Netflix Is Closer to Buying Warner Bros., and May Be Coming for YouTube Too

Netflix just came closer to buying Warner Bros. after the Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Board of Directors advised shareholders to reject Paramount Skydance Corporation’s offer to buy one of Hollywood’s biggest studios for $108 billion. In a statement released on Wednesday, December 17, Netflix said, “The WBD Board urged stockholders to approve the merger agreement with Netflix, which they believe offers a more certain and superior alternative for WBD stockholders.”

On December 5, Netflix announced that it had entered a definitive agreement with Warner Bros. to acquire the company and its film and TV studios, HBO and HBO Max, for a total enterprise value of $82.7 billion. The agreement would see Netflix adopting HBO’s film and TV programs into its streaming services and “enhance Netflix’s studio capabilities” to deliver more original content.

This week, Netflix also secured deals with Barstool Sports and iHeartMedia to bring video podcasts to the platform in 2026.

Under the agreement with Barstool Sports, Netflix will stream all new video episodes from the podcasts Pardon My Take, The Ryen Rusillo Podcast, and Spittin’ Chiclets, on top of select older episodes from each podcast. Audio versions of the podcasts will still be available on other streaming platforms.

Meanwhile, 15 of iHeartMedia’s video podcasts will stream exclusively on Netflix starting early 2026, and will no longer be distributed on YouTube. These podcasts include The Breakfast Club, My Favorite Murder, This Is Important, and comedian Chelsea Handler’s Dear Chelsea. Other podcasts, such as Las Culturistas, will remain on YouTube, but according to Vulture, iHeartMedia said that more shows will be announced in the coming months.

This comes two months after Spotify announced that it had made a deal with Netflix to stream video podcasts produced by Spotify Studio and The Ringer in early 2026.

Pie Gonzaga

Culture Writer

Pie Gonzaga is the Culture Writer of Rolling Stone Philippines, primarily covering film, TV, food, and internet culture.

Gonzaga has worked on a range of stories for print and digital formats, from an interview with Cardinal Ambo David to features on queer party organizers such as CHURCH and Club Euphoria. Her work as the magazine’s former State of Affairs Writer includes news updates on pressing issues like the flood control scandal and the missing sabungeros, and covering rallies. Under Culture, she’s written episode recaps for hit shows, film reviews, and features on restaurants and the people who run them.

Before working with Rolling Stone Philippines, she contributed lifestyle and entertainment stories for a digital news platform.

See more stories by Pie Gonzaga

• In This Article:
• Netflix
• Paramount
• Warner Bros.