The film world stood still this weekend as news broke about the largest merger in entertainment history. Netflix has officially moved to acquire Warner Bros. and HBO Max in a staggering $82.7 billion deal. This massive shift has left movie lovers terrified that the traditional cinema experience might vanish forever. But Oscar-winning director Bong Joon Ho is urging calm amid the chaos.
Speaking from the Marrakech Film Festival on Saturday, the Parasite director addressed these fears directly. He believes the magic of the big screen is too powerful to be killed by a business deal. His comments come at a critical time when the industry is trying to figure out where movies belong in the future.
The Director Speaks Out
Bong Joon Ho sat down for a rare and intimate two-hour interview during the festival. He is serving as the jury president this year in Morocco. The atmosphere was tense but excited as he shared stories from his career. He discussed his childhood in South Korea and his love for breaking genre rules.
A nervous audience member grabbed the microphone to ask the question on everyone’s mind. The fan pointed out that Netflix now owns a major Hollywood studio. They asked if this meant theaters were doomed. It was a fair question since Bong has feet in both worlds. He made Okja with Netflix back in 2017. He also released the sci-fi hit Mickey 17 with Warner Bros. earlier this year.
Bong answered the worried fan with his trademark humor and grace. He joked that he has no idea what is happening in Los Angeles boardrooms right now. He reminded the crowd that he is just a filmmaker staying at home in Korea.
He emphasized that the physical act of going to a theater creates a unique human connection. During the festival, he and the jury watched two films a day on a massive screen. He noted that streaming is a great tool for access. But he stressed that a merger cannot erase the feeling of sitting in a dark room with strangers.
Bong Joon Ho speaking microphone Marrakech festival stage lighting
Inside The Historic Acquisition
The entertainment landscape changed overnight when Netflix announced the purchase on Friday. The $82.7 billion price tag is hard to comprehend. It gives the streaming giant control over nearly a century of movie history. This includes the entire Warner Bros. library, DC Comics, and the prestige content of HBO.
Industry analysts are scrambling to understand what this means for ticket sales. The primary fear is that Netflix will stop sending big movies to theaters. They might keep everything exclusive to their app to gain more subscribers.
Here is a breakdown of what is at stake in this deal:
- Box Office Windows: The time a movie plays in theaters before going online could shrink to zero.
- Creative Control: Filmmakers worry algorithms will decide which movies get made.
- Theater Survival: Chains like AMC and Regal rely on Warner Bros. blockbusters to pay the rent.
- Consumer Choice: Viewers might have to pay higher subscription fees to access the new combined library.
This consolidation of power is unprecedented. It places the keys to Hollywood’s biggest franchises in the hands of a company that prioritizes home viewing.
Streaming Boss Wants You Home
The panic among theater owners is not without reason. Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos has been vocal about his vision for the future. He has argued for years that the traditional movie release model is broken. His goal is to make entertainment as consumer-friendly as possible.
Sarandos recently called the theater experience an “outdated concept” during a summit. He believes that fighting over a 45-day exclusive theatrical window hurts the business. His data suggests that most people simply prefer to watch movies from their couch.
He claims that forcing audiences to drive to a theater is a barrier, not a benefit.
However, his actions show a complicated relationship with cinemas. Netflix actually saved the historic Paris Theater in New York and the Bay Theater in Los Angeles. Sarandos said they did this to preserve the “experience” rather than the business model.
Critics point out that Netflix only put about thirty films in theaters in 2025. These were mostly limited releases meant to qualify for awards like the Oscars. The new deal suggests this trend will become the standard for Warner Bros. films too.
Why The Big Screen Matters
Bong Joon Ho represents the perfect middle ground in this debate. He understands the reach of streaming but worships the altar of cinema. His career proves that both formats can coexist if handled correctly.
Okja was a streaming success that brought his work to millions of homes instantly. Parasite was a theatrical phenomenon that won Best Picture because crowds championed it. Mickey 17 showed that high-concept sci-fi still draws huge crowds to the multiplex.
The director argues that the collective experience amplifies emotion.
When you laugh with 300 other people, the joke is funnier. When you gasp in horror together, the scare is deeper. This communal energy is something a living room television cannot replicate.
The industry will likely see a hybrid model emerge from this chaos. Blockbusters might still get premium screen time while dramas move to streaming. But as Bong suggests, as long as humans want to gather, theaters will find a way to keep the lights on.
The next few months will reveal the true intentions of the Netflix and Warner Bros. alliance. Until then, filmmakers like Bong will keep fighting to ensure the silver screen remains a place for magic.
