Hollywood just woke up, sipped its oat-milk latte, and said, “You know what the average exhausted, content-overloaded American needs? Thirty. More. Movies. Every. Single. Year.”
That’s right. Paramount CEO David Ellison took to a phone presser in the most Hollywood way possible—assertively, confidently, and with the gravitational pull of a man who absolutely believes your life will be improved by Mission: Impossible 19 playing every month in a half-empty AMC in Topeka.
The pitch is simple:
If Paramount acquires Warner Bros, they’ll pump out 30+ theatrical releases a year because “We’re going to satisfy the needs of the moviegoing public.”
Ah yes, the moviegoing public—famously starved, deprived, wandering the wilderness muttering, “If only the studios made more movies about superheroes, musical biopics, and reboots of properties that should have stayed peacefully buried.”
Welcome to the great 2025 studio merger circus.
Let’s break it down, shall we?
Hollywood’s New Holiday Tradition: Threatening Each Other With Merger Proposals
Paramount’s hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros Discovery is the kind of plot twist even HBO would have rejected as “too on the nose.” But here we are, watching legacy studios court each other like overleveraged contestants on The Bachelor.
Netflix wants Warner Bros.
Paramount wants Warner Bros.
Disney is quietly watching from the corner like, “We could buy everyone here, but honestly… we’re tired.”
And into this cinematic love triangle strolls David Ellison, promising a 30+ title theatrical buffet like Oprah handing out sedans:
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You get a movie!
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You get a movie!
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You get a movie!
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Everyone gets a movie that cost $200 million and makes $11 million opening weekend!
If Paramount gets its way, prepare for the cinematic firehose: a relentless stream of sequels, prequels, spin-offs, reboots, requels, re-imaginings, brand extensions, cinematic universes, and the occasional “original idea” (which will be quietly buried under test-screening notes until it becomes unrecognizable).
But hey, at least they’re “satisfying the needs of the moviegoing public.”
Never mind that many of us are still trying to catch up on the movies we missed in 2019.
Netflix, Meanwhile, Is Trying to Convince Everyone They Love Movie Theaters
Oh, Netflix. Sweet, sweet Netflix.
Ted Sarandos has been running around insisting Netflix is totally committed to theatrical releases—as long as those releases:
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have a tiny window
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don’t inconvenience their streaming schedule
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exist primarily to qualify for awards
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and ideally don’t require much negotiation with actual movie theaters
Netflix’s idea of theatrical release is like bringing a date to Thanksgiving dinner and then telling your family: “Don’t make eye contact with them, they’re just here for the mashed potatoes.”
Look no further than the Knives Out threequel debacle:
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Netflix: “Let’s release it exclusively for… five minutes.”
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Theater chains: “We’d like a 30-day window.”
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Netflix: “Window? We barely believe in doors.”
And what happened?
The film flopped compared to Glass Onion’s limited run because shockingly, when you don't play your movie in the actual movie theaters where people go to see movies, fewer people see it.
Paramount knows this. Netflix knows this. The public knows this.
The only ones pretending not to know this are the executives insisting that shorter theatrical windows are “more consumer-friendly.”
Sure—if the consumer is your quarterly earnings report.
Paramount’s Promise: “30 Theatrical Releases!” Translation: “Please Let Us Buy Warner Bros.”
David Ellison stepped up to the mic and basically said:
“Netflix can’t be trusted with theatrical films. We, however, promise to blast your eyeballs with more movies than your calendar can emotionally or financially handle.”
And the exhibition industry?
They swooned like Victorian women at the sight of an exposed ankle.
To them, Ellison’s pledge is like a priest vowing to rebuild the cathedral:
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More movies
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More foot traffic
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More overpriced popcorn
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More chances for audiences to loudly unwrap candy during emotional scenes
Hollywood legends chimed in too:
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Jane Fonda warned the Netflix deal would be “a disaster for theatrical.”
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James Cameron presumably threatened to personally fight anyone who tries to reduce a theatrical window below the length of Avatar 2’s runtime.
And the Writer’s Guild? They said “block the deal,” because of course they did. If the studios merged any further, writers would have to pitch ideas directly into a single consolidation vortex.
