Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos dispelled rumors that he would shorten theatrical release times after the streaming giant acquires Warner Bros.
The entertainment exec said as much during an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/business/media/ted-sarandos-netflix.html">interview</a> with The New York Times published Friday.
“When this deal closes, we will own a theatrical distribution engine that is phenomenal and produces billions of dollars of theatrical revenue that we don’t want to put at risk. We will run that business largely like it is today, with 45-day windows,” Sarandos told the outlet.
“I’m giving you a hard number. If we’re going to be in the theatrical business, and we are, we’re competitive people — we want to win. I want to win opening weekend. I want to win box office,” he added.
Sarandos went on to say that “a lot of assumptions” that Netflix execs had about Warner Bros. weren’t true.
“The general economics of the theatrical business were more positive than we had seen and we had modeled for ourselves. It’s a healthy, profitable business for them. We weren’t in that business not because we hated it. We weren’t in that business because our business was doing so well.”
Netflix’s anticipated acquisition of Warner Bros., which would include its film and television studios, HBO Max, and HBO, is valued at $82.7 billion. Industry insiders and fans have pushed back on the merger, saying it could deal a huge blow to movie theaters. Rumors started circulating that Netflix planned to shorten theatrical release times from 45 days to just 17 days, similar to what Universal does for some of its releases.
Sarandos told NYT that he anticipated this type of response. “I think [the backlash] was a lot of loud voices, but not necessarily a lot of them,” the Netflix CEO said. “I think a lot of it was folks who questioned, rightfully so, our intent with theatrical because we hadn’t said anything about it. A lot of it was the emotions around that more than anything else.”
During the same interview, Sarandos addressed comments he made in 2025 about theaters being “outmoded” for people outside of large cities.
“You have to listen to that quote again. I said ‘outmoded for some.’ I mean, like the town that ‘Sinners’ is supposed to be set in does not have a movie theater there,” he said. “For those folks, it’s certainly outmoded. You’re not going to get in the car and go to the next town to go see a movie. But my daughter lives in Manhattan. She could walk to six multiplexes, and she’s in the theaters twice a week. Not outmoded for her at all.”

Ted Sarandos

Netflix CEO Says He Won’t Shorten Theatrical Releases Following Warner Bros. Acquisition

Entertainment

Movie Theaters

Movies

Netflix

U.S.

Warner Bros

Actor Matt Damon explained some stipulations Netflix has for movies, taking into account what they describe as short attention spans from viewers.
The 55-year-old Academy Award-winner made the revelation during a recent appearance on “The Joe Rogan Experience” podcast while promoting his new Netflix project, “The Rip.”
Damon said traditional movie setups have changed due to audiences being accustomed to short-form content, also because they’re only half paying attention as they check their phones.
“The standard way to make an action movie that we learned was, you usually have three set pieces. One in the first act, one in the second, one in the third,” Damon said.
“You spend most of your money on that one in the third act. That’s your finale,” he added. “And now they’re like, ‘Can we get a big one in the first five minutes? We want people to stay. And it wouldn’t be terrible if you reiterated the plot three or four times in the dialogue because people are on their phones while they’re watching.’”
Damon’s longtime collaborator Ben Affleck chimed in, pointing out that the Netflix hit “Adolescence” did not follow the formula and was still a success. “It didn’t do any of that sh*t,” Affleck said. “And it’s f*cking great.”
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The interview comes on the heels of Netflix announcing they are acquiring Warner Bros., including its film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO, in a massive deal valued at $82.7 billion.
This move has led to criticism from the public, especially as rumors persisted that Netflix planned to reduce how long streaming customers had to wait to watch new theatrical releases. Multiple outlets reported that the window would be shortened from six weeks to seventeen days.
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos attempted to put those rumors to rest during a recent <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/16/business/media/ted-sarandos-netflix.html">interview</a> with The New York Times.
&#8220;We will run that business largely like it is today, with 45-day windows,&#8221; he told the outlet. &#8220;I’m giving you a hard number. If we’re going to be in the theatrical business, and we are, we’re competitive people — we want to win. I want to win opening weekend. I want to win box office.&#8221;

Matt Damon

Matt Damon Says Netflix Wants Movie Plots ‘Reiterated’ Multiple Times For Distracted Viewers

Matt Damon Says Netflix Wants Movie Plots 'Reiterated' Multiple Times For Distracted Viewers

