Amazon is one of the most valuable brands of the 21st century. It is because it has its subsidiaries in all the possible industries. One of its subsidiaries is Amazon Studios which produces content for Amazon prime video, and it is vigorously trying to expand its production house.Amazon’s recent acquisition of MGM, one of the former Big Five film studios in Hollywood, has caused a lot of buzz in the media. It is speculated that Amazon is buying Warner Bros too. If it is, it would be a game-changer in the online streaming industry. Whether it is true or not, or whether some other company is investing in Warner Bros, let’s find it out through this article.
What is Warner Bros?
The force behind the Harry Potter series, The Lord of the Rings series, the Dark Knight trilogy, Inception, The Matrix, One flew over the Cuckoo’s nest, Gravity, Casablanca, Citizen Kane, Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory, The Shining, Friends, The Big Bang Theory and hundreds of thousands of iconic films and TV Shows is the one and only, Warner Bros. This historic production house came into existence 98 years ago but has maintained its name as the leading American film industry studio.
Does Amazon own Warner Bros?
No, it does not. Amazon has not acquired the rights of Warner Bros and therefore does not own it. It, however, has distribution links with Warner Bros through which it shows Warner Bros films on its platform, Prime Video. Amazon, however, has acquired the rights of the Lord of the Rings series globally. Amazon Studios has just officially acquired the rights to MGM. Apart from this production house, Amazon has signed deals with Westbrook and 87North Productions but does not own them.
Who owns Warner Bros?
Warner Bros is a subsidiary of WarnerMedia, which is the parent company under AT&T, founded by the Warner brothers. On May 16, 2021, it got announced that WarnerMedia would be merging with Discovery, Inc, and all the content of WarnerMedia and Discovery would be available on one single platform. The platform will include the above two mentioned as well as Cartoon Network, CNN, DC comics, Food Network, TNT, TVS, TLC, Animal Planet and many more making it a self-sufficient streaming platform. Just as the Amazon-MGM merger, which is guessed to be named Warner Bros. Discovery, will be of great benefit to the consumers as well as the producers.
How will this merger benefit Warner Bros?
Yes, of course. Warner Bros in itself is a huge gallery of well-known, celebrated films of Hollywood. By bringing Discovery, Inc under its shelter, WarnerMedia can emerge as a strong competitor of online streaming in the global arena. With Discovery’s valuable database in more than 200 countries and languages, Warner Bros media, including HBO content, will be able to cater to a wider audience. This will help in increasing subscribers, and becoming a potential competitor to Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney.
How will this merger affect you?
While the confirmation of whether there will be an option to choose between HBO Max and Discovery content is pending, HBO Max will be available worldwide is happy news for people living in areas where it is not available. It means that you will be able to watch premium content like the Friends reunion or the Harry Potter reunion all on the same platform. And launching this merger on an international level will also give a chance to the HBO original content, including the Gossip Girl reboot, Raised by Wolves, Peacemaker, to be streamed worldwide.
Conclusion
Amazon does not own Warner Bros. However, Warner Bros is collaborating with Discovery, Inc to combine the two platforms and make it into a single online streaming area. Several channels under WarnerMedia will be merged with Discovery and showcased on one platform. However, the official statement of the merger has yet to be announced. But the possibility of Amazon acquiring Warner Bros is scrapped.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Will Amazon buy Warner Bros?
With the merger in sight, it is highly unlikely that Amazon will buy Warner Bros. Amazon may deal with Warner Bros for showcasing its films, but it will not acquire the rights of the latter.
- Where to watch Warner Bros films and TV shows?
If you want to watch Warner Bros films and TV shows, you can stream it on the official Warner Brothers website. You can even watch it on HBO Max. Some of its hands are available on Amazon Prime and Netflix. Or if you don’t have any Subscriptions to any streaming websites, go the old school way and watch it on the Warner Bros channel.
3. What shows are available on Discovery?
Discovery contains mostly reality shows, nature documentaries, and crime series. It features shows such as Ghost Adventurers, Chopped, Property Brothers, 90 days: The Single Life. Discovery has a huge library containing many channels, such as History, Lifetime, TLC, ID, Travel, and contains all their shows.
4. When will the merger take place?
The merger is said to be done by April 2022. However, no official notice has been given by both the companies and therefore nothing definite can be said about it.
