I’m honestly surprised no one here is really talking about the (almost certain) Netflix buyout of HBO, and everything this could mean for film and television, regardless of whatever deal Netflix manages to negotiate.
This isn’t just about the inevitable price hikes, which will push cinema even further away from being accessible to everyone. Something that used to feel like it belonged to the public hasn’t been that way in quite a long time. And, of course, the overall quality of what ends up on screen will almost certainly drop. A lot of HBO staff will leave, and with them go fresh ideas and the creative backbone of film and TV.
Netflix, as always, will stick to the “safe and cheap” route. Lower budgets, lower risks, lower ambition. Their entire approach couldn’t be more different from what HBO has stood for. They don’t go for the daring, the strange, the innovative. They mass-produce series with barely any quality control, and only commit to a show if it proves profitable in the long run. If something doesn’t land immediately, it’s cancelled. Simple as that.
HBO, on the other hand, has always been known for its very particular way of making cinema and television: intention, craft, creative voices, attention to detail. You could always trust that there was a certain standard behind anything they released. What’s happening now is, quite honestly, dreadful for the industry.
Warner funded projects no one else would’ve dared to touch, and many of those films thrived under their banner. You can bet that under Netflix, that simply won’t happen… not even close. And if there is ever a halfway decent film coming out of this, I’d wager Netflix will dump it straight onto streaming rather than give it a proper theatrical release.
Today, cinema and television took a massive hit. The industry has been dealt a really heavy blow. I can’t see anything remotely positive coming out of this... just further losses for the democratization of film, of culture, and yet another step towards an even bigger monopoly.