Many were just getting used to the reality of a Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery merger, but earlier today, that reality completely fell apart, replaced by a new partnership between Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount. Paramount had heavily pursued Warner Bros even after the Netflix deal was all but cemented, and now they will not only obtain all of the film properties, but everything else under the WBD umbrella. We’ve collected everything that Paramount will own after the deal right here, and the list is insane.
In the previous deal, Netflix was only acquiring the film and streaming divisions of Warner Bros. Discovery, but with Paramount’s deal, everything is moving over. That includes film rights for some massive franchises, including Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, and DC Comics, as well as assets including DC Studios and HBO. Coupled with franchises like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Transformers that Paramount already owns, it’s a pretty stacked list of assets and IP (H/T Discussing Film).
Paramount’s New TV Network and Streaming Empire
Image Courtesy of HBO Max
If the deal ends up making it through to completion, the new Paramount will include some heavy hitters in terms of IP creators, networks, and streamers. DC Studios is a major addition to the Paramount portfolio, and is a franchise on the rise thanks to Superman and the upcoming Supergirl, and more big DC projects are already in the works and on the way over the next few years.
Paramount also now has a prestige format in HBO, and the content on HBO Max will likely be used as a boost to Paramount+ or vice versa. You can find the full list of Paramount’s new asset additions below.
- TNT
- CBS
- CNN
- MTV
- TCM
- Showtime
- Adult Swim
- DC Studios
- Paramount+
- Nickelodeon
- HBO/HBO Max
- Comedy Central
- Cartoon Network
Paramount’s Film Rights Catalog Is Now Filled With Warner Bros. Heavyweights
While the assets are impressive, it’s really the film rights that might be the MVP of this acquisition. Paramount is already home to franchises like Star Trek, Transformers, Dora the Explorer, and Avatar: The Last Airbender, and now it will be colliding with franchises like Gremlins, The Conjuring, Game of Thrones, the Monsterverse, and more. You can find the full list of Paramount’s film rights library after the deal closes below.
- Star Trek
- Gremlins
- Beetlejuice
- DC Comics
- Tom & Jerry
- Harry Potter
- Citizen Kane
- Transformers
- A Quiet Place
- Looney Tunes
- The Conjuring
- Mortal Kombat
- Game of Thrones
- Dora The Explorer
- Mission Impossible
- The Lord of the Rings
- SpongeBob SquarePants
- Avatar: The Last Airbender
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- Dune 3 (distribution rights)
- Minecraft (distribution rights)
- MonsterVerse (distribution rights)
While there is crossover potential here and perhaps even some elements of the deal to be positive about, there’s also the heavy possibility of layoffs across multiple divisions. That was going to be mitigated in the Netflix deal because there was far less overlap in terms of staff and divisions, as Netflix wasn’t in the same business as Warner Bros.
With Paramount, that is the complete opposite, as there is substantial overlap between divisions within both companies, and Paramount has already experienced heavy layoffs even before the deal, so more are unfortunately very possible if the deal ends up going through to completion.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
