New shows and movies could be gracing your television screen soon at no extra cost.
That's because Netflix and Warner Bros Discovery just inked a new deal — where Netflix will take control of popular Warner Bros franchises such as the Harry Potter films, Superman, and Batman. The streaming giant will also get access to shows normally found on HBO, like Game of Thrones, White Lotus, and Succession.
“The combination of Netflix and Warner Bros creates a better Netflix for the long run,” said Ted Sarandos, a co-chief executive of Netflix. “In a world where people have so many choices, more choices than ever on how to spend their time, we can’t stand still.”
Netflix will take control of popular Warner Bros franchises such as the Harry Potter films, which could appear on your television screens soon if you have a Netflix subscription
| WARNER BROS/HBO/YOUTUBEYou could also gain access to classics such as Friends, which was originally supposed to be pulled from Netflix at the end of this year.
“By combining Warner Bros’ incredible library of shows and movies — from timeless classics like Casablanca and Citizen Kane to modern favourites like Harry Potter and Friends — with our culture-defining titles like Stranger Things, KPop Demon Hunters and Squid Game, we'll be able to do that even better,” Mr Sarandos said. “Together, we can give audiences more of what they love and help define the next century of storytelling.”
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This marks one of the most significant content-sharing agreements in recent years. By bringing more content under one roof, the deal could reduce the need for you to pay for multiple streaming subscriptions — saving you both time and money.
“This acquisition will improve our offering and accelerate our business for decades to come,” said Greg Peters, co-CEO of Netflix. “Warner Bros. has helped define entertainment for more than a century and continues to do so with phenomenal creative executives and production capabilities.
"With our global reach and proven business model, we can introduce a broader audience to the worlds they create — giving our members more options, attracting more fans to our best-in-class streaming service, strengthening the entire entertainment industry and creating more value for shareholders.”
There are three Netflix subscription tiers to choose from: Standard with ads, Standard without ads, and Premium
| PEXELSWhile the deal has been confirmed, Netflix has not yet announced an exact rollout date for when subscribers could begin seeing titles from the Warner Bros catalogue appear on the platform. The content could also be released gradually rather than all at once, allowing Netflix to spread releases throughout the year.
If you're looking to sign up or review your plan, Netflix subscriptions are currently available in three tiers:
- Standard with ads (£5.99): Watch on one device at a time with Full HD quality
- Standard without ads (£12.99): Watch on two devices at a time with Full HD quality and the option to add an extra member for an additional £4.99
- Premium (£18.99): Not only is it ad-free, but you can watch on four devices at a time and add up to two additional members