A group of prominent feature-film producers has sent an unsigned open letter to members of Congress from both parties, sounding the alarm that a Netflix acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery would destroy the theatrical movie business and trigger a broader collapse of Hollywood’s economic model.
The anonymous collective, identifying itself only as “concerned feature film producers,” emailed the letter Thursday, explaining that signatories were withheld “not out of cowardice but out of fear of retaliation from Netflix, which wields enormous power as a buyer and distributor. Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery both declined to comment.
A well-placed source confirmed to Variety that the group includes several high-profile filmmakers.
The letter warns that a Netflix-owned Warner Bros. Discovery would give the streamer enough market power to “effectively hold a noose around the theatrical marketplace,” shrinking the overall footprint of cinema releases and driving down licensing fees in every subsequent window (home video, pay TV, etc.).With Netflix potentially controlling both the Warner and Discovery libraries alongside its own massive slate, the producers argue the move would concentrate unprecedented power in one company. They urged Congress to scrutinize the deal closely on antitrust and cultural-preservation grounds.