Hollywood Consolidation: Bidding Wars, Netflix Fears, and Creative Freedom
Related Episodes
Media Giants Clash: Who Truly Needs Warner Bros. Discovery?
Media giants face a high-stakes bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery, where regulatory hurdles and desperate strategic needs dictate who might overpay for scarce, iconic content assets.
View Episode Notes →
Paramount's Hostile Bid Challenges Netflix for Warner Bros.
Paramount's $100 billion hostile bid challenges Netflix, forcing shareholders to weigh all-cash certainty against streaming dominance and differing synergy projections.
View Episode Notes →
Netflix Acquires Warner Bros. Discovery Amid Antitrust and Creator Economy Concerns
Netflix's $72 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery consolidates massive IP and content, creating a streaming behemoth facing intense regulatory scrutiny and a potential shift away from new creators.
View Episode Notes →
Warner Bros. Discovery Rejects Paramount Bid, Prefers Netflix Offer
Warner Bros. Discovery rejects Paramount's $108B bid for Netflix's $83B offer, prioritizing deal certainty over complex financing risks. China's economy defies trade war impacts with a record surplus, while AI advancements accelerate.
View Episode Notes →
Paramount's Hostile Bid, China's Export Dominance, Farmer Bailouts, and Tech Etiquette
Paramount bids $108 billion for Warner Brothers Discovery, offering $18 billion more than Netflix and facing fewer regulatory hurdles, potentially reshaping the media landscape.
View Episode Notes →
Labor Market Weakening, Fed Uncertainty, and Evolving Financial Markets
The US labor market shows structural weakening with rising unemployment and slowing wage growth, impacting young workers most severely. This complicates Fed decisions and signals a broader economic slowdown.
View Episode Notes →Resources
Resources & Recommendations
Books
- "Just Married" - Mentioned by Shawn Levy as one of the movies he made with Fox.
Films
- "Rental Family" - A movie starring Brendan Fraser.
- "Cheaper by the Dozen" - A film directed by Shawn Levy.
- "Night at the Museum" - A film directed by Shawn Levy.
- "Date Night" - A film directed by Shawn Levy.
- "Free Guy" - A film directed by Shawn Levy, starring Ryan Reynolds, and one of Netflix's most watched movies.
- "The Spectacular Now" - A prestige project shepherded by Shawn Levy's company, 21 Laps.
- "Arrival" - A 2017 Best Picture nominee shepherded by Shawn Levy's company, 21 Laps.
- "Deadpool & Wolverine" - A record-breaking R-rated movie directed by Shawn Levy, starring Ryan Reynolds.
- "Star Wars Starfighter" - A new Star Wars movie directed by Shawn Levy, written by Jonathan Tropper, featuring new characters and ideas.
- "Solo" - A Star Wars prequel story.
- "Rise of Skywalker" - The ninth film in the Skywalker saga.
- "A New Hope" - The original Star Wars movie released in 1977.
- "Real Steel" - A 2011 movie directed by Shawn Levy.
- "Barbie" - A film mentioned in the context of potentially having done in the idea for a Free Guy sequel.
TV Shows
- "Stranger Things" - Netflix's long-running hit series, for which Shawn Levy is an executive producer and director of certain episodes.
People Mentioned
- Matt Bellany - Partner at Puck News, who banters with the host.
- David Ellison - Mentioned in the context of bidding for Warner Bros. Discovery.
- Mohammed bin Salman - Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, who attended a state dinner and is reportedly interested in entertainment and sports investments.
- Jamal Khashoggi - Journalist whose murder was mentioned in relation to Mohammed bin Salman's visit.
- Larry Ellison - Papa of David Ellison, mentioned in the context of the Warner Bros. Discovery bid.
- Shawn Levy - Director, producer, and multi-hyphenate, the main guest of the episode.
- Millie Bobby Brown - Actress in "Stranger Things."
- David Harbour - Actor in "Stranger Things."
- Frank Darabont - Director who did two episodes of "Stranger Things" season 5.
- Matt and Ross Duffer (The Duffer Brothers) - Creators and directors of "Stranger Things."
- Ted Sarandos - Co-CEO of Netflix, mentioned in discussions about theatrical releases and viewership data.
- Cindy Holland - Former Vice President of Original Content for Netflix, mentioned as an early supporter of "Stranger Things."
- Ryan Reynolds - Actor, collaborated with Shawn Levy on films like "Free Guy" and "Deadpool & Wolverine."
- Kathy Kennedy - President of Lucasfilm, who offered Shawn Levy the opportunity to direct a Star Wars movie.
- Jonathan Tropper - Writer, collaborated with Shawn Levy on "Star Wars Starfighter."
- Ryan Gosling - Actor, mentioned in relation to "Star Wars Starfighter" and attending Star Wars Celebration.
- Alan Bergman - Co-Chairman of Walt Disney Studios, mentioned in relation to greenlighting "Star Wars Starfighter."
- Bob Iger - CEO of The Walt Disney Company, mentioned in relation to greenlighting "Star Wars Starfighter."
- Lord and Miller - Directors who were mentioned in the context of telling a "Solo" prequel story.
- Kevin Feige - President of Marvel Studios, mentioned in relation to the "Deadpool & Wolverine" script.
- Steve Hasbell - Head of Fox, mentioned positively by Shawn Levy.
- Mike and Pam - Mentioned in the context of taking a "big leap of faith" on "Sinners and One Battle."
Organizations & Institutions
- Searchlight Pictures - Sponsor presenting "Rental Family."
- Paramount Plus - Sponsor presenting "Landman."
- KCRW - The radio station producing "The Business" podcast.
- Warner Bros. Discovery - Company subject to acquisition bids.
- Paramount - Company that has made bids for Warner Bros. Discovery.
- Netflix - Company interested in buying Warner Bros. Discovery, also the streamer for "Stranger Things."
- Comcast - Company that might bid for Warner Bros. Discovery.
- AT&T - Former owner of Time Warner.
- White House - Location of a state dinner attended by David Ellison.
- Puck News - Where Matt Bellany is a partner.
- 21 Laps - Shawn Levy's company.
- Marvel - Studio behind "Deadpool & Wolverine."
- Lucasfilm - Studio behind Star Wars, mentioned for its "nerd army" and "protectorate."
- Pixar - Animation studio, mentioned for its model of making and remaking movies.
- Fox - Former standalone studio, now a label under Disney.
- Disney - Umbrella owner of Fox, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and Pixar.
Events
- State Dinner - Attended by David Ellison for Mohammed bin Salman.
- Star Wars Celebration - Event attended by Shawn Levy and Ryan Gosling.
Websites & Online Resources
- kcrw.com - Website where "The Business" and other KCRW shows can be streamed.