Netflix Will Be the New Owner of DC (What Does That Mean for James Gunn?)

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As a film buff, I’ve been watching the situation at Warner Bros. Discovery with a lot of interest – it’s been pretty wild! For months, they’ve been selling off a huge chunk of their properties, and it kicked off a massive bidding war. Everyone from Paramount and Comcast to Apple was trying to grab pieces of the company. But it looks like we have a winner now. Netflix is officially in exclusive talks with Warner Bros. Discovery, which basically means the auction is over. Unless something crazy happens with regulators or they change their minds, it seems like Netflix will own DC Studios within a few years. That’s a huge deal, and could really change the direction of the DC universe James Gunn and Peter Safran are building.

Netflix is set to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery after making a strong offer of $30 per share, with most of the payment in cash. The agreement includes a hefty $5 billion penalty if the deal falls through, demonstrating both companies’ commitment to completing it, even with potential antitrust concerns. The deal now requires a thorough review by the Department of Justice and approval from shareholders, a process expected to take 12 to 18 months. Despite legal challenges from Paramount questioning the fairness of the bidding, Warner’s board appears fully supportive of the acquisition by Netflix.

What’s the Potential Downside of Netflix Owning DC?

The biggest concern about Netflix buying DC Studios is Netflix’s history of avoiding big movie theater releases. For years, they’ve focused on streaming directly to subscribers, only releasing a few films in theaters to make them eligible for Oscars. This is very different from the recent success of DC Studios. James Gunn’s Superman movie showed that DC films can be huge hits in theaters, and taking those big movies away from cinemas would be a major loss for both theater owners and fans. Many people are struggling with the idea of a Justice League movie debuting on TV, especially after DC’s recent return to success at the box office.

Netflix seems to be changing how it delivers content, and the potential merger could speed up that process. In 2025, the company has been actively testing out movie theater events. For example, after becoming a huge hit on Netflix, the animated series KPop Demon Hunters was shown in theaters with a sing-along version in August, and it proved popular with subscribers who were eager to watch something together in person. Plus, Netflix plans to release the final episodes of Stranger Things in over 500 theaters this New Year’s Eve.

Netflix’s purchase of Warner Bros. gives them something they’ve never had before: a fully established system for distributing content around the world. This isn’t just about owning popular franchises like Barbie and Harry Potter; it’s about having the resources to release those titles effectively. Netflix might combine theatrical releases for big movies like DC films with streaming availability for other content. Importantly, the current lineup of DC movies is still confirmed. Fans can be assured that Supergirl, the scary Clayface story, and The Batman Part II are still scheduled for theatrical release as planned.

Netflix is expected to close the deal by late 2026.

Will Netflix continue to release DC films in cinemas? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-12-05 10:10