₦airaland Forum

Fro5t:
Was first introduced to him as Shang Tsung in Mortal Kombat (1995). Would go on to enjoy his craft in different media from live-action roles to voice work. His narration of the Overwatch cinematic short, Dragons, is absolutely majestic to this day.

Rest in peace, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa.

I know this dude.

Always playing the Chinese/Japanese bad guy in 1990s B-action movies.

Around this period last year, I had the impression that Snyder fans were delusional with their SellsnyderversetoNetflix campaign, now Netflix literally owns WB, that's Crazy to me, anything is possible ATP

I actually don't have a problem with Netflix owning WB my only issue is them not giving movies proper theatrical runs, if they could give strong performing movies at least 45 - 60 days in theaters and worldwide release, I see no problem with them owning WB, after all they didn't give Superman a proper theatrical run themselves (although that might be due to the fact that the movie didn't have enough juice to continue it's run)

At the very least it's one less streaming service to subscribe to with the perks of a much more vast entertainment library all in one place

Palehair:
It's truly a dark time for us fantasy movie lovers. Universal try with Wicked but Tim Burton have taken Wednesday as semi retirement plan and Chris Columbus is focusing on a threequel of his movie, Disney have put a pause on their fantasy live action remakes but we move, smaller studios are filling the space.

This looks promising especially with the stacked cast from Andrew Garfield to Claire foy and Rebecca Ferguson but I smell a flop, it doesn't even have the push or marketing for people to know about it and the producers don't even have a release date yet. They obviously released the trailer to see if it will gain any momentum and it didn't, it's best they sell to a streaming giant, there, it will have a better chance to shine because it will definitely find it's niche


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UFhePH68Ac?si=QqftPzx4TidODiWy

This is based on a book by Enid Blyton. Read that as a child. Cannot remember the story asides they entered a tree.

If it streams might see it though. On streaming.

samistry:
RIP DC, MK, GOT, Harry Potter.

Leg them just stream hbo shows. There's a lot I need to see but too lazy to download.

johnyace:
Around this period last year, I had the impression that Snyder fans were delusional with their SellsnyderversetoNetflix campaign, now Netflix literally owns WB, that's Crazy to me, anything is possible ATP

I actually don't have a problem with Netflix owning WB my only issue is them not giving movies proper theatrical runs, if they could give strong performing movies at least 45 - 60 days in theaters and worldwide release, I see no problem with them owning WB, after all they didn't give Superman a proper theatrical run themselves (although that might be due to the fact that the movie didn't have enough juice to continue it's run)

At the very least it's one less streaming service to subscribe to with the perks of a much more vast entertainment library all in one place

Lol, Snyderverse is dead and buried bruv even if Netflix owns the whole thing.

oyaskii:
This shît is real...The industry is basically cooked 😔

If left with a choice between Netflix and Paramount led by the Ellisons? Then I'm damn well going for Netflix.

I mean Paramount is mostly an incompetent studio at this point.... They can't and don't know what to do with their IPs. Imagine that company struggling with the likes of SONY?

If they acquired WB I'd be shedding tears cos that studio is on life support for the last 5 years.
Them and MGM I no know who useless pass.

I mean Paramount has like 5 or so movies this year. Similar to last year and few years too. For a studio that big with a huge legacy too, they should be doing at worst 10 movies yearly.

I feel many people are panicking now..... I'll just wait and see how things cool down and pan out.
But Netflix ain't spending $82bn just to keep it in streaming.... How do they want to repay all that money. Remember Netflix is borrowing huge amount of this money not raising everything itself.

What we'll have to deal with is most likely shorter theatrical windows. And studios have been doing it themselves recently. Universal don't waste time in putting a film to PVOD if it doesn't perform the way they like or expected. I mean they put films 2 weeks to one month in theatres on streaming.

WB did similar with their biggest movie this year. SUPERMAN was barely 45days in theatres.

Anyways, I'll probably drop a comprehensive analysis of the various bidders tomorrow if I have the time.

oyaskii:
How would this even work? Does it mean they will own all of WB catalogue through the years? Own all of WB feature releases going forward? Own HBO and HBO max prints? are they going to merge it with Netflix or operate it as a separate entity?, and how did WB find themselves in a situation where they need to be sold?

If any of the above of it's true, then it's truly a sad day for media fgs.

WB shareholders are quite accustomed to being sold to the biggest moneybag every 3-4 yes back to back for over a decade now. So it ain't surprising. From the beginning I've said if before, people expected Zaslav to prime the company well for a later takeover.

