Stranger Things has been among the biggest Netflix hits, but now the streaming giant is planning to buy Warner Bros. The antitrust actions that fractured the old studio system in the mid-20th century remain foundational to any understanding of how Hollywood works today. The major studios not only produced and distributed films, they owned large theatre chains, exerting control over every step of a film’s commercial life. Independent producers, no longer blocked from national exhibition, carved out space for films that diverged from the major studios’ formulas. Unlike Netflix, Paramount is seeking to buy the entire company, including cable TV assets like CNN and the Discovery Channel.

Source: The Irish Times December 09, 2025 09:54 UTC