The grandson of Warner Bros.' founder Jack Warner has expressed concerns over the studio's sale to Netflix, and what it means for the future of its film distribution.
"The potential sale of WBD does not sit well with me," Gregory Orr told The Hollywood Reporter last week, before the sale was confirmed on Friday (December 5). "The industry stands at a crossroads and Netflix does too. It would be buying the deep assets of WB, which includes a successful creative management team and an unmatched theatrical distribution arm."
The streaming giant bought Warner Bros., which has released 2025 hits like Superman, Sinners, and Weapons, for $82.7 billion last week. Historically, Netflix has only given its movies limited theatrical releases (like Knives Out 3, AKA Wake Up Dead Man), with titles hitting just a small number of theaters for a maximum of two weeks.
"Netflix would have to enlarge the idea of itself as not just a streaming pioneer, but a steward of a very worthy and necessary theatrical experience," he continued. "Watching a screen at home is convenient and pleasurable, but it's not the same as watching a shared screen in a movie theater. And in this world of fewer shared experiences and growing isolation, being with others in a dark theater seems a necessary resource for our mental health."
Warner Bros. owns HBO and DC Studios, as well as franchises like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, which will now fall under Netflix's ownership. "The idea of only making 'content' is such a low bar for the medium of film and TV," Orr added. "It's like saying all paintings need only satisfy the needs of a dental waiting room."
For more on what to watch, check out our guide to the best upcoming movies on the way in 2025 and beyond.