Netflix will own HBO/HBOMAX catalogue and all but I don't see HBOMAX going away anytime soon. In the next 3 yrs sef.

HBOMAX is very big now, the third biggest streamer in the US and one of the major streamers in the world and making a massive expansion to key European countries next year.

It'd make more sense for Netflix to keep the streamer and still make really good money keeping both as their identity and quality is quite distinct.

I'd they merge, later, I don't know ... But I don't think it'll happen for at least the next 3yrs.

WB aren't really doing bad in terms of financials. This is just Zaslav and co and the shareholders trying to prop up their stock value and line their pockets while at it. Haven't received good dividends for years since the Discovery merger. So this is a juicy deal.

oyaskii:
But then again... Dune: Part Three (2026) is gonna go straight to VOD it seems..👀.... Yeahh, I'm totally listening now 💪🏿

Lol, which VOD. You think say Legendary Pictures wan hear that one.

The DUNE, MINECRAFT and GODZILLA film franchises rights are actually held by Legendary Pictures. WB is their co-developer and distributor. We all saw the trouble Legendary brought with their films going to day & date release in 2021 by Jason Kilar's directive to HBOMAX.

That's partly the reason why the Godzilla TV show went to Apple TV plus and not HBOMAX.

abduleez1:
If left with a choice between Netflix and Paramount led by the Ellisons? Then I'm damn well going for Netflix.

I mean Paramount is mostly an incompetent studio at this point.... They can't and don't know what to do with their IPs. Imagine that company struggling with the likes of SONY?

If they acquired WB I'd be shedding tears cos that studio is on life support for the last 5 years.
Them and MGM I no know who useless pass.

I mean Paramount has like 5 or so movies this year. Similar to last year and few years too. For a studio that big with a huge legacy too, they should be doing at worst 10 movies yearly.

I think most people rift, which is basically mine too tbf, is not who gets WB, as Paramount and Netflix are both cut from the same cloth rather how WB of all media brand with a rich library of content of critically acclaimed movies, series etc spanning a just over a century, gets to a stage where it has to get eating up and isn't self sufficient, so bad, a "new age" media is able to just pass through a little wiggle to acquire thier entire library!. The sheer number of great IPs in the control of a vile outlet such as Netflix, sets a dangerous precedent, heck it even borders on a crazy monopolistic tendency. WB has side deals in so many regions and this acquisition affects it all, for instance, Showmax (in fierce competition for a share of the market with Netflix in Sub Saharan Africa), became a force because they were able to acquire WB/HBO content, with this acquisition that certainly ends..Are you seeing problems everywhere?. Forget all the talk, that Netflix is assuring that things are going to stay the same, these a sweet talk big corps say, when they make deals like this, they acquire the brand, and slowly strip the brand and morph it into thier own ideas....and the most obvious concern, Cinema as we know it might be actually dead. You know how WB meticulously produces movie to ensure a certain quality, a certain pancea, a certain flair....i am so sorry, Netflix doesn't have this pull 😒 and so i am sorry, the concerns of people about this deal, are very valid.

I feel many people are panicking now..... I'll just wait and see how things cool down and pan out.
But Netflix ain't spending $82bn just to keep it in streaming.... How do they want to repay all that money. Remember Netflix is borrowing huge amount of this money not raising everything itself.

What we'll have to deal with is most likely shorter theatrical windows. And studios have been doing it themselves recently. Universal don't waste time in putting a film to PVOD if it doesn't perform the way they like or expected. I mean they put films 2 weeks to one month in theatres on streaming.

WB did similar with their biggest movie this year. SUPERMAN was barely 45days in theatres.

Anyways, I'll probably drop a comprehensive analysis of the various bidders tomorrow if I have the time.

The fact is, Netflix isn't even paying $82B liquid, it's much more complex than that, is more like they are paying the WB shareholders at bottom market price for their share, and offering them shares at Netflix, can't get into too much details but isn't a straightforward payment of $82B, $82B is just the value of WB as an enterprise plus it's current debt, in today's market.

Yeah, WB have been testing this 45 days windows to HBO max releases for their films for a while, but Netflix a predominantly VOD company aren't going to prioritize cinema releases at all.

