💥 Netflix Takes Over Warner Bros.
An $82.7B deal that adds big franchises and HBO to Netflix | Streaming in Short – W49
This week, I cover Netflix $82.7B move to buy Warner Bros., Yango Play launch of its first mini dramas, and the BBC push into YouTube and vertical formats.
🎬 Netflix to Buy Warner Bros. and HBO Max for $82.7B
👉 Netflix will acquire Warner Bros. studios and HBO Max after a big bidding battle. The deal should close in 2026.
📍 Netflix says it will keep Warner Bros. running normally, continue releasing movies in cinemas, and keep HBO Max as a separate service for now. This gives Netflix major franchises like Harry Potter, DC, The Sopranos and Game of Thrones.
💡 WBD invested $57M in OSN+ earlier this year, so this change in ownership could impact how Hollywood content is distributed in MENA. Full analysis next week in my MENA Insights article.
📱 Yango Play Launches Its First Mini Dramas
👉 Yango Play has added 10 new vertical series to its SVOD offering in MENA. The lineup mixes Asian and Western titles.
📍 It’s a smart test: licensing existing shows and adding a vertical-video experience directly inside the current app, no new platform needed.
💡 If the experiment works, Yango Play could be the next platform to produce local Arabic micro-dramas, following the global rise of this format.
📺 BBC Moves Further Into YouTube and Vertical Dramas
What happened?
👉 The BBC will start putting more content for adult on YouTube and testing vertical series to reach younger viewers.
Key details:
The BBC now sees YouTube as a key platform for Gen Z, and will upload full episodes to YouTube, not just trailers.
Vertical mini dramas like Spiked performed well and encouraged more short-form tests.
The broadcaster will work more with digital creators and social-first companies.
Why it matters?
🎯 YouTube is the #2 most-watched platform in the UK, pushing traditional broadcasters to create short, vertical, social-friendly content to stay relevant.
🤖 AI: Perplexity Partners with Cristiano Ronaldo
Perplexity has signed a global deal with Cristiano Ronaldo, who is not only the face of the partnership but also a real user, and now an investor in the platform.
The company launched a new CR7 hub with highlights and interactive content.
⚽️ SPORTS: Paramount+ Teams Up With Arsenal
Paramount+ has signed a new partnership with Arsenal, just days after winning the rights to stream the Champions League in the U.K.
The deal includes stadium branding, social campaigns, and a promo narrated by Thierry Henry.
🤖 AI: Why Tilly Norwood Was Made Ultra-Realistic
The creator of AI actor Tilly Norwood says she made the character highly realistic to provoke a strong reaction and get the final “girl next door” look.
The project led to backlash from unions and filmmakers, raising concerns about the rapid growth of AI.
🎥 CINEMA: Saudi Cinema Reaches $83M in Q2
Saudi Arabia hit $83M in box office revenue in Q2, driven mainly by local hits during Eid, especially the second Shabab Al-Bomb movie.
The data shows strong seasonality: local films dominate holidays, while international titles boost summer.
🌙 RAMADAN: Blockbusters and Gen-Z Stories Lead the Season
Production for Ramadan 2026 has already begun, with big national thrillers from Amir Karara and Mohamed Emam, alongside Salma Abu Deif’s new series aimed at Gen-Z viewers.
With filming underway early, the 2026 season looks more organized and diverse than previous years.
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia: Red Sea Film Festival to Honor Michael Caine, Sigourney Weaver & Juliette Binoche
The Red Sea Film Festival (Dec 4–13 in Jeddah) will honor Michael Caine, Sigourney Weaver and Juliette Binoche with special awards this year.
The festival will also host talks and panels, highlighting the growing role of the festival in connecting Arab cinema with global talent.
🕺 Culte Season 2 - 2B3, from Yaël Langmann (Prime Video, 6 episodes): 1995. Filip, Adel and Frank, are lifelong best friends, who dream of escaping their Parisian suburban hometown. Starting from nothing, they form the first French boy band 2Be3, and become a true societal phenomenon.
💥 18 years ago, The Big Bang Theory premiered on TV. Created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, the series introduced the world to a group of brilliant, and hilariously awkward, scientists trying to navigate life, friendship and love. With its sharp comedy, unforgettable characters like Sheldon, Leonard, Penny and the gang, and a fresh mix of science and humor, The Big Bang Theory became one of the biggest sitcoms of its time.
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