Trump also added that antitrust authorities may express their disagreement with the merger of the two powerful companies, which will lead to a lengthy review process by the Department of Justice. It is expected that the antitrust division of the agency may claim that the deal violates laws, as the combined market share will exceed permissible limits.
On the other hand, Netflix plans to argue its position by stating that there are other streaming services in the market, such as YouTube and TikTok, which should reduce the level of alleged dominance by Netflix.
The Hollywood Writers Guild has also opposed this deal, expressing concerns that it could lead to job cuts, lower wages, and reduced workloads in the industry. According to the Financial Times, representatives of the film industry and influential unions have already called on authorities to halt the deal. Actress Jane Fonda emphasized that this step threatens the entire entertainment industry.
On December 5, it was reported that Netflix intends to acquire the Warner Bros. holding, including HBO and HBO Max, for a sum of $82.7 billion. The deal was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies. Previously, a deal between Skydance and Paramount for $8 billion was completed, which also raised concerns among film industry representatives about a reduction in buyers in the film and television series market.
Greg Peters, one of the CEOs of Netflix, stated that acquiring Warner Bros. will allow the company to increase production in the U.S. and continue investing in original content.
The closing of the deal is expected no earlier than the third quarter of 2026, as the Department of Justice will need to conduct an investigation to determine whether to challenge the deal. According to The Wall Street Journal, the agency has already begun to examine how the merger of these companies will affect Netflix's dominance in the media sector. Such processes typically take at least 10 months.
According to information from WSJ, some officials in the DOJ believe that the merger of Netflix and HBO Max could violate antitrust laws due to the significant share they will control in the U.S. streaming services market—about 30 percent.
If the deal is approved, Netflix will gain control not only over Warner Bros.' production facilities but also the HBO channel, HBO Max streaming, as well as extensive libraries of films and series, including hits like "The Sopranos," "Game of Thrones," "Friends," "The Big Bang Theory," and the Harry Potter universe.
