Netflix to buy Warner Bros

Consolidation of the mainstream media industry continues with news that Netflix is to buy Warner Bros. Discovery for $72 billion.

Netflix has prevailed in a bidding war with Paramount and Comcast, offering a $5.8 billion breakup fee to secure exclusive negotiations. Warner Bros. Discovery owns franchises such as Batman, Harry Potter and Game of Thrones, as well as the streaming services HBO Max and Discovery+.

AOL infamously bought Warner Bros. before the dot-com bubble burst in the early noughties. This is a statement of intent from the streamer, but it will likely result in HBO Max being shuttered, subscription fees increasing, and less competition.

HBO Max is due to launch in March 2026 in the UK. A longstanding exclusivity deal between Warner Bros. Discovery and Sky (owned by Comcast) ends this year. Sky and NOW customers (myself included) will get HBO Max’s ad-supported tier bundled in at no extra cost when HBO Max launches.

However, will we see future seasons of House of the Dragon and The Last of Us only on Netflix? For decades, Sky has relied on imported shows to drive subscriptions, but is now looking to buy ITV.

What are your thoughts on Netflix acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery? Is it good for consumers and creatives alike in an era dominated by artificial intelligence (AI)? Let me know in the comments below.

Can Star Wars save Destiny 2?

It's the holiday season. Bungie is using the Force to lure back lapsed players (myself included) to play Destiny 2: Renegades. Will Jedi mind tricks be enough?



Players are going up against the Barant Imperium, Cabal in Stormtrooper armour, living in a diamond-shaped Death Star base, led by Dredgen Bael. Visually, he’s Darth Revan; character-wise, he’s Kylo Ren.

Are you still playing Destiny 2? If not, will officially licensed Star Wars stuff from Lucasfilm Games bring you back? Let me know in the comments below.

Sir Tom Stoppard worked on Star Wars

Sir Tom Stoppard, an award-winning Czech and English playwright famous for Shakespeare in Love, has passed away aged 88.

The playwright captivated the hearts of audiences for more than six decades with work that explored philosophical and political themes. He received many honours and accolades throughout his career, including being knighted by the late Queen for his services to literature in 1997.

Stoppard worked on Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. As a fan of Lucasfilm franchises, I had no idea.

The Whoniverse goes to war this Christmas

On Friday, the BBC dropped an official trailer for The War Between the Land and the Sea.



Read the official synopsis:

"When a fearsome and ancient species emerges from the ocean, dramatically revealing themselves to humanity, an international crisis is triggered. With the entire population at risk, UNIT step into action as the land and sea wage war."

The five-part series stars Russell Tovey as Barclay and Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Salt, with Jemma Redgrave, Alexander Devrient, Ruth Madeley, Colin McFarlane, Adrian Lukis, Patrick Baladi, Francesca Corney, Mei Mac and Vincent Franklin. Additional guest stars who can be spotted in the trailer are Waleed Hammad, Iestyn Arwel, Hannah Donaldson, Manpreet Bachu and Ann Akinjirin.

The upcoming Doctor Who spin-off series is darker in tone, similar to Torchwood, and features a soundtrack composed by Lorne Balfe (His Dark Materials). Fans (myself included) can listen to Barclay's Theme on streaming services ahead of the full soundtrack release.

The War Between the Land and the Sea is available for pre-order from Amazon (affiliate link).

The double episode premiere of The War Between the Land and the Sea is preceded by a special edition of The Sea Devils on 7th December.

Are you looking forward to The War Between the Land and the Sea? Let me know in the comments below.

Stranger Things crashed Netflix

On Thursday, Stranger Things 5 premiered and instantly crashed Netflix for a few minutes, due to the unprecedented demand for the final series of the streamer's most beloved franchise.

Netflix acknowledged the brief outage in an email to Reuters. The company wrote: “Some members briefly experienced an issue streaming on TV devices, but service recovered for all accounts within five minutes.”

