The entertainment industry is still reeling from the potential sale of Warner Bros., which could transform the landscape in some major ways if a company like Netflix gets it. Currently engaged in a bidding war with Paramount for the legacy studio, Netflix could be looking to expand its franchise library in some pretty crucial ways with a successful merger with one of Hollywood’s oldest institutions.
Fans of the shows and films that come from Warner Bros. have some serious questions, though, especially as it pertains to the future of those franchises. Some seem likely to be a great position under the Netflix banner, while other brands might suffer from the streamer already having plenty of original productions that fill a similar space. Here are 10 of Warner Bros.’ biggest franchises and what becoming part of Netflix could mean for each of them.
Game of Thrones Franchise
Game of Thrones remains one of the biggest franchises under the Warner Bros. banner, and the fate of the series might hang in the balance due to the potential Netflix merger. Game of Thrones ended on a fairly conclusive note, although the fantasy epic continues with prequels like House of the Dragon (2022) and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (2026). It’s likely that Netflix would let those series play out if they ended up on HBO, especially given the popularity of House of the Dragon.
However, it seems likely that many of the other supposed spin-offs and prequels in development could be shut down. It’s possible, though, that audiences could finally see the proposed sequel series focused on Arya Stark if the plan goes through, as Netflix could see that particular spin-off as a potential new franchise starter.
The Lord of the Rings Franchise
While Prime Video is the home to the prequel series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022), the future of the The Lord of the Rings series could be severely impacted by Netflix taking ownership of the films through an absorption of Warner Bros. This would give the streamer access to the Peter Jackson trilogy as well as the subsequent prequels like The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) and the two films that followed it.
It would also give Netflix a controlling interest in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum (2027). Netflix having The Lord of the Rings franchise under its belt could lay the groundwork for other adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s works, although a certain amount of negotiation would have to be had between Netflix, Prime Video, and the Tolkien estate ahead of any other proposed sequels.
Harry Potter Franchise
The Harry Potter series remains one of the biggest franchises under the Warner Bros. banner, even as series creator J. K. Rowling has raised plenty of controversy in recent years with her political statements. Despite this, development is moving ahead with the Harry Potter (2027) series, currently in production.
The show, intended for HBO Max, could even be one of the things that has Netflix so interested in purchasing Warner Bros., as the streamer could replace its concluding Stranger Things (2016) with another fantastical coming-of-age story rooted in nostalgia. The Potter franchise being bought out in the WB sale could also end up giving Netflix more room to consider spin-offs or remakes of its own, albeit only if it can get Rowling’s involvement and approval, given her prior deal with Warner Bros.
DC Universe
One of the more intriguing questions of a potential merger between Netflix and Warner Bros. would be the fate of the DC Universe. Although some Zack Snyder fans are hopeful that the streamer’s partnership with Snyder on Army of the Dead (2021) and Rebel Moon (2023) could bring him back into a leadership position, it seems more likely that Netflix would want to retain James Gunn and Peter Safan at the helm of the successful cinematic relaunch of the franchise.
Netflix could continue to grow the brand by keeping up momentum on upcoming releases like The Batman 2 (2027), Supergirl (2026), and Lanterns (2026), while also using the former two as a litmus test for what it’s willing to bring to movie theaters, which has been a big question for the streamer’s WB ambitions, especially in light of the success Superman (2025) had on the big screen. Conversely, TV shows from DC, like Harley Quinn (2019), Creature Commandos (2024), and Peacemaker (2022), would feel right at home on Netflix. However, it likely depends on how much Netflix is willing to let someone like Gunn retain creative control.
Dune Franchise
The Dune movies have been tremendous successes for Warner Bros., with Dune (2021) turning the iconic but previously decried “unfilmable” book into a genuine blockbuster smash. Dune: Part Two (2024) had an even more positive reception. Given that Dune: Part Three is currently in production, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Netflix let Denis Villeneuve close out his trilogy before he moves on to his upcoming reboot of James Bond with Prime Video.
However, it’s possible that Netflix looks at the huge commitment to Dune and decides to let it lie without its chief creative force behind the scenes, making it more likely that this is a franchise that would come to a conclusion (at least for now) with Dune: Chapter Three and Dune: Prophecy (2024).
Looney Tunes Franchise
Looney Tunes is one of the foundational franchises that helped make Warner Bros. what it is, which is why it’s been so surprising to see Looney Tunes have such ups and downs lately. Honestly, Netflix might be a good place for audiences to check out Coyote vs. Acme (2026) after a limited theatrical run, especially given how close the film came to not being released.
Given the streamers’ embrace of animation for both families and mature audiences, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Looney Tunes get a bigger push with Netflix, potentially even bringing back the Looney Tunes Cartoons (2020) after HBO Max discontinued the modern series. In fact, seeing Netflix acquire the rights to all the Looney Tunes shorts might give the streamer a deep bench of animation to help it better combat Disney+ and its reserves of Mickey Mouse content.
Friends (1994-2004)
One of the biggest successes in television history, Friends found renewed love in the modern era with the show’s streaming releases. While it became a selling point for HBO Max, bringing Friends back to Netflix could give the streaming service one of the benchmark sitcom franchises.
This could be an opportunity for the streamer to also build off that success, whether that be in spin-offs, remakes, reimaginings, or even just incorporating Friends elements into some of its other successful reality shows like Is It Cake? (2022). While Friends might not have the pull that it once had, it still presents a good bedrock for Netflix to build its own future sitcoms around as it attempts to replicate the heights of previous generations of television success.
Cartoon Network
There are a lot of shows that fall under the Cartoon Network category that might be called into question if Warner Bros. does become part of Netflix. Legacy shows like Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake (2023) and The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball (2025) might be safe, given their popularity and longstanding fandoms. Other consistent titles like Teen Titans Go! (2013) and new hits like Iyanu (2025) might benefit from Netflix’s embrace of animation.
However, there’s also a chance that the streamer could consider its own output enough and decide to cut down on the number of animated shows it keeps actively producing. While it may be a mix of the two, it seems likely that a Netflix and Warner Bros. merger would result in some of Cartoon Network’s franchises coming to an end.
Adult Swim
The more mature programming block on Cartoon Network, Adult Swim likely faces the same potential future as Cartoon Network. While popular hits like Rick and Morty (2013) and Smiling Friends (2020) might be safe due to their popularity and extensive pre-existing contracts with Warner Bros., there’s a chance that Netflix might not renew them.
Conversely, the Adult Swim banner (and the Toonami one, for that matter) could be absorbed by Netflix and turned into its standard bearer for more mature animation and anime. In the process, Netflix would also get the rights to a lot of classic Adult Swim material like Aqua Teen Hunger Force (1999), Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law (2000), or Sealab 2021 (2000), which could lay the groundwork for revivals or reboots of those older titles.
HBO
As one of the most critically acclaimed brands under the Warner Bros. umbrella, it seems likely that HBO is one of the main draws for Netflix in its attempt to acquire WB. Even beyond the Game of Thrones shows, HBO’s library of content and strong modern programming would be a major win for Netflix as it hopes to establish itself as the streaming home of prestige entertainment.
New seasons of shows like The White Lotus (2021) would likely be in the works, especially if they continued the more anthology approach that defined the first two seasons. Likewise, the HBO library of titles like The Wire (2002) and The Sopranos (1999) could find new life on the streamer, which may even seek to continue the franchises in new ways. HBO is one of the prime names in television, so Netflix acquiring it would likely put the brand front and center, albeit while likely putting down HBO Max in the process.