Again my major concern for emphasis, it sets a dangerous precedent, since COVID, the streaming giants have become unbelievably liquid because this era favours thier model of media distribution more, so with this deal, other streaming giants will be more empowered to eat up more of the Big 5 media conglomerate, driving prices for these streaming services even higher, and putting legacy pop cultural IPs, in their filthy dirty hands! 😩

oyaskii:
I think most people rift, which is basically mine too tbf, is not who gets WB, as Paramount and Netflix are both cut from the same cloth rather how WB of all media brand with a rich library of content of critically acclaimed movies, series etc spanning a just over a century, gets to a stage where it has to get eating up and isn't self sufficient, so bad, a "new age" media is able to just pass through a little wiggle to acquire thier entire library!. The sheer number of great IPs in the control of a vile outlet such as Netflix, sets a dangerous precedent, heck it even borders on a crazy monopolistic tendency. WB has side deals in so many regions and this acquisition affects it all, for instance, Showmax (in fierce competition for a share of the market with Netflix in Sub Saharan Africa), became a force because they were able to acquire WB/HBO content, with this acquisition that certainly ends..Are you seeing problems everywhere?. Forget all the talk, that Netflix is assuring that things are going to stay the same, these a sweet talk big corps say, when they make deals like this, they acquire the brand, and slowly strip the brand and morph it into thier own ideas....and the most obvious concern, Cinema as we know it might be actually dead. You know how WB meticulously produces movie to ensure a certain quality, a certain pancea, a certain flair....i am so sorry, Netflix doesn't have this pull 😒 and so i am sorry, the concerns of people about this deal, are very valid.

The fact is, Netflix isn't even paying $82B liquid, it's much more complex than that, is more like they are paying the WB shareholders at bottom market price for their share, and offering them shares at Netflix, can't get into too much details but isn't a straightforward payment of $82B, $82B is just the value of WB as an enterprise plus it's current debt, in today's market.

Yeah, WB have been testing this 45 days windows to HBO max releases for their films for a while, but Netflix a predominantly VOD company aren't going to prioritize cinema releases at all.

Again my major concern for emphasis, it sets a dangerous precedent, since COVID, the streaming giants have become unbelievably liquid because this era favours thier model of media distribution more, so with this deal, other streaming giants will be more empowered to eat up more of the Big 5 media conglomerate, driving prices for these streaming services even higher, and putting legacy pop cultural IPs, in their filthy dirty hands! 😩

The $82bn deal is a majority "liquid" cash deal. If it wasn't liquid, WB shareholders wouldn't consider it because it just basically swaps debt, shares and ownership.

It's not a simple share price offer for WB's stock. The deal has got to be really sweetened to beat Paramount whom were offering full cash payment.
Let's say, hypothetically, $60bn cash and then the rest in stock offer for shareholders.

On radical changes in ideology....I pretty much still doubt it tho. WB has been through mergers and acquisitions times without number in just a decade. With very different companies bringing their ideology to the studio. But the institution has remained largely itself or has the distinct classic WB vibe or identity despite the continued metamorphosis. From AOL to Time Warner, to AT&T to Discovery.
A prominent example of this is, while WB had imploded itself internally and hurt franchises like DC and Harry Potter, HBO has kept it's stylistic and strategic head and has been the sole influencer of TV for decades. Even Netflix and everyone else wants to be HBO. I believe that will permeate to a lesser extent to divisions under WB with more headstrong control over creative voice.

Besides this deal will probably take two years to finalise..... and it's a 50/50 chance this goes through.


One of the major reasons why I ain't too panicked about Netflix and it's ideologies or what it brings to theatricals is that, I feel the cinema landscape is quite different and has different power play or dynamics than what Netflix is quite used to which is basically TV. Netflix mostly just release TV movies to it's subscribers and call it a day with the exception of the few top directors and awards filmsit now releases.


And yes, I don't trust Netflix. Because all what they've been saying leading up to this deal has been contradictory. Two months ago, when asked Netflix top dawgs Ted Sorandos and Greg Peters said they had little to no interest in WB. They're mostly better off and didn't need a studio. Fast forward two months later and they're the highest bidder. 🤔
I even heard Netflix might try to bid if no other bidders showed up against Paramount just to make the deal and expensive purchase for the Ellisons. Even if they weren't all too interested. Just wanted to make it a painful buy for anybody.


Anyways, The ultimate losers remain the consumers and to some extent filmmakers cos this just translates to more price increment in the future and lesser options of distribution. A mega monopoly.