Read the official synopsis:

"The fall of 1987. Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna. But he has vanished — his whereabouts and plans unknown. Complicating their mission, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven, forcing her back into hiding. As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread. The final battle is looming — and with it, a darkness more powerful and more deadly than anything they’ve faced before. To end this nightmare, they’ll need everyone — the full party — standing together, one last time."

The cast of Stranger Things 5 includes: Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), David Harbour (Jim Hopper), Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair), Noah Schnapp (Will Byers), Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield), Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers), Joe Keery (Steve Harrington), Maya Hawke (Robin Buckley), Priah Ferguson (Erica Sinclair), Brett Gelman (Murray), Jamie Campbell Bower (Vecna), Cara Buono (Karen Wheeler), Amybeth McNulty (Vickie), Nell Fisher (Holly Wheeler), Jake Connelly (Derek Turnbow), Alex Breaux (Lt. Akers), and Linda Hamilton (Dr. Kay).

Stranger Things invaded Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, turning it Upside Down.

In my teens, I had the biggest crush on Winona Ryder! No spoilers, but the first four episodes of Stranger Things 5 are amazing! I couldn’t love this series more… That said, I wish Netflix had switched to weekly episodes instead of 3 volumes during the holiday season. I understand it's a business decision, but it would keep the conversation going for longer on social media.

Are you watching Stranger Things 5? What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.

Toy Story: To Infinity and Beyond

It’s been 30 years since Tom Hanks and Tim Allen brought Woody and Buzz Lightyear to life in the original Toy Story!

Pixar’s computer-generated movie masterpiece, directed by John Lasseter and distributed by Disney, would weave itself into the fabric of my final year as an undergraduate studying BA (Hons) Media Production.

A friend, who was studying computer graphics, invited me (I cheekily snuck in) to attend an early preview screening of Toy Story before its widespread release in the UK.

It all starts with a Tin Toy!

It was preceded by a Q&A with a university professor who discussed the influence of Disney’s Tron and the Lucasfilm Graphics Group, which Apple CEO Steve Jobs bought from George Lucas after he was fired from Apple and where he would triumphantly return a few years later and leave a lasting legacy. Toy Story’s genesis can be found in Tin Toy, an animated short film featuring the titular Tinny trying to escape from Billy, a human baby. That nascent narrative thread was developed into a buddy comedy.

Steve Jobs sold Pixar to Disney before his untimely death in 2011. The studio that once dwarfed the House of Mouse is but a brand alongside Marvel and Star Wars on Disney+. However, Toy Story’s cultural impact cannot be overstated.

What are your memories of Toy Story? Let me know in the comments below.

Stargate reopens on Prime Video

On Wednesday, Prime Video dropped a surprise announcement. After 14 years, the Stargate is about to reopen for a new generation.



"Twenty years ago, my first real job in television was as a Story Editor on Stargate: Atlantis,” Blindspot creator Martin Gero said. “I spent five years at the franchise working across all three series, Stargate taught me everything about making television — it’s written into my DNA. I’m beyond thrilled that Amazon MGM Studios has entrusted me with guiding this incredible franchise into its next phase. For those who’ve kept the gate active through conventions, rewatches, and unwavering faith — this one’s for you. And for those that are new to our world — I promise you’re in for something extraordinary."

The Stargate franchise centres on the titular device, which creates a stable wormhole and allows near-instantaneous travel across the cosmos.

“It is not a reboot,” Gero said. “It is a brand new chapter. It’s its own unique chapter in the Stargate universe.”

For fans wanting to catch up in the meantime, you'll first need to watch the original Stargate movie, followed by the spin-off series Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis and Stargate Universe.

Stargate will be streaming exclusively on Prime Video (affiliate link).

Are you looking forward to Stargate on Prime Video? Let me know in the comments below.

Disney+ to add user-generated AI content

Disney+ will be adding user-generated artificial intelligence (AI) content as part of a major overhaul to the streaming service! Isn't there already an app for that?

