Netflix announced its plans to acquire Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion in early December in a massive landmark deal that took the entertainment industry by storm. The acquisition, should it be completed, would include the HBO Max streaming service, the HBO network, and all the top-notch library content and franchises that come with it.
That includes iconic shows like The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, The Pitt, and even DC Universe projects, all of which would join the Netflix fold. But the news has fans wondering if this means that when it comes to streaming, HBO Max content would be folded into the Netflix app, requiring one subscription, likely a more expensive one, to access everything.
The short answer is no, at least not for a while. Netflix has assured its subscriber base that the two streaming services will continue to operate independently of one another for the foreseeable future, even though they will both be under Netflix ownership. So, Netflix shows will continue to be on Netflix and HBO Max shows on HBO Max, with some crossover that already exists. That doesn’t, however, mean things won’t change down the road.
What we know so far
Netflix has confirmed that, at least in the short term, Netflix will continue with its slate of offerings, and HBO Max and HBO will continue with theirs. This means those who only want Netflix content can continue to subscribe to that, and likewise, those who only want HBO Max can pay for that. But if other similar deals are any indication, that strategy may only be temporary until all the “Is” are dotted and “Ts” crossed on the deal.
Consider that with the Hulu and Disney merger, while the two streamers continued to operate independently for some time, with some titles available on both, the Hulu app will be integrated into Disney+ and fully phased out in 2026. So, there’s speculation that the same could happen with this deal, should it be completed. A similar situation happened with Paramount+ as well, which now offers Showtime content fully integrated into its Premium plan.
Since a completion of the acquisition could take upwards of a year, and there are still legal and regulatory hurdles to overcome, not to mention Paramount Skydance’s recent hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery to block the acquisition, there is plenty of time until sweeping changes.
Changes could come
Assuming the Warner Bros. deal goes through, Netflix’s wording to subscribers is vague about future changes. The company says nothing is changing “today,” there are “more steps to complete” before the deal is closed, and that subscribers will hear “when we have more to share.” You can already find some HBO and HBO Max shows on Netflix, like Ballers, Six Feet Under, and True Blood.
Since Netflix said upon announcement of this deal that its members will have “even more high-quality titles from which to choose,” it can be inferred that more HBO and HBO Max titles will be coming to Netflix. HBO Max may continue to exclusively stream titles like Friends. But chances are, it will only be a matter of time.
If these two top streaming services follow in Disney’s footsteps, we could eventually see HBO Max go the way of Hulu and cease to exist on its own. The good news is that if this happens, you can expect more value for the single service. The bad news is a likely price hike. More concerning, no matter how you access the content, however, is the fact that most streamers will be owned by only a few entities.
