Inside Warner Bros. Discovery, Mood Shifts in Favor of Netflix Deal vs. Paramount Takeover
Variety • • general
Key Points:
- Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) employees now largely favor Netflix's acquisition of Warner Bros. studios and HBO Max over Paramount Skydance's bid, viewing Netflix as a more stable and preferable owner.
- Initial skepticism at WBD about Netflix's commitment to theatrical releases has diminished following direct engagement by Netflix co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters, who reassured staff about preserving Warner Bros.' legacy and operations.
- Paramount Skydance's aggressive cost-cutting and layoffs have raised concerns among WBD employees about potential job losses and cultural upheaval if Paramount wins the bid, especially given its ties to conservative politics and controversial moves at CBS News.
- Under the Netflix deal, WBD's networks like CNN and T
