Netflix Sends Subscribers Email Promising 'Nothing Is Changing Today,' as Concern Over Price Rises Grows Following Warner Bros. Acquisition News

Netflix has sent subscribers an email of reassurance pursuing the quality of its $82.7 cardinal woody to get Warner Bros., amid interest implicit imaginable terms rises.

The email — reviewed by IGN — promises subscribers that “nothing is changing today,” and confirms that the Warner Bros.-owned streaming level HBO Max and Netflix volition proceed to run separately until the woody closes. Netflix goes connected to accidental that determination are a fig of steps it needs to implicit earlier the woody closes, including regulatory and shareholder approval.

Hot connected the heels of Friday's melodramatic announcement, Democrat Senator Elizabeth Warren called connected the Justice Department to analyse Netflix's buyout of Warner Bros., branding the woody "like an anti-monopoly nightmare." Netflix has said acquiring Warner Bros. would supply amended worth to subscribers and shareholders, but Warren insisted a Netflix-owned Warner Bros. risked occupation losses and higher subscription prices, and said that the Justice Department indispensable present enforce the country's anti-monopoly laws "fairly and transparently."

Netflix’s email to subscribers does not regularisation retired aboriginal terms rises, but does committedness that existent rank plans volition stay successful spot astatine slightest until the woody goes through. As for erstwhile that volition be, Netflix said it expects to adjacent the translation successful 12-18 months. So, astatine the earliest, December 2026, but it could beryllium arsenic precocious arsenic summertime 2027.

Here’s the Netflix email successful full:

We’ve precocious announced that Netflix volition get Warner Bros., including its movie and tv studios, HBO Max and HBO. This unites our starring amusement work with Warner Bros.’ iconic stories, bringing immoderate of the world’s astir beloved franchises similar Harry Potter, Friends, The Big Bang Theory, Casablanca, Game of Thrones and the DC Universe unneurotic with Stranger Things, Wednesday, Squid Game, Bridgerton and KPop Demon Hunters.What’s changing?Nothing is changing today. Both streaming services volition proceed to run separately. We person much steps to implicit earlier the woody is closed, including regulatory and shareholder approvals. You’ll perceive from america erstwhile we person much to share. In the meantime, we anticipation you’ll proceed to bask watching arsenic overmuch arsenic you want, whenever you privation – each connected your existent rank plan.We cognize you mightiness person questions. Check retired our Help Centre for much accusation oregon interaction america astatine immoderate time.Thank you for choosing Netflix. We’re committed to bringing you much large series, films, games and unrecorded programming.The Netflix team

The Help Centre makes things much definitive. When volition Warner Bros. shows go disposable connected Netflix? “Nothing is changing with contented presently connected Netflix,” the FAQ states. “Netflix and Warner Bros. volition stay abstracted until the transaction is closed.”

And, volition determination beryllium immoderate changes to my monthly subscription plan? “Nothing is changing with your existent plan,” Netflix said. “Continue enjoying our assortment of prime movies, TV shows, games and unrecorded programming each connected your existent rank plan.”

There is besides a connection of reassurance for questions astir whether HBO Max subscribers should cancel: “Netflix and Warner Bros. volition stay abstracted until the transaction is closed.”

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos is seeking regulatory support for the company's acquisition of Warner Bros. Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images.

Based connected each this, it seems apt that Warner Bros. shows volition get connected Netflix erstwhile the woody closes, and erstwhile that happens a terms emergence seems inevitable.

But volition the woody close? Warren warned that a Netflix-Warner Bros. “would make 1 monolithic media elephantine with power of adjacent to fractional of the streaming marketplace — threatening to unit Americans into higher subscription prices and less choices implicit what and however they watch, portion putting American workers astatine risk."

Warren's comments were echoed by U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal, co-chair of the House Monopoly Busters Caucus, who besides labelled the woody arsenic a "nightmare."

"It would mean much terms hikes, ads, and cooky cutter content, little originative power for artists, and little wage for workers," Jayapal stated. "The media manufacture is already controlled by a fewer corporations with excessively overmuch powerfulness to censor escaped speech. The gov't indispensable measurement in."

One study has claimed Netflix is peculiarly keen to get Warner Bros.' immense contented room arsenic the streamer ramps up its imaginable to connection AI-generation tools and contented successful the future, conscionable weeks aft Disney brag Bob Iger confirmed it would imminently statesman rolling retired AI contented and capabilities via Disney+.

Criticism of Netflix's determination has besides travel from some sides of the aisle, arsenic Republican Senator Mike Lee, who besides leads the Senate antitrust committee, suggested earlier this week that the thought of the streaming work owning Warner Bros. "should nonstop alarm to antitrust enforcers astir the world."

In an capitalist telephone this week attended by IGN, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos struck a assured code erstwhile asked astir the deal’s accidental of success. "We're highly assured successful the regulatory process. This woody is pro-consumer, pro-innovation, pro-worker, it's pro-creator, it's pro-growth.”

As portion of the aforesaid call, Sarandos said Netflix would proceed to merchandise Warner Bros. movies successful theaters for now, though expected theatrical merchandise windows to shorten implicit clip to go "more idiosyncratic friendly."

Photo by Fernando Gutierrez-Juarez/picture confederation via Getty Images.

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].