"Netflix is set to buy Warner Bros."

The Popular streaming Platform Netflix is reportedly the leading bidder to take over the television and film group Warner Bros Discovery in a deal worth $28 per share, according to news reports from the US. 

The parent company of major brands like HBO, CNN, and the Warner Bros film studio put itself up for sale officially in October after receiving several unexpected offers, setting aside an earlier plan to split itself into two companies—one focused on streaming and studios, and the other on traditional cable networks.

 Warner Bros Discovery had first been targeted by Paramount, which was recently bought by the family of Oracle founder Larry Ellison, one of the world's richest men. According to Bloomberg, Netflix, alongside Paramount Skydance and Comcast, the owner of NBCUniversal, took part in a second round of the auction that was negotiated over the US Thanksgiving holiday. 

CNN, citing an unnamed source, reported that Paramount also submitted a bid close to $27 a share last Thursday. Bloomberg further reported that Netflix and Warner Bros Discovery have now entered into exclusive talks specifically for the company's TV and film studios and the HBO Max streaming service. 

Netflix, which is the world's largest streaming service with over 280 million global subscribers, is working on securing a substantial 'bridge loan' of tens of billions of dollars to finance the possible acquisition, according to sources cited by Bloomberg. The acquisition would significantly increase Netflix's already considerable ability to produce content and would secure valuable assets such as HBO and the Warner Bros studios. 

However, the deal would almost certainly face a detailed investigation by anti-competition regulators in the United States and potentially in other large markets. Senior figures in Hollywood have publicly expressed that they would prefer Warner Bros not to end up in Netflix's hands, raising concerns that the streaming company largely seeks to limit the theatrical release of its film productions.

“Titanic” director James Cameron told podcast “The Town” recently that a takeover of Warner Bros by Netflix would be “a disaster.”

"Netflix and Warner Bros Discovery did not immediately reply to the AFP's requests for comment."