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Netflix and Paramount's bidding war over Warner Bros, explained

Is anyone ever going to prioritize the art of cinema or are we asking for too much?
 By 
Belen Edwards
 and 
Teodosia Dobriyanova
 on 
A collage shows WB as an octopus on the foreground (in the middle) with two sharks on each of its sides (one representing Netflix and one - Paramount). Hollywood hill is seen on the background.
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On Friday, December 5, Netflix announced that it would be acquiring Warner Bros. in a deal worth $82.7 billion. That made them the winners of a bidding war that kicked off in September, when Paramount just out of nowhere went, "hey, Warner Bros., mind if I buy you?" But Paramount's not quitting just yet. On Monday, December 8, Paramount launched its own hostile takeover bid of Warner Bros. with an offer worth $108.4 billion. 

What is going on? Why is everyone going after Warner Bros.? And how is this going to impact TV and film going forward? Let's break it down.


Topics Film Netflix

A woman in a white sweater with shoulder-length brown hair.
Belen Edwards
Entertainment Reporter

Belen Edwards is an Entertainment Reporter at Mashable. She covers movies and TV with a focus on fantasy and science fiction, adaptations, animation, and more nerdy goodness. She is a member of the Critics Choice Association and the Television Critics Association, as well as a Tomatometer-approved critic.

Picture of Teodosia
Teodosia Dobriyanova
Video Producer

Teodosia is a video producer at Mashable UK, focussing on stories about climate resilience, urban development, and social good.


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