A major power struggle is unfolding in Hollywood as Netflix and Paramount Skydance compete for control of Warner Bros Discovery, one of the entertainment industry’s most historic studios. Paramount Skydance, led by chief executive David Ellison and backed by the billionaire Ellison family, has spent months courting Warner Bros Discovery as it looks to build…
Netflix has struggled to convince US lawmakers that its proposed takeover of Warner Bros Discovery would serve the interests of consumers, workers and the wider entertainment industry, as bipartisan concerns mount over the scale of the deal. During a hearing on Tuesday, members of the US Senate antitrust subcommittee raised alarms about the potential impact…
Netflix has revised its takeover proposal for Warner Bros Discovery’s streaming and film division, confirming it will now fund the acquisition entirely in cash. The move is seen as a strategic effort to outpace rival bidder Paramount Skydance in the race to secure the Hollywood studio. Originally, Netflix planned to structure the deal using a…
Warner Bros Discovery has advised its shareholders to turn down a $108.4bn (£80.75bn) takeover proposal from Paramount Skydance, signalling its preference for a separate deal already agreed with streaming giant Netflix. In a statement to investors, the company’s board said it had unanimously concluded that the Paramount-backed offer was not in the best interests of…
On the Warner Bros lot in Burbank, tourists still line up for photos in front of the Friends café set, unaware that behind the familiar façades, one of Hollywood’s oldest institutions is fighting for survival. For many of the people who make their living there, the possible breakup or sale of Warner Bros feels less…
Gary Lineker is laughing – the kind of deep, familiar laugh that has become a signature of The Rest Is Football. Moments earlier, Micah Richards had cheekily crowned him “top dog,” and Alan Shearer played along before all three dissolved into giggles. Their banter is effortless, and it is this chemistry that has helped turn…
Netflix has reached a $72bn (£54bn) agreement to purchase the film and streaming divisions of Warner Bros Discovery, marking one of the most consequential mergers in modern Hollywood. The streaming giant outbid Comcast and Paramount’s Skydance for control of Warner Bros’ entertainment assets, which include blockbuster franchises such as Harry Potter, Game of Thrones and…
Major League Baseball (MLB) has secured a series of new broadcast and streaming partnerships with Netflix, ESPN and NBCUniversal, expanding how fans will watch games and marquee events over the next three seasons. The agreements will see Netflix carry several of the league’s most-watched specials, including Opening Night and the annual Home Run Derby, marking…
Netflix is taking its boldest step yet into gaming as it works to transform itself from a streaming platform into a full-scale entertainment ecosystem. The company has unveiled a new suite of interactive games that can be played directly on televisions, using smartphones as controllers – a move executives say marks the beginning of a…
Rockstar Games’ Western blockbuster Red Dead Redemption appears to be heading to a new generation of consoles, after fresh ratings surfaced from the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series consoles and Nintendo’s upcoming Switch 2. While Rockstar has yet to make an official announcement, the new listings strongly suggest that…
Netflix has added another major YouTube creator to its line-up, announcing a new deal with former NASA engineer and science content creator Mark Rober. Rober, 45, has built a massive following of over 70 million subscribers on YouTube, where his inventive videos on science, engineering, and technology frequently attract tens of millions of views. Some…
Netflix has confirmed that it used generative artificial intelligence (AI) to create visual effects for the first time in one of its original productions – a milestone that could reshape how films and series are made. The streaming giant’s co-CEO, Ted Sarandos, revealed that the AI technology was used to generate a collapsing building scene…
Capcom’s latest hit, Devil May Cry 5, has crossed a major sales milestone, selling over 10 million copies worldwide – a surge largely credited to the popular Netflix anime adaptation of the franchise. The anime, produced by Adi Shankar and released earlier this year, quickly gained a strong following among both longtime fans and newcomers,…
Sesame Street is set to make its debut on Netflix following a new partnership between the streaming giant and the producers of the iconic children’s show. The move comes amid major funding cuts from the U.S. federal government to the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), the long-time home of the beloved series. The deal will bring…
Nigerian author and filmmaker Arese Ugwu has opened up about a painful rejection she received from Netflix, revealing that the streaming giant’s refusal to support an expansion of her TV series The Smart Money Woman nearly broke her. Speaking in a recent interview with Afropolitan, Ugwu recounted how the first season of the show –…
Netflix has begun testing a new search feature powered by OpenAI technology, aiming to give subscribers a more intuitive and personalised way to find content on the platform. According to a Bloomberg report confirmed by Netflix spokesperson MoMo Zhou, the experimental feature allows users to search for TV shows and movies using more descriptive and…
Samsung Electronics has announced a new partnership with Netflix aimed at elevating the viewing experience through the integration of HDR10+ technology into the streaming giant’s content. The collaboration will see Netflix’s catalogue of shows and movies optimised for Samsung’s HDR10+ across its 2025 lineup of Neo QLED, OLED, and Lifestyle TVs, as well as selected…