Cinema United: “This Will Ruin Theaters!” Meanwhile Exhibitors Are Selling Stranger Things for Concession Vouchers
Cinema United CEO Michael O’Leary offered the most dramatic warning:
“This merger could remove 25% of the annual domestic box office.”
Translation:
“If Netflix buys Warner Bros, theaters might be forced to rely solely on indie dramas, Minions sequels, and re-releases of Elf every December.”
And yet... theaters are also doing things like:
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Charging a $20 concession voucher to “reserve” a seat for the Stranger Things finale
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Calling it “alternative programming” instead of “look, we’re desperate, just buy something, please”
So yes—exhibitors want Paramount’s 30+ movies.
They want Warner Bros’ movies.
They want Netflix’s movies.
They want ANY movies that might get someone to pay $19.50 for a ticket, $9 for a Diet Coke, and $14 for a popcorn that tastes like the inside of a damp gym bag but somehow smells like the gates of heaven.
Exhibitors want content the way toddlers want snacks: constantly, indiscriminately, and with no understanding of long-term consequences.
Let’s Talk About the Actual Promise: 30+ Movies Per Year
Is it bold? Yes.
Is it ambitious? Yes.
Is it also code for something else entirely? Absolutely.
Because in reality, releasing 30 films per year is less about consumer satisfaction and more about:
1. Flooding the marketplace so competitors drown
Why beat Netflix when you can overwhelm them with sheer cinematic volume?
2. Filling theaters so exhibitors stop screaming
Every empty screen is a lost revenue opportunity.
Thirty movies = thirty excuses not to turn the lobby into a Spirit Halloween.
3. Creating the illusion of creative vitality
Nothing screams “We’re thriving!” like releasing eight superhero reboots and three legacy sequels no one asked for.
4. Leveraging content for international markets
If a movie flops in Peoria, it might still crush in Shanghai.
5. Justifying the merger
Because regulators LOVE it when companies promise consumers will get more.
(They selectively forget that “more” is not the same as “better.”)
The Moviegoing Public: Do We Even Need This Many Movies?
Let’s take a moment to imagine the “moviegoing public” Paramount claims to understand.
It’s 2025. People are:
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drowning in streaming subscriptions
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already overwhelmed by a thousand new shows per month
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choosing between going to the theater or paying their electric bill
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watching TikTok clips of movies instead of actual movies
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still trying to finish the Marvel backlog from three phases ago
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exhausted, overstimulated, and financially fragile
And Paramount thinks:
“What these people REALLY need is a movie every 12 days.”
But sure—maybe we’re wrong.
Maybe America is secretly craving:
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Aquaman 3: Hydration Nation
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Barbie 2: Pinkening Intensifies
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The Dark Knight Rises Again (But Like, Even Darker)
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Top Gun: Senior Discount
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The Goonies Cinematic Universe: Phase One
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Fast & Furious 12: Just Please Let Us Stop
If anything, the public doesn’t need more movies—they need time to watch the ones they already missed.
But Hollywood isn’t governed by logic.
It’s governed by spreadsheets, panic, and the haunting memory of 2020 when theaters were empty and executives had to pretend Trolls World Tour was a major cultural event.
Regulatory Experts: “The Deal Will Be Approved.” Also Them: “Trump Will Be Involved Because Of Course He Will.”
Nothing says “normal industry process” like a former president being dragged into the approval speculation.
A regulatory expert predicted the Netflix-WB deal would be approved and added the bonus twist: Trump will climb aboard.
Of course he will.
Hollywood is the only place where even regulatory commentary feels like promotional marketing for a future miniseries.
Meanwhile Trump said he’s not taking sides because:
“None of them are particularly great friends of mine.”
Which is the most Trump thing ever.
Not an analysis.
Not a policy statement.
Just a vibe check.
Let’s Compare the Money (Because Ultimately This Is All Anyone Actually Cares About)
Paramount Offer
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$30 per share
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All cash
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Enterprise value: $108.4 billion
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They want ALL of WBD: the studio, the networks, the armchairs, the staplers—everything.
Netflix Offer
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$27.75 per share
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Cash + stock
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Enterprise value: $82.7 billion
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They only want the studio and HBO Max.
Translation:
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Paramount: “We want the whole house.”
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Netflix: “We want the kitchen and the living room, keep the rest.”
But here’s the real kicker:
Netflix’s deal only closes AFTER WBD breaks itself apart in 2026.
