The streaming world could be about to become even more consolidated than it already is. Earlier this week, Warner Bros. Discovery announced a price hike for its streaming service HBO Max, and on the same day, it also announced it was essentially putting up a for-sale sign on the entire company.
Now, three major tech companies have reportedly expressed interest in acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery, and the potential buyers looking to fork out billions of dollars probably won’t come as a shock to you.
According to Bloomberg, Netflix, Amazon, and Apple have all expressed interest in acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery, either entirely or partially, such as only its film and TV library and production assets.
Reportedly, Paramount was one of the first companies to submit multiple offers for the company, but sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that all of them were rejected for being too low. Given the level of interest Warner Bros. Discovery is drawing, the company is reportedly preparing nondisclosure agreements for potential buyers to sign this week before sharing any confidential financial information. All this makes it seem as if a bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery could be about to ignite.
Warner Bros. Discovery has a lot of content under its belt
The company is still planning on splitting in two
Given Warner Bros. Discovery’s extensive content library, it’s no surprise that major companies like Netflix, Amazon, and Apple might compete for it. Warner Bros. Discovery owns numerous movie and TV brands, such as HBO, DC Studios, and CNN, along with its flagship film studio, Warner Bros., which has produced movies like Barbie and the Harry Potter film series.
Netflix already hosts several major franchises, such as Stranger Things and The Witcher, and Amazon has acquired MGM, which includes classic franchises like James Bond and Rocky. Apple, on the other hand, doesn’t really have any blockbuster franchises, but it does have a few popular Apple TV hits, such as Severance and The Studio. However, by acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery, any of the three companies, could rapidly expand their portfolios by adding everything under Warner Bros. Discovery’s scope.
Earlier this year, Warner Bros. Discovery announced plans to split into two companies: one for its streaming and movie business, and another for its cable TV brands, such as CNN, TNT, and Discovery. For now, those plans are still in motion. But if an agreement is reached with a potential buyer, that could change quickly.
