Netflix: Ted Sarandos is not sweating the Paramount-WBD merger

The Streaming Shake-Up

Is Ted Sarandos worried about the massive Paramount-Warner Bros. merger? Lowkey, not really. Speaking at the Bloomberg Screentime conference on Wednesday, the Netflix exec seemed pretty unbothered about whether the combo will actually be a threat or just another player in the game. He noted that while it looks like a power move on paper, it’s unclear if combining their platforms will result in synergy or just a mid experience.

The Casey Bloys Rumors

Real talk: everyone has been obsessing over rumors that Sarandos was trying to poach HBO/HBO Max content chairman Casey Bloys. Sarandos played it cool, admitting they’ve had lunch plenty of times, but brushed off the job offer drama. With a judge officially giving the green light for the merger on Wednesday, we’re likely to see the official announcement regarding the company’s new structure and Bloys’ role as soon as next week.

California vs. The World

Sarandos also got real about the state of filming in the U.S. He defended Trump’s interest in the entertainment industry, specifically regarding his push for a federal production tax credit. Sarandos explained that without one, production jobs will keep flying to the U.K. because those incentives are just too good to pass up.

He threw some shade at the current state of filming in L.A., saying California got complacent and let the infrastructure get crusty. He even dropped a bit of tea about the recent David Fincher movie, The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth, saying the local production process was definitely not a walk in the park.

What's Next for Netflix?

While Netflix’s user engagement growth has been slower than he’d like—only 2% year-over-year in early 2026—Sarandos is keeping his head held high. He’s betting big on experimenting with longer theatrical windows for major films, with Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew getting a 49-day theater run next year. It’s giving main character energy to the movie industry, and we’re here to see if the strategy pays off.

Why it matters

As the streaming landscape consolidates with the Paramount-WBD deal, Netflix’s ability to pivot toward theatrical releases and secure federal support for U.S. production could define whether the streamer continues to dominate or starts to face real pressure from the old-school studios.