Ben Affleck

Hollywood

At the beginning of every New Year, journalists, and other flagrant abusers of God’s precious gift of life, make lists of predictions about what will happen in the year to come. Turning their corruption-riddled minds to politics and culture and other topics they know absolutely nothing about, journalists forecast absurd scenarios that would confirm them in all the boneheaded prejudices that made their reporting such utterly useless crap-fountains in the year that just ended. 
But unlike journalists, we at the Daily Wire are committed to telling the truth. And the truth is we have no freaking clue what’s going to happen in the next ten minutes let alone the months ahead. The future’s not ours to see, as Doris Day said, shortly after she let out an ear-piercing scream that startled the assassin so that he only wounded the ambassador, leaving Jimmy Stewart free to find his kidnapped son and knock the kidnapper down a flight of stairs to his death, a conclusion that makes absolutely no sense if you stop and think about it for even a minute.
Where was I? Oh yeah.
Since predicting the future is very popular and since no one knows the future, the Daily Wire has developed a system for forecasting the events of the year that is far more scientifically consistent than any other. Namely, we just make stuff up and hope we get lucky and can create the illusion that we’re much smarter than we are.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-261-it-s-crazy-out-there?contentProgram=The%20Andrew%20Klavan%20Show&amp;contentType=ShowEpisode&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;location=Home%20Tab&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Home%20Featured%20Carousel"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-974735 aligncenter" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-1024x171.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="171" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-1024x171.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-300x50.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-768x128.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now-1536x256.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/Klavan-watch-now.jpg 1800w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
So here are my predictions for 2026.
In early March, a tarantula the size of the Chrysler Building will descend on New York City and begin to devour the inhabitants, who will find this a welcome relief from the policies of Zohran Mamdani. President Donald Trump will rush to the scene, armed only with an emerald-encrusted titanium sword he borrowed from Glenn Beck’s collection of titanium swords encrusted with various precious gems. Trump will single-handedly slay the spider, whereupon Democrats will condemn this violation of the arachnid rights guaranteed in our Constitution, and will spend the rest of the month having cocktails and photo ops with sad-looking tarantulas around the country, before heading to local hospitals to be treated for bites. &#8220;The View&#8221; will dedicate an entire show to the long history of anti-tarantula bias, until a guest tarantula crawls over Sunny Hostin’s hand, causing her to let out a high-pitched shriek that goes on for ten uninterrupted minutes before anyone realizes this is not just her usual commentary. At CBS News, meanwhile, editor-in-chief Bari Weiss will come under fire when she pounds a tarantula to death with a high-heeled shoe before anyone has time to explain to her that it was on its way to be interviewed for &#8220;60 Minutes.&#8221; And Candace Owens will announce that a spider the size of the Chrysler Building could only have been created by God, proving once again that a Jew is to blame.
In the culture, Netflix Chief of Content Bela Bajaria will proclaim that all married couples in Netflix movies must be mixed race and all children must be homosexual unless they’re transgender in which case they can be heterosexual because that would be homosexual. When Netflix’s audience share sinks to zero percent, Mrs. Bajaria will tell interviewers, “Our pictures are still big. It’s the audience that got small,” and then descend a long staircase declaring, “I’m ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille,” before being carted off to a mental institution or to become head of Warner Brothers, depending on how the deal turns out.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will step down, resting on his accomplishments of watching Minneapolis burn to the ground while Somalians bilked American taxpayers out of billions of Somolians. Or possibly Somolians bilked us out of Somalians. Either way, they should both go back where they came from.
Finally, Democrats will take back the House in the mid-terms, and immediately move to impeach Trump for flagrantly causing world peace and American prosperity. Republicans will keep the Senate, but Chuck Schumer will reassure journalists, “The government is still big, it’s the people who got small,” and then descend a staircase declaring, “I’m ready for my close-up Mr. DeMille,” before he’s devoured by a gigantic tarantula.
All right, that last part is just a personal daydream of mine.
* * *
This excerpt is taken from the opening satirical monologue of “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/the-andrew-klavan-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Andrew Klavan Show</a>.”
Andrew Klavan is the host of “The Andrew Klavan Show” at The Daily Wire. Klavan is the bestselling author of numerous books, including the Cameron Winter Mystery series. The fifth installment, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/After-That-Cameron-Winter-Mysteries/dp/1613166869/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3EGZUC370LG46&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Y_NI0mDOKeowShheDQTVx5NH-fAeimJoCD56_T0Acpl8C0mup7uJf-nGGSRLEItaaekoDnvS2vWLMa4Zd2UBXQ8Y-g-P502jOWz-Y8IX3ZQsdlO7WMLrg1xIhNoKmjCorSWUR4C2l_RbiZ7apJ1MfPzGOrrEf7AdAXX6xwnJRVP_XqUfWuMuVthTWscaU3P4vgmS86-96n-721enHfX12CFQWTajqFbVnrsDkexfUf4.6_gTH6h1Bb9Pn375QdF_VAVZSayDvjQBBKGXE-MTiFo&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=klavan&amp;qid=1754049918&amp;sprefix=%2Caps%2C80&amp;sr=8-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">After That, The Dark,</a> is NOW AVAILABLE. Follow him on X: <a href="https://x.com/andrewklavan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@andrewklavan</a>.
The views expressed in this satirical piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