But regardless, this deal isn't binding at the moment. Even if they found a way to circumvent the US FTC and anti-trust bodies, they've got the EU to contend with. Europe also has to agree to this deal for it to pass through. And we are like 2 years away from all these being concrete (given the financials, legal, cultural and political dynamics involved).

BlackManta:
Netflix winning the bidding war is surprising. A streaming-first company taking over Warner Bros wasn’t something I expected.

My concern is Netflix’s stance on cinema. They’ve always pushed the idea that streaming is the only real future for entertainment. They rarely give their films proper theatrical releases, and even when they do, it’s limited to a few hundred cinemas in the U.S.

As a Nigerian viewer, you can’t even watch something like Frankenstein in a cinema.

So with Netflix now in control of Warner Bros, the big question is: will films like Dune Part 3, The Batman, Godzilla etc. end up as streaming-only titles instead of getting a full cinematic release?

It's painful, I know. Me being a staunch supporter of WB and HBO is a painful thing to experience with the tainted brand of Netflix. Coming at a time when things was looking up for the studio. But, it is what it is. A lesser evil to me compared to Paramount who are way more clueless and can't handle big IPs. Even the Skydance people in Ellison is a newbie in terms of traditional studio business and stretching himself thin all at once going for two "big 5" studios at a go.

Let's all reduce this doom and gloom we all assign to Netflix. Some movies we've watched in the past few years were possible all because Netflix was the only one willing to fund such endeavour.
The likes of Frankenstein, ROMA, Mank, Don't Look Up, The Irishman, All Quiet On The Western Front, Pinocchio, Marriage Story etc.

And these were without the usual Netflix "message" and majorly the vision of the fillmmakers. They're also Best Picture Oscar contenders in their own right.

Ultimately, with the dynamics at play in recent months or during this year and in the past year I've observed Netflix. I think the tech company is actually in a bit of a panic mode. Why do I say so. Netflix isn't really seen as a great alternative to release your movie as opposed to problematic studios with too many notes and compromise just to land your movie with a traditional studio.

In fact, the draw Netflix played on was that Netflix was the only one who'd let you create your movie the way you want to without much interference compared to a studio. And it was a huge draw for many filmmakers especially with the cool money also.

But recently this changed. How? Filmmakers are now wielding more control to their IP and better qualitative options to how their content are distributed. Gone are the days where Netflix was the ideal option asides from studios with no questions asked. Directors now want films in theatres, and this has even spread more, different from the crop of films Netflix only released in limited theatres before just cause of a technical fulfillment for Oscars eligibility.

Now, filmmakers demand their films are released in theatres. I mean, Netflix lost their biggest export or product from their own academy— The Duffer Brothers cos of this. They lost them to this same rival they're beating now — Paramount.

Netflix is also trying to avoid the label that they're not filmmakers friendly and no theatrical release by now giving concessions to more filmmakers.

I mean Greta Gerwig just forced Netflix to release her NARNIA films in IMAX. IMAX release worldwide oo, not ordinary cinema release for a month!!
That's unheard of, especially for Netflix that has a notoriety for disdaining theatricals.

More and more filmmakers are also beginning to voice out and stand their ground on theatrical release.
I feel the culture and landscape will change and metamorphosise just as the cinema industry is experiencing with audiences more prone to Watch a film at home than in theatres (if it's not marketed as an event not-to-miss film).

To me, I feel the WB acquisition is actually adding some level of quality to Netflix as an organisation other than them doing the total ideological change to the studio. WB television and film crew could add a wealth of experience to Netflix and possibly reduce their "slop" title a bit.

Cc oyaskii

The legend of 1900 - 7/10.
piano duel scene got me .

Bruv have you ever seen me clamouring for the restoration of the snyderverse, I literally said that I thought they were delusional for thinking that Netflix would buy or be sold the snyderverse

Netflix owns it and can choose to do whatever they want with it, but restoring the snyderverse is nearly impossible due to so many factors, the best that they could do even if they tried is an animated conclusion to the universe

abduleez1:
Lol, Snyderverse is dead and buried bruv even if Netflix owns the whole thing.

oyaskii:
Yeah, WB have been testing this 45 days windows to HBO max releases for their films for a while, but Netflix a predominantly VOD company aren't going to prioritize cinema releases at all.