Netflix has announced price hikes for most subscription tiers in the US and Canada, following its largest-ever quarterly subscriber surge. The streaming giant reported an addition of 19 million new subscribers in the last quarter of 2024, bringing its global total to 302 million users. This unprecedented growth was attributed to several high-profile events and…
Nigerian actor and filmmaker Lateef Adedimeji has achieved a remarkable milestone, with his latest movie, Lisabi: A Legend Is Born, claiming the number one spot on Netflix within 24 hours of its release. Adding to the celebration, Adedimeji’s earlier film, Lisabi: The Uprising, released last year, has also climbed to the third position on the…
Netflix has initiated a legal battle against Broadcom, alleging that VMware, a Broadcom subsidiary, has infringed on several of its patents related to virtual machine technology. The streaming giant claims that VMware’s products, including vSphere and its cloud solutions, violate five Netflix patents aimed at optimizing and managing virtual machines efficiently. The patents in question…
Netflix has finally made its NFL debut, streaming two high-profile games that set records for live sports viewership on the platform. Despite the milestone, the ratings fell short compared to last year’s traditional broadcasts on cable and network television. The late matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans drew an average of 24.3 million…
Veteran Nollywood actress Chioma Chukwuka-Akpotha has shared the lengths she went to prepare for her role in the newly released Netflix series Seven Doors. The series, which explores themes of kingship, family, love, betrayal, and restitution, features Chukwuka-Akpotha as an Igbo queen married to a Yoruba king, played by Femi Adebayo. Her character required her…
Amid concerns over Netflix’s reported restructuring in Nigeria, popular comedian and filmmaker Ayo Makun, widely known as AY, has shed light on the streaming giant’s true stance in the Nigerian market. The conversation began earlier in December when Victor Ohai, President of the Directors Guild of Nigeria, announced during the Zuma Film Festival in Abuja…
Streaming giant Netflix has addressed recent speculations suggesting it plans to exit the Nigerian market due to economic challenges and regulatory pressures. Responding to the claims, Netflix dismissed the rumours, reaffirming its commitment to Nigeria’s creative industry and its local operations. In a statement shared with TechCabal, the company clarified: “We are not exiting Nigeria….
Authorities in France and the Netherlands have raided Netflix’s offices in Paris and Amsterdam as part of an ongoing investigation into suspected tax fraud. French judicial sources confirmed that the probe, initiated in November 2022, has seen cooperation between the two countries as they examine Netflix’s tax practices across Europe. The French National Financial Prosecutor’s…
Netflix has started raising its subscription prices in several countries as the surge in growth from its password-sharing crackdown begins to ease. Over the past month, the streaming giant has increased fees in Japan, parts of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, with changes now being introduced in Italy and Spain. In its latest quarterly…
Renowned filmmaker Kunle Afolayan has confirmed that his hit series Anikulapo will return for a second season on Netflix. Afolayan shared the news on Monday, October 7, through his Instagram account, revealing that filming for the upcoming season took place in Oyo State, Nigeria, and Ghana. The new season promises to delve deeper into captivating…
This October, Netflix is rolling out a diverse range of shows and movies guaranteed to captivate audiences across multiple genres. Headlining the list is Hijack ‘93, a tense thriller that recounts the gripping story of four men who hijack a plane to demand social reform and bring down a military-backed regime. Passengers find themselves in…
Netflix has announced that it will begin phasing out its Basic plan, the cheapest ad-free subscription option, in the United States. Priced at $11.99 per month, the Basic plan will no longer be available for new sign-ups, as the company encourages users to switch to its ad-supported plan at $6.99 per month. Existing Basic plan…
Netflix is moving forward with its decision to discontinue its cheapest ad-free tier for existing subscribers, prompting them to select new plans to continue accessing the streaming service. The transition, spotted by users on Reddit, signals a shift in Netflix’s subscription offerings. According to reports, subscribers currently on the $11.99 per month basic plan have…
Ted Sarandos, co-chief executive of Netflix, has articulated his belief that streaming platforms like Netflix are not only enriching cultural experiences but also contributing to making the world a safer place. In a recent interview on the tech podcast Hard Fork, Sarandos expressed his perspective on the positive impact of streaming. Since assuming his role…
Netflix has released the official trailer for its upcoming action thriller The Union, featuring Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry. The film is set to premiere on the streaming platform on August 16. In The Union, Wahlberg plays Mike, a construction worker from New Jersey whose life takes a dramatic turn when his high school sweetheart,…
Netflix is set to transport viewers to 18th-century Nigeria with the premiere of Bolanle Austen-Peters’ biopic, “House of Ga’a,” on July 26th. The film chronicles the tumultuous rise and fall of Bashorun Ga’a, a formidable kingmaker who used deceit and voodoo to maintain power, only to be ultimately betrayed by his own blood. The film…
June 7, 2024 – Streaming giant Netflix is gearing up to defend against a substantial damages claim of $170 million filed by Fiona Harvey, a Scottish woman who alleges defamation stemming from the hit series “Baby Reindeer.” In a complaint lodged in the District Court for the Central District of California, Harvey seeks damages for…