NYC Tarantula

Here Are My Predictions For 2026

Andrew Klavan

Bari Weiss

Democrats

Humor

New York City

Satire

Warner Bros. Discovery has formally rejected the hostile takeover bid from Paramount amid their merger deal with Netflix, dubbing the proposed terms “inferior” to the Netflix partnership.
“Your Board negotiated a merger with Netflix that maximizes value while mitigating downside risks, and we unanimously believe the Netflix merger is in your best interest. We are focused on advancing the Netflix merger to deliver its compelling value to you,” the board wrote in a letter to shareholders Wednesday morning, per <a href="https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/warner-bros-discovery-rejects-paramount-skydance-ellison-latest-takeover-offer-1236624282/">Variety</a>.
The letter further stated that the Paramount offer “is not more favorable to WBD stockholders than the Netflix Merger and continues to be inadequate,” because of “insufficient value, taking into account price and numerous risks, costs and uncertainties.” 
The decision to reject the bid was said to be unanimous. This was the sixth offer made and rejected by Paramount.
“The Offer is entirely at [Paramount]’s discretion – [Paramount] can reduce the price, impose new conditions, or walk away entirely at any time prior to its acceptance of tendered shares,” Warner Bros. said of the proposal.
Paramount announced their latest bid days after the Netflix deal was announced in December.
“We believe our offer will create a stronger Hollywood. It is in the best interests of the creative community, consumers and the movie theater industry,” Paramount Chairman and CEO David Ellison said in a statement at the time, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/paramount-launches-hostile-takeover-bid-for-warner-bros-days-after-netflix-deal-announced?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Paramount+Launches+Hostile+Takeover+Bid+For+Warner+Bros.+Days+After+Netflix+Deal+Announced">reported</a>. 
“We believe they will benefit from the enhanced competition, higher content spend and theatrical release output, and a greater number of movies in theaters as a result of our proposed transaction.”
President Trump remarked on the Netflix deal in December, saying it “could be a problem” from an antitrust standpoint. The president also mentioned being “involved” in reviewing the deal. The proposed merger has had bipartisan pushback from skeptics who warn it could turn into a “nightmare” for consumers and creatives. 
Many critics also worry that it could destroy the theater industry, as rumors persist that Netflix will push for a shorter theatrical release window for major films. Per <a href="https://www.avclub.com/netflix-warner-bros-17-day-theatrical-amc">reports</a>, the timing could be shortened to as little as 17 days, drastically reducing the industry standard of a 30 to 45-day delay before movies arrive on streaming services.

Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. Rejects ‘Inferior’ Paramount Hostile Takeover Bid, Chooses Netflix

