Disney (and others) at the Box Office - Current State of Affairs

[Ghost93]

Hopefully the Netflix acquisition is stopped. It would be terrible for the industry and for movie theaters.

 

[Disney Irish]

The deal is done as far as WBD and N are concerned. Offer accepted. Many previous meetings. Contractual obligations are now in place while approval is pending requiring WBD to continue as is, with limits on spending for new projects.

The doesn't seem odd, nefarious, or a breach in protocol to me.

As I said I can't remember any other CEO of the acquiring company doing a site visit like this prior to close, its typically done after the close once its in the acquisition process. Not saying its nefarious or some breach in protocol, just saying its not typical as it should have been done prior to entering into the acquisition process.

 

[Disney Irish]

Hopefully the Netflix acquisition is stopped. It would be terrible for the industry and for movie theaters.

I have a feeling its not going to pass the regulatory process, especially in the EU.

 

[Disney Irish]

So this is why it was rushed, Zaslav didn't want to lose his golden goose -

A Sprint Towards a Deal, Then An Ultimatum: How Netflix Won Warner Bros.

It took just six weeks between the first phone call between Ted Sarandos and David Zaslav and the streaming giant inking its $82.7 billion deal for the studio empire.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

So didn't matter if any other bidder wasn't done bidding, it was "either sign now or we walk".

 

[Disney Irish]

Looks like our Canadian members may have some issues with content if this is finalized, say bye bye to Crave and prepare to pony up for Netflix if you still want that same content -

Opinion: A Netflix deal for Warner means curtains for Crave unless Canadian regulators step in

Acquiring HBO assets would hollow out the offerings on Canadian streamer

www.theglobeandmail.com

 

[Disney Analyst]

Looks like our Canadian members may have some issues with content if this is finalized, say bye bye to Crave and prepare to pony up for Netflix if you still want that same content -

Opinion: A Netflix deal for Warner means curtains for Crave unless Canadian regulators step in

Acquiring HBO assets would hollow out the offerings on Canadian streamer

www.theglobeandmail.com

A nightmare scenario. The death of the Canadian content crave creates.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Hopefully the Netflix acquisition is stopped. It would be terrible for the industry and for movie theaters.

The die appears to be cast there regardless

 

[coffeefan]

Hey @coffeefan, this is part of the overall deal that WB signed with Tom Cruise last year -

Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group And Tom Cruise To Jointly Develop And Produce Original And Franchise Theatrical Films Starring Cruise Beginning In 2024 Under Newly Formed Strategic Partnership - Warner Bros. Discovery

Warner Bros. Discovery, a premier global media and entertainment company, offers audiences the world's most differentiated and complete portfolio of content, brands and franchises across television, film, streaming and gaming. The new company combines WarnerMedia's premium entertainment, sports...

www.wbd.com

Has nothing to do with this Netflix acquisition or proof they will be releasing movies in the future, as I assume is why you posted it.

That post had nothing to do with Netflix. I always post trailers or news of movies that interest me.

I think you're spiraling.

 

[Disney Irish]

A nightmare scenario. The death of the Canadian content crave creates.

Certainly doesn't look good that is for sure.

 

[Disney Irish]

That post had nothing to do with Netflix. I always post trailers or news of movies that interest me.

I think you're spiraling.

Not at all, I was just making the point if that was what you were getting at by posting it.

I have my opinion on the Netflix thing, I still think there is a strong possibility it doesn't go through, but have come to terms if it does.

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

Looks like our Canadian members may have some issues with content if this is finalized, say bye bye to Crave and prepare to pony up for Netflix if you still want that same content -

Opinion: A Netflix deal for Warner means curtains for Crave unless Canadian regulators step in

Acquiring HBO assets would hollow out the offerings on Canadian streamer

www.theglobeandmail.com

Crave still has a deal for HBO content for a few years if I'm not mistaken.

Crave started as a standalone for $10 or so monthly with HBO as an optional add-on for a total of $20 or so. At some point the bundle became mandatory.

Clearly, HBO being mandatory was seen as beneficial for Crave, but it's unknown if they lack the ability to survive without it.

