ENTERTAINMENT SPOTLIGHT: Warner Bros-Netflix Buyout – What You Need to Know

Will Netflix’s possible acquisition of Warner Bros be a success?

Netflix has had some fantastic originals, such as Black Mirror, The Witcher, and Stranger Things. However, their inability to faithfully adapt may be their downfall.

In 2017, Netflix bought the popular Death Note series and adapted it into what the New York Times called “Cramming several tons of plot into a one-pound screenplay, the three writers… have little option but to condense.”

Criticized for oversimplifying the complex plot and characters, this is a clear example of a quick adaptation rather than a faithful one.

In 2022, Netflix adapted Marmaduke from the beloved comic strip that the Guardian reviewed, “Forget about a consistent tone – before too long, that starts feeling like a lot to ask from a script that bumbles the simple arrangement of plot points in a linear sequence.”

In 2023, Rebel Moon was released on Netflix. With a $90 million budget, the stunning visuals were obscured by a veil of convoluted plotlines and cliched dialogue. As Medium described it, “The film delivers on the visual aesthetics, but the film falters in delivering a compelling story.”

These examples suggest a pattern: while Netflix excels at creating visually stunning works, its adaptations miss the mark concerning writing narrative depth.

If Netflix buys Warner Bros., it will hold the rights to hundreds of movies and Television shows — missteps in adaptation could lead to financial risk, social media outrage, and cultural backlash.

While the Netflix Original, KPOP Demon Hunters, was brilliantly executed and well-written, Netflix didn’t make it. Sony sold the streaming rights to Netflix as part of a pandemic-era deal.

Netflix has delivered many where the concept was strong, but execution failed. With their extensive catalog and the breakout hit Sony’s KPOP Demon Hunters, no one can deny that Netflix has proven itself in the world of business and finance, but managing franchises requires care, not just scale.

Netflix wasn’t involved in the making of KPOP Demon Hunters. Buying KPOP Demon Hunters wasn’t filmmaking; it was business.

While Netflix struggles with adaptations, Paramount shows that content requires both creative and business strategies.

Paramount has mounted a hostile takeover of Warner Bros. It swerved around proper channels and flew directly to shareholders with a $108 billion bid. Releasing critically acclaimed movies this year, such as Novocaine and Better Man, can only cement their status as a make-or-break deal. While this tactic is unconventional, it solidifies Paramount’s willingness to act decisively under crushing pressure in a cutthroat industry.

Can any studio bring the level of quality that made audiences laugh and cry for over a hundred years? Only time will tell.

The post ENTERTAINMENT SPOTLIGHT: Warner Bros-Netflix Buyout – What You Need to Know appeared first on Space Coast Daily.