Warner Bros. Rejects 'Inferior' Paramount Hostile Takeover Bid, Chooses Netflix

Business

Paramount

Editor’s note: This piece discusses the finale of Stranger Things, so there are obviously going to be spoilers. Consider yourselves warned if you are, like this author, a dork and plan to watch the show.
Stranger Things concluded its fifth and final season with a two-hour New Year’s Eve release, nearly a decade after the vanishing of Will Byers launched a new era of Netflix original programming.
Expectations for the final season rose to the heavens in the four years since the fourth season of Stranger Things. Fans were almost certain to be disappointed — and boy, were they.
Initial waves of criticism gave way to a truly strange mass psychosis wherein superfans have convinced themselves that the series finale was actually a fake, and that creators Matt and Ross Duffer were waiting to drop the actual finale in the coming days.
Those of us who did not develop a parasocial relationship with Gaten Matarazzo realized this was bunk from the start. But for those really pinning their hopes to these theories, Netflix has made it clear that Stranger Things is done. The finale we got was the finale we&#8217;re going to get. And yes, there are plenty of things to criticize with that episode, as with the whole final season: the bad dialogue, the continuity errors, the lazy acting.
But I don’t want to talk about any of that. I want to talk about Steve Harrington.
The fan-favorite character has gone on quite a journey. He began as a stereotypical 1980s jock, Nancy Wheeler’s unlikable boyfriend who bristles at her intelligence and beats up the nerds. The Duffer Brothers planned to kill him off at the end of season one, but they found themselves so charmed by Joe Keery’s performance that they reversed course.
And then they did more than that: they gave Steve warmth and depth unmatched by any other character. Over the course of the show, he not only accepts Nancy’s independence but also her relationship with Jonathan Byers, one of the dorks he once beat up. He becomes a friend and mentor to the younger children, constantly putting his life on the line for their safety. And he grows close with Hawke’s character, Robin, accepting her quirkiness without a second thought.
This character development was so effective that, in the run-up to the finale, fans made it clear that Steve’s death was the outcome they most feared. Fortunately for the legions of Harringtonians out there, Steve survives his final journey to a parallel dimension and makes it safely back to Hawkins.
But that’s where things go off the rails.
In the show’s penultimate scene, we see the cadre of older Hawkins kids reminiscing on the rooftop of the town radio station. Jonathan is making anti-capitalist films at NYU. Robin is dating girls at Smith. Nancy reveals that she’s dropped out of Emerson to work as a journalist full-time, and has a girlboss haircut and blazer to prove it.
And what of Steve? Did he settle down and start having the six children he’s been so vocal about wanting? Did his repeated encounters with the supernatural inspire him to seek out a change of scenery? Or did he join up with the Hawkins police department as Hopper’s deputy, harnessing the skills he honed defending the world from Vecna?
No, while all his friends move on to bigger and better things, Steve is still in Hawkins, coaching the high school baseball team. And lest it seem like Steve’s adventures with all those plucky kids had inspired him to pursue a career in education, the finale makes it clear: this is just the path of least resistance. Steve Harrington is a loser.
As he grabs another beer in his poorly-fitting suit, his friends mock the fact that, in addition to his coaching duties, Steve is also teaching sex education. Steve gives them plenty of fodder for their ribbing, noting that he has &#8220;a strict A policy, B if you’re a real knucklehead.&#8221;
There are jokes about him cycling through a series of vapid women, so clearly his plans for domestic bliss haven’t panned out. And lest you miss the point, he delivers this sad little monologue to all his posh friends in which he expresses his utter disbelief that they would ever want to leave Hawkins!
“Come on, I mean, look at this place!&#8221; Steve bellows while looking wistfully at the horizon. &#8220;The sunset, the view. Woo! You guys are seriously telling me you don’t miss any of this? The forest, the quarry? Family Video?&#8221;
This is the most unforgivable part. We’re meant to believe that after all this time — after years of personal growth and confrontations with mortality, to say nothing of countless trips to an alternate dimension — Steve Harrington is just another hometown hero who can’t fathom why anyone would want to leave the glory days behind.
The problem isn’t that Steve didn’t want to leave Hawkins, or that he wanted to become a coach. Those are both fine choices for a young man to make, and consistent with the character we’ve grown to know and love. It’s the myopia, the pigheaded jock mentality that makes everyone roll their eyes, that feels like a betrayal. Steve doesn&#8217;t like the community or the fact that Hawkins is his home. He likes the quarry and the video store, the two lamest and most generic things you could think to name. It’s a last-second reversion to Season 1 Steve, a fundamentally uncurious brute whose gaze extended no further than the Friday night lights at Hawkins High.
To the Duffer brothers’ credit, Steve’s ending isn’t entirely inconsistent with the show’s finale. The epilogue is very John Hughes, an effective tonal shift back to the 1980s nostalgia that launched the show, vibes that played second fiddle to the supernatural in later seasons.
But the return to authentic 1989 didn’t stop the Duffer brothers from showing two openly gay characters living easy lives, or a girl graduating high school despite having spent the past two years in a coma — to say nothing of, you know, the aliens. Disbelief can be suspended, it seems, so long as it serves the narrative. And that narrative can’t countenance the jock being anything other than kind of sad.
To be clear: I don’t think this is some grand neo-Marxist conspiracy to make kids eschew small-town life in favor of more degenerate pursuits like journalism. This is just another instance of a tiresome Revenge of the Nerds mentality we see all the time among creatives.
It doesn’t matter that the Duffer Brothers created one of the most popular shows of the decade, one that largely owes its popularity to the shocking transformation of its stereotypical jock character. They probably got bullied for making home movies in high school, and so the cool guy had to be a loser in the end.
Maybe it isn’t that malicious. Maybe the Duffers really did just get lazy, and making Steve a stereotype was just one of several ways they phoned in this final season. Either way, it’s a disappointing end to the best character arc in a mostly great show.
Steve deserved better, and so did we.