In a strategic move that defied expectations, Netflix witnessed a surge in subscriber numbers, surpassing 9 million additions in the first quarter of the year, reaching a record high of 269.6 million subscribers. This remarkable growth comes in the wake of the streaming giant’s crackdown on password sharing, indicating the widespread prevalence of this practice…
In a recent move, Netflix has advised its customers who pay for their streaming subscription through Apple’s App Store to switch their payment method to avoid potential disruptions in service. The streaming giant announced the policy change, indicating that members billed through Apple’s platform may soon receive prompts to update their payment information directly through…
Taylor Swift has struck a lucrative deal with Disney+ for the rights to her highly successful concert film, ‘The Eras Tour’, leaving other major distributors like Netflix and Universal in the dust. After grossing over $261 million worldwide during its theatrical release, Swift’s concert film has become a hot commodity in the streaming world. Despite…
In a transformative shift, Netflix has undergone substantial changes over the past two years to solidify its position as a revenue-driving powerhouse in the highly competitive streaming industry. The streaming giant, once synonymous with uninterrupted binge-watching experiences, faced a critical juncture as subscriber growth declined in 2022, prompting a series of strategic reversals. Netflix’s response…
In a groundbreaking move, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has officially inked a colossal partnership with streaming giant Netflix. The collaboration, valued at $5 billion over the next decade, will bring WWE’s flagship weekly wrestling program, Monday Night Raw, to the Netflix platform, starting from January 2025. The streaming service will cater to viewers in the…
Netflix experienced a significant surge in new subscriptions at the end of last year, driven by the company’s efforts to crack down on password-sharing. The streaming giant added over 13.1 million subscriptions in the last quarter of 2023, marking the highest quarterly growth since 2020. The increase in sign-ups follows Netflix’s decision to implement measures…
As Netflix continues to assert its dominance in the streaming industry, investors are closely watching the company’s performance in 2024. The streaming giant, often hailed as the winner of the “streaming wars,” is set to report its fourth-quarter earnings, offering insights into its financial outlook and key strategic moves. Here are the pivotal questions on…
In a fierce battle for Oscar recognition, Netflix emerged as the leader with an impressive 18 nominations, outshining its streaming rival Apple, which secured 13 nods. The prestigious accolades included a best picture nomination for the Bradley Cooper-directed film “Maestro,” which played a pivotal role in Netflix’s remarkable haul. While Apple made a commendable effort…
In a resounding victory over its streaming competitors, Netflix has outperformed expectations by adding an impressive 13.1 million new subscribers in the fourth quarter, elevating its total count to a staggering 260 million. Analysts, who had projected an average of 8.8 million new sign-ups, were surprised by the streaming giant’s robust performance, as reported by…
In a recent report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, it has been revealed that Apple’s upcoming Vision Pro headset will not feature a dedicated Netflix app at its launch. Netflix reportedly has no plans to develop an app specifically tailored for Apple’s headset, and compatibility with the iPad app is not on the agenda either. This…
Netflix’s ad-supported tier has witnessed a substantial growth, reaching over 23 million monthly active users, according to Amy Reinhard, the streaming service’s President of Advertising. This marks an increase of approximately 8 million users in the past two months, with Netflix reporting 15 million global monthly active users in November 2023. Speaking at the Variety…
In a landmark move towards transparency, Netflix has released its inaugural report titled “What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report,” providing a detailed overview of viewer engagement over six months. This report is part of the company’s commitment to transparency, with plans to publish it biannually, as outlined in a recent memo. For the first…
In a move that may not sit well with subscribers, Netflix has decided to raise its prices once again. This price hike is expected to impact its premium ad-free plan in the United States. The streaming giant revealed this change in its third-quarter earnings report. Starting Wednesday, the premium plan’s cost will increase by $3…
Nigeria’s dynamic film and music industries continue to captivate global audiences, and Nollywood, in particular, has evolved from rustic settings to producing thrilling blockbusters that resonate on an international scale. One shining example of this transformation is “The Black Book,” a Nigerian thriller that unfolds against the backdrop of Lagos and Kaduna. In this gripping…
Netflix is diversifying its revenue streams by venturing into merchandise sales tied to its new show based on the popular Japanese manga “One Piece.” While the streaming giant has previously sold merchandise for successful shows like Stranger Things, Sex Education, and The Witcher, it’s now breaking new ground by offering merchandise for One Piece even…
In a strategic move that has the potential to reshape the telecom landscape and create new revenue streams, Reliance Jio Infocomm announced on Friday the inclusion of Netflix subscriptions in its prepaid plans. This bold initiative not only intensifies competition among domestic telecom giants but also provides the video-streaming titan Netflix with a fresh avenue…