This makes Netflix the friend who tells you they’re “totally ready for commitment” but only after you move out, change your wardrobe, go to therapy, get a dog together, and maybe revisit things in a year or two.
Paramount’s deal?
They’re ready to elope today.
Right now.
They’ve already packed their bags, they’re in the Uber, and they’ve got a lawyer on speed dial.
Will Paramount Actually Deliver 30+ Movies? Let’s Be Honest.
Oh, they’ll deliver them. They’ll deliver them the way Amazon delivers packages:
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quickly
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excessively
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and sometimes containing things you definitely didn’t order
But quality is another story entirely.
The real danger isn’t too few movies.
It’s too many mid movies.
Hollywood doesn’t drown from failures—it drowns in mediocrity.
A flood of forgettable blockbusters is how we end up with:
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empty theaters
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bored audiences
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overworked VFX artists
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memes clowning the latest CG monstrosity
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and executives saying, “We need to reboot the franchise to restore audience excitement.”
Thirty movies a year is not a promise.
It’s a warning.
A warning that the pipeline is about to turn into the cinematic equivalent of a dollar store candy aisle: brightly packaged, immediately tempting, and mostly disappointing.
Meanwhile, Ted Sarandos Is Still Fighting About Theatrical Windows Like It’s a Custody Battle
If Paramount’s vibe is “MORE MOVIES FOR EVERYONE,” Netflix’s vibe is:
“We’ll do theatrical… but only for like… 17 days. And only if we feel like it. And only if it doesn’t interrupt Wednesday’s content drop schedule. And only if you promise not to ask for more later.”
Netflix insisting 45-day theatrical windows aren’t consumer-friendly is incredible.
Because you know what else isn’t consumer-friendly?
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Releasing 200+ streaming titles a month
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Removing half of them 90 days later
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Releasing shows in binge formats that exhaust the audience
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Cancelling beloved projects because an algorithm had a stomachache
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Making people scroll for 40 minutes to find something to watch
But sure—the 45-day window is the real villain.
So… Who Should Get Warner Bros? Paramount or Netflix?
Let’s do a quick vibe-based analysis:
| Criteria | Paramount | Netflix |
|---|---|---|
| Loves theaters | Yes | Only on holidays |
| Promises lots of movies | Yes, aggressively | Yes, but more like “technicalities count” |
| Understands theatrical windows | Yes | No, but pretends to |
| Will reboot everything | Absolutely | Also absolutely |
| Will oversaturate the market | Yes | Yes, but digitally |
| Might collapse under debt | Potentially | Already dancing with it |
| Offers the spiciest drama | Always | Often |
The truth?
Both companies will make bold promises and then do whatever is most convenient for their shareholders.
It’s Hollywood.
These mergers aren’t built on creative vision—they’re built on who has enough cash and optimism to believe they can absorb Warner Bros without sinking like a stone.
The Real Winner of All This? Popcorn Sales.
Theaters don’t care who wins.
They care about:
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tickets
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popcorn
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soda
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nachos
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pretzel bites
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and increasingly: alcoholic slushies
If Paramount’s promise means 30+ theatrical films that put people in seats, exhibitors will kiss the ring.
If Netflix buys Warner Bros and slaps a 17-day window on Batman, theaters will rage-cry into their mop sinks.
Either way, the future of cinema will be shaped not by artistry, but by merger math.
And we, the loyal public, will sit back with our $20 popcorn and watch the drama unfold.
Conclusion: The Moviegoing Public Never Asked for 30+ Movies a Year — But Hollywood Will Give Them Anyway
Paramount says they’re doing this for the public.
Netflix says they’re doing this for the public.
Warner Bros says nothing because it’s lying in a ditch somewhere whispering: “Please… not another merger…”
But the truth is simple:
Nobody asked for 30+ theatrical releases a year.
People asked for:
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movies that aren’t formulaic
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movies that aren’t green-screen mush
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movies made by humans, not committees
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movies that feel like events, not chores
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movies that stick with us, not movies we forget before the credits roll
But until Hollywood figures that out, enjoy the flood.
Because if Paramount gets Warner Bros, you’re getting 30+ movies annually whether you like it, want it, watch it, or remember it.
And Hollywood will call it “what the public demanded.”