“Stranger Things 5” UK Special Screening – Arrivals

Steve Harrington Deserved A Better Ending Than Stranger Things Gave Him

Millie Bobby Brown

Stranger Things

Television

The Duffer brothers, creators of the hit Netflix series “Stranger Things,” have addressed the backlash to a main character’s coming out scene.
“The coming out scene is something we’ve been building to for nine years now. It was a really important scene for us, and a really important scene for [actor Noah Schnapp] — not just from a thematic point of view, but also a narrative point of view,” Ross Duffer <a href="https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/stranger-things-finale-is-eleven-alive-vecna-killed-rock-spinoff-1236621528/">told</a> Variety in an interview published Thursday.
He added, “This show has always been about our characters overcoming evil, and in order to overcome this evil, Vecna, in so many ways, represents all the dark thoughts and the evil of society. And for our characters to overcome that, it really becomes about embracing themselves, and then also embracing one another and coming together.”
Fans were disappointed by the penultimate episode of the series, giving it the lowest rating out of all episodes and trashing it on social media, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stranger-things-episode-gets-record-worst-rating-for-series-woke-ruins-everything">reported</a>.
“Woke ruins EVERYTHING,” one X reaction said. “Netflix decided to RUIN their most popular show of all-time, Stranger Things, by focusing their final season on Will coming out as a homosexual, promoting the propaganda that Will’s superpowers are because he’s &#8217;embraced his sexuality&#8217; &amp; the villain telling Will that his friends won’t like him if they find out he likes dudes.”
The Duffer brothers insist that Will’s coming out was an essential part of the show.
Matt Duffer called it “the final step in Will’s journey” and noted he was “surprised” by the backlash since he insists the show has been building up to this all along.
“Volume 1 is really about self-acceptance, right? I mean, that’s sort of step one,” he said. “And then step two is Will is talking to Robin — it’s something that he wants to do. He’s trying to figure out how to come out, and he knows that he needs to do that, and that that’s the final step for him. And he finds the courage to be able to do it. And it’s really the ultimate f*** you to Vecna. That was the intention.”
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“We’re proud of the episode, and we’re proud of the scene, and proud of Noah, who gave a really brave, very vulnerable performance,” Ross told the outlet.
Schnapp had an emotional reaction to the scene he revealed during an interview with Netflix&#8217;s Tudum.
“I was really nervous to see how [the Duffer Brothers] would write it, because it was obviously so important for me. And I remember when they sent out the script for Episode 7 for that scene. I read it alone in my room, and I was crying, and it really resonated with me,” the actor said of his character coming out.
“I hope it touches everyone — not just queer people — and makes them feel emboldened and empowered to be who they are and be proud of who they are,” he told Tudum. “That goes back to the heart of our show: What makes you unique is your superpower.”

Duffer Brothers

‘Stranger Things’ Creators Defend Controversial Coming Out Scene: ‘The Ultimate F*** You’ To Villain

LGBTQ

Warner Bros Discovery will likely reject Paramount Skydance&#8217;s amended $108.4 billion hostile bid for the storied Hollywood studio despite a personal guarantee from billionaire Larry Ellison backing the media giant&#8217;s offer, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The board has yet to make a final decision, but is expected to meet next week, said the person, who requested anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.
Warner Bros and Paramount declined to comment on the board&#8217;s position, reported earlier by CNBC.
The decision could keep Warner Bros on track to pursue a rival cash-and-stock deal with Netflix despite Paramount&#8217;s attempt to sweeten its offer.
Ellison, whose son David is chairman and CEO of Paramount, personally guaranteed the equity underpinning the bid, hoping to ease doubts that had dogged its earlier proposal.
The company did not increase its $30-per-share all-cash offer, but it raised its regulatory reverse termination fee to match Netflix and extended its tender offer deadline.
Netflix&#8217;s $82.7 billion offer, while lower in headline value, offers a clearer financing structure and fewer execution risks, analysts have said.
Under terms of that agreement, Warner Bros would face a $2.8 billion breakup fee if it walks away from the Netflix deal.
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Harris Oakmark, Warner Bros&#8217; fifth largest investor with 96 million shares, said the revised offer wasn&#8217;t &#8220;sufficient,&#8221; and noted that it was not enough to cover the breakup fee.
Paramount has argued its bid would face fewer regulatory obstacles. A combined Paramount-Warner Bros entity would create a studio larger than industry leader Disney and merge two major television operators.
Warner Bros&#8217; board previously urged shareholders to reject Paramount&#8217;s $108.4 billion bid for the entire company, including its cable television assets, citing concerns over financing certainty and the absence of a full guarantee from the Ellison family.
Paramount has argued its offer is more market-proof than Netflix&#8217;s $82.7 billion proposal, whose value has fluctuated with Netflix&#8217;s share price.
Lawmakers from both parties have raised concerns about further consolidation in the media industry. U.S. President Donald Trump has said he plans to weigh in on the landmark acquisition.
(Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Dawn Kopecki, Krishna Chandra Eluri, Anil D&#8217;Silva and David Gregorio)

