Netflix is currently at the apex of subscription-based streaming services worldwide. The global giant has been looking to add to its already staggering business model through the acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.After a contentious battle between Netflix, Paramount, Skydance, and Comcast, it has just been announced that Netflix has officially acquired Warner Bros., HBO & HBO Max for the almost incomprehensible figure of $82.7 billion. It’s unclear what effect this will have on the film industry as a whole, though several filmmakers, including James Cameron and Quentin Tarantino, were outspoken in their wishes that Netflix should ultimately not acquire the studio.Once the news broke online, social media users were quick to react to the historic sale. One user on X wrote,“Well, movie theatres had a good run.”Another X user added,“Netflix just pulled a Thanos snap on Hollywood—acquiring Warner Bros. for 82.7 billion to collect all the stones. HBO Max joins the gauntlet: Game of Thrones reunites with Stranger Things, but at what cost to our wallets?”One user reflected on the scope of the streaming service’s deal,“Netflix just bought my childhood, my adulthood, and probably my retirement plan. See y’all at the $47.99/month tier “One user warned,“Netflix’s acquisition of Warner Bros. could reduce competition in the entertainment industry, risk creative homogenization, and concentrate too much power in one platform, potentially limiting opportunities for smaller studios and diverse storytelling.”Another user joked,“$82.7 BILLION??? They better not raise the subscription to “one kidney per month.”It’s unclear what changes lie ahead for Netflix users, but based on the first wave of online responses, the community as a whole seems like it will be relatively unbothered as long as the subscription prices don’t skyrocket.Netflix purchases Warner Bros.The news of Netflix’s recent splurge on Warner Bros. Discovery broke on December 5. In a press release that shared the announcement, Netflix head Ted Sarandos shared the following,“By combining Warner Bros.’ incredible library of shows and movies—from timeless classics like Casablanca and Citizen Kane to modern favorites like Harry Potter and Friends—with our culture-defining titles like Stranger Things, KPop Demon Hunters and Squid Game, we'll be able to do that even better. Together, we can give audiences more of what they love and help define the next century of storytelling.”It remains to be seen exactly how long it will take for users to feel the effects of the purchase, though it seems Netflix has ensured a near monopoly in the current video streaming landscape.