Paramount trumps Netflix in the battle for Warner Bros.

Just a few days after Netflix announced to customers it would be acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), Paramount Skydance has followed up with an even more aggressive offer: US$108.4 billion in cash for WBD’s entire portfolio. 

Netflix’s offer of US$82.7 billion in cash and stock was accepted by Warner Bros. Discovery late last week. That deal included Warner Bros. film and television assets, as well as HBO and streaming service HBO Max, but would split out the Discovery part of Warner Bros. Discovery into a separate publicly traded company, Discovery Global. That company would retain cable TV brands like CNN, TNT and Discovery. 

Paramount Skydance’s larger offer, on the other hand, would be for the entire company, Discovery and CNN included. 

Netflix vs. Paramount

Netflix already faced an uphill battle with its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. Not only was there an outcry from within the industry, with detractors like James Cameron, Jane Fonda and Cinema United CEO Michael O’Leary, but the acquisition still needs to be approved by regulatory bodies in the US and EU.

Another individual who flagged concerns over Netflix's market share was none other than President Donald Johnald Trump. 

It’s not surprising when you realise how many fingers the Commander-in-Chief has in this particular pie. Not only is Donald Trump cosy with Larry Ellison, the owner of Paramount Skydance, but Trump’s own son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is involved in the acquisition too.

Kushner’s investment firm, Affinity Partners (in partnership with Abu Dhabi), helped raise the cash funds for Paramount Skydance’s latest offer. This investor “consortium” last collaborated on the US$55 billion takeover of Electronic Arts, a video game company commonly known as EA that develops long-running franchises like FIFA (now FC), Battlefield, The Sims, Madden and more.

So while Netflix doesn't seem interested in keeping cinema seats filled, it also doesn't have anyone on staff who has sired three heirs to the authoritarian regime that recently succeeded in taking a major critic off the air and then attempting to take out another. 

Which outcome is better?

You know, that's hard to say. It's a little like Alien vs. Predator or Freddy vs. Jason. Whoever wins, we lose. Netflix seems to have no love for the communal cinema-going experience and would rather you never leave your lounge. Paramount, on the other hand, is both funded and supported by a President whose major stake in this whole affair seems to be getting Rush Hour 4 made, second to helping the father of his grandchildren, of course. 

It's not time to call it yet. Warner Bros. and HBO have had a hallmark year with TV shows like The Chair Company, IT: Welcome to Derry, I Love LA and Peacemaker, and blockbuster movies, like Weapons, Sinners, Superman and One Battle After Another. But if the deal does go through, it might be worth considering switching to a streaming service that's less... entangled with the worst people you can think of. Be warned, your options are slim and getting slimmer:

	Plan	Price	Details
AMC+ Bundle	AMC+ Bundle TV 7-day free trial TV 7-day free trial HD 1080p · 5 devices at once AMC+, Shudder & Acorn TV Annual: $83.88/yr (save $24) From $8.99/mth or $83.88/yr View Plan	From $8.99/mth or $83.88/yr	View Plan
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Apple TV	Apple TV TV + movies 7-day free trial TV + movies 7-day free trial 4K UHD · 6 (with Family Sharing) Annual: $129/yr (save $62.88) From $15.99/mth or $129/yr View Plan	From $15.99/mth or $129/yr	View Plan
Kayo Sports	Kayo Sports Sport 7-day free trial Sport 7-day free trial 4K UHD · 2 devices at once Deal: 1 month for $1 From $29.99/mth View Plan	From $29.99/mth	View Plan
DAZN	DAZN Sport Sport HD 1080p · 2 devices at once Annual: From $149.99/yr (save $223.89) From $31.99/mth or $149.99/yr View Plan	From $31.99/mth or $149.99/yr	View Plan
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Paramount+	Paramount+ TV + movies + sport 7-day free trial TV + movies + sport 7-day free trial 4K UHD · 4 devices at once Annual: From $70.99/yr (save up to $55.89) From $7.99/mth or $70.99/yr Link not supplied	From $7.99/mth or $70.99/yr	Link not supplied
Stan.	Stan. TV + movies + sport TV + movies + sport 4K UHD · 4 devices at once From $9.99/mth Link not supplied	From $9.99/mth	Link not supplied
HBO Max	HBO Max TV + movies TV + movies 4K UHD · 4 devices at once Annual: From $119.99yr (save up to $43.89) From $11.99/mth or $119.99yr Link not supplied	From $11.99/mth or $119.99yr	Link not supplied
BritBox	BritBox TV 7-day free trial TV 7-day free trial 4K UHD · 4 devices at once Annual: $139.99/yr (save $27.89) From $13.99/mth or $139.99/yr Link not supplied	From $13.99/mth or $139.99/yr	Link not supplied
MUBI	MUBI Movies 7-day free trial Movies 7-day free trial 4K UHD · 2 devices at once Annual: $119.88/yr (save $60) From $14.99/mth or $119.88/yr Link not supplied	From $14.99/mth or $119.88/yr	Link not supplied

Brodie Fogg

Managing Editor - Streaming

Brodie Fogg is WhistleOut Australia's Managing Editor for Streaming. He's been writing about tech, streaming, games and telco since 2015. He previously managed a team of entertainment editors at Finder, and has also appeared on 7NEWS.

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