Again my major concern for emphasis, it sets a dangerous precedent, since COVID, the streaming giants have become unbelievably liquid because this era favours thier model of media distribution more, so with this deal, other streaming giants will be more empowered to eat up more of the Big 5 media conglomerate, driving prices for these streaming services even higher, and putting legacy pop cultural IPs, in their filthy dirty hands! 😩

Exactly what I was going to say, monthly recurring revenue (MRR) is Netflix's DNA. That's how they were able to grow big enough to land this deal. The number one task on their priority list right now is how to get more subscribers, this is what syncs with their internal economics and it's what they had in mind even before the acquisition. However, I'm not implying that they will stop theatrical releases but it's going to shrink by a great deal.

Of course Netflix still cares about award eligibility and there are IPs that are just too big to go straight to streaming so there's that. It will be more of streaming and few selective theatrical releases.

Omo, this man ehn..... Ever the ruthless salesman.
Anyways, a win for them parks fans who've been clamouring for this for years.

🤔🤔

Galapagous:
The legend of 1900 - 7/10.
piano duel scene got me .

Wonderful movie.



That piano was hot as F.

🎥 IT: Welcome To Derry S01 (2025) = 6.8/10 ❤️

Didn’t this movie released on Nov 28? Omo this is really fast, Now I’m eyeing $2B on Avatar

abduleez1:
🤔🤔

Writer's guild sef don write letter. Zaslav and co wan retire with better severance package. At the end of the day, nobody would've been happy with whatever corporation that acquiring WB, I was kinda rooting for the Saudis even though they get their own for body but still glad the Ellisons didn't get their way

Palehair:
Writer's guild sef don write letter. Zaslav and co wan retire with better severance package. At the end of the day, nobody would've been happy with whatever corporation that acquiring WB, I was kinda rooting for the Saudis even though they get their own for body but still glad the Ellisons didn't get their way

Theatre owners and politicians have also sent their disdain for the deal. True, at the end of the day, none of the three options that wouldn't face a pushback from the industry.

I feel, it would likely go through either way. The Fox-Disney merger already set a precedent. Na only time e go take to convince all. 2 years tops.

Saudis keh? After them don capture EA (Electronic Arts). Abeg I no want those people in charge of my entertainment in DC and HBO. Even if they wield little to no power in the grand scheme of things this Ellison is the Bin Laden of entertainment. Dude thinks cos he has rich daddy's backing he can go and pick fights he wants due to connections with POTUS.

I like as them let am know say two can play the game.

And he's a big fat liar. Ellison said they'll release 30 movies yearly if they acquired WB. You dey whine me? Even if WB and Paramount can individually deliver 15 films each year... It definitely wouldn't be released that way just from a single umbrella owner. It's just inefficienct. Big talk coming from Paramount that has already forgotten how to release movies in quantity and the quality to boot.

Example, WB could have easily released two more films this year in The Br!de and Mortal Kombat 2 with already secured dates for both. But they ultimately pushed them both to next year cos they felt there's better release dates to serve those films well. They're both finished and ready. WB also has a relatively weak 2026 slate on paper and instead they used these films to bolster the calendar. Especially having had an overwhelming successful year in 2025.

The slate of films coming out from Paramount in contrast in the next two years smells of shïte mostly. So how are they going to competently stir a mega studio like WB when they can't excite with a relatively smaller peer. AmazonMGM that's even smaller and has way less IP than Paramount even has an exciting future slate of films and projects and you could see them ramping up production with their crazy frenzy of green lighting projects.

Is there any way I can search from older pages like 2000 or 3000 .Make I check movie recommendations from there

armadeo:
This is based on a book by Enid Blyton. Read that as a child. Cannot remember the story asides they entered a tree.

If it streams might see it though. On streaming.

I sure hope it makes it's way to streaming because I won't even know if it's out

This is crazy for real. This animation is barely 2 weeks old. 😲😳😳😳

🎥 Mayor Of Kingstown S01-04 (2021 - 25) = 7/10 ✔️ ❤️

DieRich5:
Didn’t this movie released on Nov 28? Omo this is really fast, Now I’m eyeing $2B on Avatar

yesterday it’s was $700 now today is $900 under 2 week

Recently watched Troll 2 which was a sequeal to 2019 movie "troll" It was an average movie good to spend time & clear your mind!

DieRich5:
yesterday it’s was $700 now today is $900 under 2 week

Kpop Demon Hunters own na cho cho cho.
Comot for cinema show workings

samistry:
Kpop Demon Hunters own na cho cho cho.
Comot for cinema show workings

I believe with the hype on K-pop demon hunters, the movie will also do well on cinema and even when Netflix releases it on 4 day’s cinema run the movie did well.