly larger and more impactful project. It could give Netflix a huge following among gamers, similar to how Paramount has Sonic and Universal has Mario.

‘Looney Tunes’

Ketchup Entertainment

Few cartoons are as well-known as the hilarious adventures of Looney Tunes. Characters like Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck have been a classic part of Saturday morning television for generations. The series has continued to be popular through various TV shows, such as Duck Dodgers and New Looney Tunes, and even movies that sometimes combine animation with live actors, like Space Jam and Looney Tunes: Back in Action.

As a big fan, I really think Netflix would be the perfect home for the Looney Tunes! It’s amazing how much everyone, from kids to their grandparents, still loves those characters. But Warner Bros. seems to be cancelling a lot of Looney Tunes projects lately, which is a shame. They even shelved a couple of finished movies, like The Day Earth Blew Up and Coyote vs. Acme, and sold them off elsewhere. I’m hoping Netflix will take a chance on more of these kinds of projects so we can finally have a consistent place to watch Bugs, Daffy, and all the rest of the gang!

‘The Matrix’

Warner Bros.

The film The Matrix dramatically changed action movies with its groundbreaking visual effects. The story of Neo’s adventures in a machine-controlled digital world featured incredible martial arts sequences with wirework and famously slowed-down action. The innovative ‘bullet-time’ effect, which showed gunfights in slow motion, became so well-known that it was often imitated and parodied by the early 2000s.

Created by the Wachowskis, The Matrix is more than just a visually stunning film – it’s become a cultural phenomenon. The movie launched a series of sequels and an animated series, showing the richness of its world. It also inspired numerous books exploring its thought-provoking premise: the idea that our reality might not be what it seems. The Matrix remains a cornerstone of both the action and science fiction genres, and a key title in those categories on streaming services like Netflix.

‘MonsterVerse’

Warner Bros.

Warner Bros.’ MonsterVerse delivers plenty of exciting monster action, bringing together iconic titans like Godzilla and King Kong. Fans who’ve long awaited a rematch between these two city-smashing giants have been rewarded with films like Godzilla vs. Kong and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.

The MonsterVerse franchise would be a great addition to Netflix, which already offers several Godzilla and Kong titles. They currently stream the anime film Godzilla: Planet of the Monsters and the Skull Island animated series. Adding the MonsterVerse would make Netflix the primary home for this franchise, with the exception of the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters series on Apple TV+.

‘Lord of the Rings’

New Line Cinema

Peter Jackson’s film adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved The Lord of the Rings novels was a huge success. The story of Frodo’s quest to destroy a powerful ring captivated audiences in three spectacular movies. The films, known for their large cast and stunning special effects, even won an Academy Award for Best Picture. After the initial success with New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. continued to support Jackson’s vision by funding another trilogy based on The Hobbit.

The stories set in Middle-earth continue to captivate audiences, making it one of Warner Bros.’s most successful fantasy franchises. The Lord of the Rings trilogy, with its stunning New Zealand landscapes and beautiful score by Howard Shore, remains timeless. It’s likely this popular series would also thrive as part of Netflix’s fantasy collection.

‘Harry Potter’

The Harry Potter books became incredibly popular with young readers, and the movies were just as successful. The story of a young wizard discovering his powers created a thrilling fantasy adventure told across eight films. Before superheroes took over the movie world, Harry Potter’s fight against the evil Voldemort was the big draw for audiences throughout the 2000s.

Although plans for a lengthy prequel series didn’t come to fruition, the Harry Potter films still represent a strong and beloved collection. It’s fascinating to rewatch them and see how the actors, like Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, matured throughout the series. Because of their lasting impact, Harry Potter fans will likely continue to enjoy watching all the movies in marathon sessions on platforms like Netflix.

‘Game of Thrones’

HBO

Based on the popular fantasy novels by George R.R. Martin, Game of Thrones quickly became one of HBO’s most captivating shows. This gritty medieval fantasy is full of political scheming, shocking betrayals, and constant danger. With the book series potentially remaining unfinished, the struggle for power in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros became essential viewing for many.

Despite the divisive finale, Game of Thrones remains a captivating show worth revisiting. The cast is fantastic, the world-building is stunning, and the stories don’t shy away from darkness. It’s a gritty fantasy epic, similar in tone to Netflix’s The Witcher.

‘DC Comics’

Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

As a long-time follower of superhero films, I’ve watched DC Comics and Warner Bros. have a pretty solid partnership since the 70s. That relationship has given us so many iconic Superman and Batman movies and shows over the years – and it’s still delivering! Right now feels particularly promising. Matt Reeves really nailed a darker, more realistic vibe with The Batman, and James Gunn seems to be injecting a much-needed dose of heart into the new Superman film. Honestly, it’s a great time to be a DC fan.

DC Comics has a longer track record of movies and shows than any other Warner Bros. franchise. From the groundbreaking Superman film in the 1970s to Christopher Nolan’s hugely successful Dark Knight trilogy, there’s a wealth of superhero content. And that doesn’t even include their many TV series, ranging from the critically acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series to the recently popular My Adventures with Superman. Given that HBO Max already features a large collection of DC content, Netflix could potentially create something similar.

2025-12-07 01:20