Warner Bros Likely To Reject Paramount’s Latest Hostile Bid, Source Says

Economy

Fans are overwhelmingly disappointed by the penultimate episode from season five of the hit Netflix series &#8220;Stranger Things.&#8221; 
Complaints about the episode titled &#8220;The Bridge&#8221; range from bad acting to tired plot lines, but the scene catching the most attention is the awkward moment when one of the main characters, Will (Noah Schnapp), decides to come out as gay to his friends before gearing up to battle the show’s mythical monster villain, Vecna.
“Woke ruins EVERYTHING,” one X reaction <a href="https://x.com/JonnyRoot_/status/2004745807090589752">said</a>. “Netflix decided to RUIN their most popular show of all-time, Stranger Things, by focusing their final season on Will coming out as a homosexual, promoting the propaganda that Will’s superpowers are because he’s ’embraced his sexuality’ &amp; the villain telling Will that his friends won’t like him if they find out he likes dudes.”
“How did Stranger Things go from such a great show to the only way they could defeat Vecna is if Will tells everyone he’s gay first,” another person agreed.
During the scene in question, Will gathers his friends together and admits, “I don&#8217;t like girls.” They proceed to form a group hug and seemingly downplay the upcoming battle to save the world. Will explains that the monster convinced him to keep his sexual identity hidden all this time. 
Season five of the series initially had a 73% rating on Rotten Tomatoes before the release of the latest episode. Now it’s <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/stranger_things/s05">dropped</a> to 56%. The episode also has a <a href="https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?count=250&amp;series=tt4574334&amp;sort=user_rating,asc">record-low</a> 5.4/10 rating on IMDb, which is even lower than the notoriously despised season 2 episode, “The Lost Sister.”
Schnapp had an emotional reaction to the scene he revealed during an <a href="https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/stranger-things-5-noah-schnapp-will-coming-out">interview</a> with Tudum. 
“I was really nervous to see how [the Duffer Brothers] would write it, because it was obviously so important for me. And I remember when they sent out the script for Episode 7 for that scene. I read it alone in my room, and I was crying, and it really resonated with me,” the actor said of his character coming out. 
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“I texted them, and I was like, ‘This is great. This is awesome.’ I didn’t know if they were ever gonna write that story for Will. They could have just left it up in the air, so getting to finally see it happen was amazing.”
The “Stranger Things” actor, who is also gay, said he felt the scene on a personal level. “I hope it touches everyone — not just queer people — and makes them feel emboldened and empowered to be who they are and be proud of who they are,” he told Tudum. “That goes back to the heart of our show: What makes you unique is your superpower.”
The two-hour series finale of “Stranger Things” premieres on Netflix and in select theaters on New Year’s Eve.

‘Stranger Things’ Episode Gets Record Worst Rating For Series: ‘Woke Ruins Everything’

Penultimate 'Stranger Things' Episode Gets Record Worst Rating For Series: 'Woke Ruins Everything'