“The other thing that we’re really excited about, that AI is going to give us the ability to do, is to provide users of Disney+ with a much more engaged experience, including the ability for them to create user-generated content and to consume user-generated content — mostly short-form — from others,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said at the company's recent investment call.

AI is a disruptor with untold consequences for all industries.

Disney’s latest gambit is an astonishing development, considering the company’s extensive efforts to protect its own intellectual property (IP) from misuse by AI. The House of Mouse has already utilised AI for Marvel Studios' Secret Invasion on Disney+. Prophetic, as the company was forced to concede its use of AI after being called out by eagle-eyed viewers.

This has been met with mostly derision, leading to a backlash from Disney+ subscribers (I won't be renewing an annual subscription due to the cost of living crisis) and creatives, too.

The creator of The Owl House, Dana Terrace, urged fans to unsubscribe. "If you pay us we’ll let you make your own content slop! That we will own!" Terrace wrote as she shared the news on X (formerly Twitter).

Iger implied a deepening relationship with Epic Games by adding game-like features to Disney+.

“The opportunity here, we think, is enormous in terms of increasing our engagement with Disney fans across the world,” Iger added.

What are your thoughts on user-generated AI content shared on Disney+? Is it good or bad? What safeguards should be in place? Let me know in the comments below.

The Legend of Zelda movie first look

On Monday, Nintendo released an official first look at The Legend of Zelda live-action movie, which is directed by Wes Ball (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes). The look of Link and Princess Zelda is inspired by The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto, who is producing, revealed the casting of Link and Zelda over the summer, writing in a social media post: “I am pleased to announce that for the live-action film of ‘The Legend of Zelda,’ Zelda will be played by Bo Bragason-san, and Link by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth-san. I am very much looking forward to seeing both of them on the big screen.”

The beloved fantasy action-adventure video game franchise, drawing inspiration from Miyamoto's childhood and The Lord of the Rings, debuted on the Famicom Disk System in 1986 and holds a special place for many gamers (myself included).

Following leaked footage from the New Zealand-based production, where The Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed, Miyamoto has responded: "The release is some time away, so we'd appreciate it if you would wait patiently and look forward to it."

The upcoming live-action movie adaptation from Nintendo and Sony Pictures will be released in cinemas on 7th May 2027.

Are you looking forward to The Legend of Zelda movie? Let me know in the comments below.

The Sea Devils return from the depths

The Sea Devils return in more ways than one next month in The War Between the Land and the Sea, a 5-part spin-off series, on 7th December, as the original 1972 serial gets a special edition on BBC Four.

Russell T Davies, Showrunner, Writer and Executive Producer says: “52 years after they first rose from the depths, it’s Sea Devil night across the BBC! A great idea never dies, and viewers young and old can now heed the warning: watch the seas!”

Fans are set to be transported back to 1972 with a newly re-edited version of the classic Doctor Who story The Sea Devils, airing on BBC iPlayer from 6am and BBC Four at 7pm on Sunday, 7th December, ahead of the foes’ highly-anticipated return in The War Between the Land and the Sea at 8:30pm on BBC iPlayer and BBC One.

This new 90-minute blockbuster special condenses the original six-part adventure into a feature-length experience, with updated sound design by Mark Ayres, and an enhanced score featured in The War Between the Land and the Sea created by the legendary Lorne Balfe, which has been woven together with Malcolm Clarke’s groundbreaking 1972 music.

The Sea Devils stars Jon Pertwee, who played the Third Doctor between 1970 and 1974, alongside Katy Manning as companion Jo Grant, and features the iconic villain, the Master, played by Roger Delgado. Written by Malcolm Hulke and directed by Michael E. Briant, the story introduced audiences to the formidable aquatic species, the Sea Devils.

The War Between the Land and the Sea is available for pre-order from Amazon (affiliate link).

Are you looking forward to The Sea Devils and The War Between the Land and the Sea? Let me know in the comments below.