In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, No Film School founder Ryan Koo and host GG Hawkins, along with producer and guest Ana Liza Muravina, dig into the ramifications of the news that Netflix is bidding (or may be outbid by Paramount) to acquire Warner Brothers — and what this massive consolidation could mean for the future of theatrical film, streaming, and the livelihoods of filmmakers.In this episode, we discuss:How theatrical attendance has been in decline for decades, long before COVID — from the post–World War II boom through the arrival of television, home video, and streaming.Why the recent surge in acquisitions and mergers (from Comcast/Universal, Disney/Fox, Amazon/MGM, to the potential Netflix–Warner deal) spells trouble for market competition in both production and distribution.What consolidation means for filmmakers trying to get projects financed and sold — fewer buyers, fewer distribution windows, and diminished bidding wars that once supported indie and mid‑budget films.The potential financial upside for studios and executives (like David Zaslav), contrasted with the limited upside — or none — for writers, directors, actors, and other creative laborers.The possible benefits of global streaming platforms: ability to reach worldwide audiences, support for diverse or niche stories (e.g., a basketball movie about a young Black player), and access for filmmakers outside traditional Hollywood systems.How now more than ever filmmakers might need to pivot: embrace scrappy, independent means of production/distribution, build creative communities, and consider alternate funding — rather than relying on traditional studio financing and residual structures.That this may be...
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Published By: NoFilmSchool - Yesterday
- 2 days
- The Warner Bros Sale May Take Months or Years to Sort Out
NoFilmSchool (Yesterday) - Warner Bros. officially put itself up for sale only a few months ago, and bids came in like wildfire. It's hard to believe that less than 60 days ago it seemed like we'd have a pause in Hollywood's consolidation, but that was never going to happen. After Netflix emerged as... - 3 days
- David Ellison Sweetens His Hostile Takeover By Promising to Release 30 Theatrical Movies A Year NoFilmSchool (2 days ago) - Right now, there are multiple companies in the middle trying to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. It started with a ton of bids, and then Netflix won out, but now Paramount Skydance, led by David Ellison, is attempting a hostile takeover by offering a higher shareholder price. And after all this...
- Paramount Launches Hostile $108 Billion Bid for Warner Bros Discovery – Complete Acquisition Challenges Netflix Streaming Deal
CineD (2 days ago) - Paramount has mounted a hostile $108 billion takeover bid for Warner Bros Discovery, directly challenging Netflix’s $83 billion agreement we covered last week. The $30-per-share counter-offer bypasses Warner Bros Discovery’s board and targets shareholders directly, positioning Paramount’s complete acquisition against Netflix’s streaming-focused partial deal that excludes CNN and other cable... - Warner Bros risk talent exodus over Trump-Ellison deal. Who will follow Christopher Nolan and jump ship next?
EOSHD.com blog (2 days ago) - From a British perspective I can only look at America right now in total despair. It’s like watching the Soviet Union in the mid 1990s. The film industry is under a huge amount of pressure at the moment from all angles – now the last remaining great Hollywood studio... - Hollywood Unions Share Big Concerns With Netflix About Their WBD Takeover NoFilmSchool (3 days ago) - Hollywood is pretty worried about what Netflix taking over Warner Bros is going to look like and what's going to cost. Will theatrical suffer? Who's getting fired? What about people with overall deals there or movies pending release? Well, now some of their biggest unions are speaking out. Let's dive...
- What Movie Studios Are Left (and Who Holds the Top IPs)? NoFilmSchool (3 days ago) - I was talking to my manager about finding producers on a spec and then which studios we could take the story to. And then I was like...wait, who can we take it to? Which movie studios are left?So far, the 2020s have been marked by consolidation, and we're only going...
- 4 days
- It Ain't Over—Paramount Makes New Bid for WBD NoFilmSchool (3 days ago) - Just days after Netflix announced its $82.7 billion deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery's studio and streaming assets, Paramount Skydance is taking the fight directly to shareholders with a hostile takeover bid.Paramount announced Monday that it's offering $30 per share in all-cash for the entirety of Warner Bros. Discovery—including the...