LGBT

Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison has stepped in to personally guarantee $40.4 billion in Paramount Skydance&#8217;s latest effort to pry Warner Bros Discovery away from selling its prized Hollywood assets to streaming giant Netflix.
The guarantee, disclosed in a filing on Monday, seeks to allay the Warner Bros board&#8217;s doubts about Paramount&#8217;s financing and the lack of full Ellison family backing, which had pushed it toward the competing cash-and-stock offer from Netflix.
Here&#8217;s what analysts and market experts are saying about the latest development:
SETH SHAFER, PRINCIPAL ANALYST AT S&amp;P GLOBAL, NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
&#8220;I don&#8217;t think the revised bid from Paramount Skydance significantly alters the current status quo. I doubt many WBD shareholders that are on the fence or planning to vote &#8216;no&#8217; were holding out due to issues the revised bid addresses such as a guarantee from Larry Ellison on the funding front.&#8221;
&#8220;We&#8217;re still likely months away from a shareholder vote on the Paramount offer and the planned closing date of the deal agreed with Netflix would be in the second half of 2026. There will likely be many more twists and turns ahead and both Paramount and Netflix have a chance.&#8221;
MICHAEL PACHTER, MANAGING DIRECTOR, STRATEGIC PLANNING AT WEDBUSH SECURITIES, CALIFORNIA
&#8220;The WBD Board rejected the last offer because they thought it was speculative and revocable. This one makes the offer irrevocable and directly addresses the Board&#8217;s concern.
&#8220;If the board is rational and ethical (a big if), it must accept the offer, since the $108 billion PSKY offered is more than the $83 billion offered by Netflix. We;ll see what the Board does, but PSKY is right to make this offer directly to them.&#8221;
&#8220;Yes, Paramount has a chance to win, approaching 100%&#8221;
ROSS BENES, SENIOR ANALYST AT EMARKETER, NEW YORK
&#8220;The updated offer from Paramount doesn&#8217;t change the fact that WBD&#8217;s executives prefer Netflix. The new offer does make Paramount&#8217;s case more compelling to the board and shareholders. But WBD executives will keep fighting to maintain the Netflix deal as long as they can. This battle will be prolonged.&#8221;
PAOLO PESCATORE, ANALYST AT PP FORESIGHT, LONDON
&#8220;Paramount remains in a precarious position and is making a last-ditch effort to avoid being left out in the shadows. It cannot afford to lose out and be a weaker player compared to its stronger rivals.&#8221;
&#8220;The improved offer is a step in the right direction, but it is unlikely to be enough.&#8221;
REUBEN MILLER, HEAD OF ANTITRUST AT DEALREPORTER, WASHINGTON DC
&#8220;The financing from the sovereign wealth funds opens a regulatory box that needs to be checked. Having these players involved will bring another dimension of scrutiny, as well as a big diplomatic question &#8211; how far will using money from Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds bring them into partnership with one America&#8217;s cultural touchstones?&#8221;
&#8220;Paramount has claimed that any influence from the funds will be neutralised due to their lack of voting rights, but there are other questions at play which make the picture far murkier. Notably, the access of these funds, as key stakeholders, to WBD and Paramount&#8217;s data, as well as the wider diplomatic implications of foreign bodies having a vested stake in such a huge entity in U.S. media production and consumption.&#8221;
(Reporting by Kritika Lamba in Bengaluru, compiled by Arpan Varghese; Editing by Anil D&#8217;Silva)

In this photo illustration, the Warner Bros Discovery logo

Ellison Steps In With Personal Guarantee As Paramount Fights For Warner Bros

Antitrust

The controversial Netflix series “Boots,” about a gay Marine, was canceled after just one season on the streaming platform.
Deadline <a href="https://deadline.com/2025/12/boots-canceled-netflix-the-pink-marine-miles-heizer-1236649503/">reported</a> that the decision was not “straightforward” as it had good reviews from both critics and viewers. The outlet noted that Sony Pictures extended the options on several key actors in the hopes of continuing the series. Networks are usually unable to pick up anything canceled by Netflix due to exclusivity agreements. 
But in the end, it wasn’t enough. Producer Brent Miller said he was disappointed over the cancellation but was “so grateful that we were able to make the show,&#8221; adding that he &#8220;couldn’t be more proud of the show we made.”
In October, the Pentagon came out against the Netflix series, calling it “woke garbage.”
Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson released a statement on the series, saying a person’s sexuality is not relevant in this administration’s effort to strengthen our military.
“Under President Trump and Secretary [Pete] Hegseth, the U.S. military is getting back to restoring the warrior ethos. Our standards across the board are elite, uniform, and sex neutral because the weight of a rucksack or a human being doesn’t care if you’re a man, a woman, gay, or straight,” a statement from Wilson said, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/woke-garbage-pentagon-blasts-new-netflix-series-about-gay-marine">reported</a>.
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Wilson confirmed that officials “will not compromise our standards to satisfy an ideological agenda, unlike Netflix whose leadership consistently produces and feeds woke garbage to their audience and children.”
“Boots,” which stars Miles Heizer and Vera Farmiga, premiered on October 9 and consistently ranked in Netflix’s top 10 viewed charts. The series is critical of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” military policy from the 90s that required recruits to keep their sexual identity secret. The show is based on the book “The Pink Marine” by Greg Cope White.

