A consortium of prominent figures from the film industry has sent an open letter to the U.S. Congress expressing their concerns regarding the potential acquisition of "Warner Bros. Discovery" by "Netflix." The letter warns of a threat of economic and institutional catastrophe for Hollywood. The letter, sent on Thursday by an anonymous collective representing "concerned filmmakers," urges Congress to carefully consider this deal from an antitrust perspective.
Industry representatives are convinced that "Netflix," if it successfully acquires "Warner Bros.," could significantly undermine the cinematic market. The letter states that the company would be able to drastically reduce the duration of time that "Warner Bros." films are shown in theaters. For example, there are rumors that "Netflix" has proposed allowing only a two-week theatrical window for films before their release on the streaming platform, which has sparked outrage among producers.
It is noted that a group of more traditional competitors, such as "Comcast" and "Paramount," are willing to support "Warner Bros." as an independent business and have committed to producing no fewer than 14 films for theaters each year. The open letter also indicates that "Netflix" could "effectively have a stranglehold on the theatrical market," particularly through the potential reduction of licensing fee costs in post-theatrical windows.
The open letter concludes with a call to members of the House of Representatives and the Senate to engage in public protest against this venture and to provide the deal with the highest level of antitrust scrutiny, as the potential consequences will impact millions of jobs and a beloved art form.