So this would be a negative blow against Crave, but it doesn't automatically mean the service would die. That's the question, is the mandatory bundle necessary for Crave, or just better?

 

[Disney Irish]

Crave still has a deal for HBO content for a few years if I'm not mistaken.

Crave started as a standalone for $10 or so monthly with HBO as an optional add-on for a total of $20 or so. At some point the bundle became mandatory.

Clearly, HBO being mandatory was seen as beneficial for Crave, but it's unknown if they lack the ability to survive without it.

So this would be a negative blow against Crave, but it doesn't automatically mean the service would die. That's the question, is the mandatory bundle necessary for Crave, or just better?

If the bundle became mandatory, then that indicates it didn't think it could survive without it. You don't do something as mandatory if it was just "better". And given that HBO is Crave's primary content supplier and why a majority of its subscribers are there, if Netflix removes that content the service becomes a hollow version of itself meaning its days are numbered, ie large subscriber loss.

Also the exact terms of the extension from last year is unknown, by the time this closes in 2026/2027 that extension might be expired.

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

If the bundle became mandatory, then that indicates it didn't think it could survive without it. You don't do something as mandatory if it was just "better". And given that HBO is Crave's primary content supplier and why a majority of its subscribers are there, if Netflix removes that content the service becomes a hollow version of itself meaning its days are numbered, ie large subscriber loss.

Also the exact terms of the extension from last year is unknown, by the time this closes in 2026/2027 that extension might be expired.

Not necessarily.

Disney+ is merging with Hulu to be more cost effective and increase revenue, but it doesn't mean Disney+ was not going to survive otherwise.

The same is true here.

 

[Disney Irish]

Not necessarily.

Disney+ is merging with Hulu to be more cost effective and increase revenue, but it doesn't mean Disney+ was not going to survive otherwise.

The same is true here.

Completely different scenario as you're talking about two streamers under the same company with D+ and Hulu merging, ie they didn't remove any content as part of that. The same content is still available in the merged service, and technically still available in Hulu until the service is shuttered completely. That isn't what is happening here with Crave.

Crave used to also have Paramount content, but when Paramount+ was launch Paramount removed all their content. The reason it survived is because of the exclusivity deal with WB for HBO content, ie only place to get HBO content in Canada. The idea that they can survive without any the partnered content when Netflix removes HBO content is pretty flimsy at best, as what would they have left? Some local CBC shows and thats it? Why pay for a streamer to get the same content you can already get elsewhere in Canada? The whole reason to get Crave was the licensed content from US streamers like HBO, if that is gone its pretty worthless as a streamer, which is the whole point of the author of the article.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Completely different scenario as you're talking about two streamers under the same company with D+ and Hulu merging, ie they didn't remove any content as part of that. The same content is still available in the merged service, and technically still available in Hulu until the service is shuttered completely. That isn't what is happening here with Crave.

Crave used to also have Paramount content, but when Paramount+ was launch Paramount removed all their content. The reason it survived is because of the exclusivity deal with WB for HBO content, ie only place to get HBO content in Canada. The idea that they can survive without any the partnered content when Netflix removes HBO content is pretty flimsy at best, as what would they have left? Some local CBC shows and thats it? Why pay for a streamer to get the same content you can already get elsewhere in Canada? The whole reason to get Crave was the licensed content from US streamers like HBO, if that is gone its pretty worthless as a streamer, which is the whole point of the author of the article.

and it would likely be a nail in the coffin for Drag Race Canada, and other Crave Originals.

 

[Disney Irish]

and it would likely be a nail in the coffin for Drag Race Canada, and other Crave Originals.

Which means is not only Netflix taking out the 4th largest streaming in the world by eventually merging and removing HBO, but also the #1 largest Canadian owned streaming service.

Take from what you will....

 

[Serpico Jones]

 

[Disney Irish]

So this person is saying they think the Netflix merger will fail too?

 

[Serpico Jones]

So this person is saying they think the Netflix merger will fail too?

Yes. Every company that has owned WB over the last 30 years has come to regret it almost immediately.

 

[Serpico Jones]