Miles Heizer

Netflix Cancels Gay Military Series ‘Boots’ After One Season

Netflix Cancels Gay Military Series 'Boots' After One Season

Warner Bros Discovery&#8217;s board could announce a decision as early as Wednesday on Paramount Skydance&#8217;s $108.4 billion takeover bid, with the board likely to advise shareholders to vote against the offer, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The decision to recommit to Netflix&#8217;s buyout offer would mark the latest twist in the race for assets that include Warner Bros&#8217; storied film and TV studio, and its extensive film and television library, whose portfolio includes classics ranging from &#8220;Casablanca&#8221; and &#8220;Citizen Kane&#8221; to contemporary favorites like &#8220;Harry Potter&#8221; and &#8220;Friends,&#8221; HBO and the HBO Max streaming service.
A Warner Bros Discovery spokesman declined to comment.
The winner will gain a big advantage in the streaming wars by locking up a deep content library that has long been an acquisition target.
Netflix earlier this month emerged victorious with a $27 cash-and-stock bid for Warner Bros&#8217; non-cable assets.
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Paramount CEO David Ellison then went directly to Warner Bros&#8217; shareholders with a $30-a-share, all-cash bid for the whole company.
In regulatory filings, Paramount has said its bid is superior to Netflix&#8217;s offer and would enjoy a clearer path to regulatory approval. Its offer is financed by $41 billion in new equity, which is backed by the Ellison family and RedBird Capital, and $54 billion of debt commitments from Bank of America, Citi and Apollo.
Jared Kushner&#8217;s Affinity Partners, which was one of Paramount&#8217;s financing partners, is exiting the battle, according to Bloomberg.
Paramount and Affinity Partners did not immediately respond to Reuters&#8217; request for comment.
(Reporting by Milana Vinn in New York and Dawn Chmielewski in Los AngelesEditing by Ken Li, Dawn Kopecki and Nick Zieminski)

Warner Bros Likely To Reject $108.4 Billion Paramount Bid, Back Netflix In Bidding War, Sources Say

Media

Netflix is being dragged hard for the storyline of its upcoming series, “Queen of Coal,” which is so woke it sounds made up.
The Spanish-Argentine series will be released in America on December 19 and is making the rounds on social media for its ultra-leftist storyline. Per the <a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/81728098">logline</a>, it’s about “a trans woman [who] dreams of working the coal mines — but in a town steeped in superstition and patriarchy, Carlita must fight to earn her place underground.”
The series stars Lux Pascal, a trans-identifying man who is the brother of Hollywood star Pedro Pascal.
Reactions on social media were mostly negative, especially in light of current events. Netflix just made a deal to acquire Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion, which is subject to approval by the Justice Department’s antitrust division. Critics are concerned about Netflix’s level of control over the entertainment industry.
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“Is this a joke?” one person <a href="https://x.com/darrengrimes/status/1997984951539527853?s=43">wondered</a> about “Queen of Coal.” 
“‘Why are you so against Netflix buying Warner Bros. and HBO?’ HERE’S WHY: Their upcoming film ‘Queen of Coal’ is about a man who transitions, then has to fight against his ‘conservative small-town community’, shown as hostile and evil, to keep his dream job in the mines,” conservative podcaster Benny Johnson <a href="https://x.com/bennyjohnson/status/1998141787979096238">wrote</a>.
“It’s front and center on Netflix. They’re not even hiding it. If they take over Warner Bros. and HBO, this agenda goes everywhere,” he continued. “For now, you have the simple option to cancel Netflix and keep your kids away from it. But, once they own all the studios and platforms, you can’t. They’ll put the same message in every show, every movie, every classic. Cancel Netflix, block the deal, protect the children.”
“‘Queen of Coal,’ a movie about a man pretending to be a woman fighting the ‘patriarchy,’ is set to release on Netflix this month,” Libs of TikTok <a href="https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/1998126962196525260">wrote</a>. “If you haven&#8217;t already, now would be a good time to CANCEL NETFLIX.”
Concerned Women for America (CWA) released a <a href="https://concernedwomen.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/CWA-Netflix-Report.pdf">report</a> Monday that found that 41% of children’s content on Netflix contained LGBT themes. While this movie isn’t meant for kids, it does highlight the company’s broader agenda of aggressively mainstreaming LGBT content.

Lux Pascal

Netflix Mocked For Film About Trans-Identifying Coal Miner Fighting The Patriarchy

Netflix Mocked For Film About Trans Coal Miner Fighting The Patriarchy

Transgender

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