Trump airs doubt about Netflix acquisition of Warner Bros

AFP/APP

Washington: US President Donald Trump on Sunday expressed reservations about Netflix’s bid to acquire iconic Hollywood studio Warner Bros., saying the streaming platform already holds “a very large market share” and warning that “it could be a problem.”

“I’ll be involved in that decision,” Trump said upon arriving at the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony, referring to the regulatory review of the nearly $83 billion deal, which has sparked antitrust concerns and criticism from Hollywood insiders.

Trump also praised Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, who recently visited the White House, calling him someone who has done “one of the greatest jobs in the history of movies.”

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If approved in its current form, the acquisition would see Netflix absorb HBO Max and Warner Bros. studios—producer of classics such as Casablanca and Citizen Kane and recent hits like Barbie.

The deal would hand Netflix a vast content library, including the Harry Potter films, Lord of the Rings saga, and DC superhero franchises such as Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.

However, the sale would exclude Warner Bros.’ television channels, including Discovery and CNN, which would be spun off beforehand.

Warner Bros. Discovery put itself up for sale in October after receiving multiple unsolicited offers, outpacing interest from Comcast and Paramount’s Skydance Media. Paramount chief David Ellison is known to be a major backer of Trump.