Netflix to buy Warner Bros.: 5 properties Netflix would own under deal

Netflix’s $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. will grant the streamer ownership of Warner Bros.’ film and TV studios, as well as HBO, HBO Max, and Warner Bros.’ extensive film and TV catalogues.

The deal still needs to be approved by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), but if it goes through, Netflix will own Warner Bros.’ biggest film and TV titles. That encompasses still-running shows like The Last of Us and The Pitt, completed series like The Sopranos and Friends, and movies ranging from Casablanca to Dune.

Because of the deal, Netflix will also own a number of major ongoing franchises. Here are five of the biggest, and what the acquisition could mean for their future.

1. Harry Potter

Not only will Netflix own all eight Harry Potter films and all three Fantastic Beasts films, it will also own HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter TV series. Currently scheduled for a 2027 release, the series has been a controversial topic due to the continued involvement of author J.K. Rowling, who has a long (and continuing) history of transphobic rhetoric.

2. DC

Thanks to Warner Bros. acquisition, Netflix will gain a massive superhero franchise of its own with DC. That includes animated DC series like Batman: The Animated Series, Harley Quinn, and Teen Titans; CW shows like Flash and Green Arrow; and past DC films like Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, classic Batman and Superman titles, and the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).

The biggest story here, though, is that of the currently running DC Universe, headed by James Gunn and Peter Safran. With shows like Peacemaker and the upcoming Lanterns, along with a future film slate that includes Supergirl and Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow, the DCU could help Netflix become an even more threatening competitor to Disney and Marvel Studios.

3. Game of Thrones

The Warner Bros. acquisition means Netflix will own Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, the upcoming A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, along with any future Westeros-set spinoffs that may arise. As of now, series about Aegon’s conquest of Westeros, Corlys Velaryon’s past adventures, and warrior-queen Nymeria’s founding of Dorne are all in the works, meaning Netflix could be atop streaming’s Iron Throne for a while yet.

4. The Monsterverse

People love to watch big monsters fight other big monsters. Case in point: Warner Bros.’ Monsterverse, which features titles like Godzilla vs. Kong and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. These movies basically print money, earning a total of over $2.5 billion worldwide. However, Netflix tends to forgo the kind of long theatrical releases that allow blockbusters to earn this much. While Netflix has said it will continue to release Warner Bros. films in theaters, will they adopt Warner Bros.’ longer release window strategy or impose their own shorter one?

5. Looney Tunes

Netflix will own all of Cartoon Network and Adult Swim upon acquiring Warner Bros., including titles like Tom and Jerry, Scooby Doo, Rick and Morty, and Looney Tunes. The latter is particularly interesting, as it’s been the punching bag of Warner Bros. Discovery for the past few years. In 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery scrapped the completed Looney Tunes film Coyote vs. Acme in favor of a tax cut. Warner Bros. Discovery also chose to sell the distribution rights for The Day The Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie to Ketchup Entertainment, which gave the film a limited theatrical release. Then, in 2025, Warner Bros. Discovery removed the classic Looney Tunes shorts library from HBO Max entirely. Since then, Looney Tunes has found new success on the streaming service Tubi.

Could Netflix prove a better shepherd to the Looney Tunes titles it will gain access to? Or will the streamer continue Warner Bros. Discovery’s precedent of offloading one of its most iconic franchises?