Sometimes I wonder what the first American Pope thinks about current events from his home country. In the case of Netflix acquiring Warner Brothers, he may have actually given us some hints.
Warner Brothers, founded more than a century ago, has an august history of producing such immortal classics like Casablanca and The Wizard of Oz. Today, much of Netflix’s own programming is exemplified by the mind-numbing tedium of Emily in Paris and the pornography of Bridgerton. Netflix announced Dec. 5 that it intends to buy Warner Brothers for $72 billion. Personally, I am concerned that any acquisition would do far more to lower the quality of Warner Brothers’ output than it would to raise that of Netflix.
The Holy Father, who recently revealed his four favorite movies, seems to care about the art of filmmaking. On Nov. 15, Pope Leo XIV gave an address to actors, directors, screenwriters, and others involved in filmmaking. His comments can help the American faithful understand why Netflix’s proposed purchase of Warner Brothers would be a bad thing, not just for cinephiles, but also for everyday people the world over.
“From the outset, cinema was as a play of light and shadow, designed to amuse and impress,” he said. “However, these visual effects soon succeeded in conveying much deeper realities, eventually becoming an expression of the desire to contemplate and understand life, to recount its greatness and fragility and to portray the longing for infinity.”
Pope Leo reflected on the experience of seeing films at the theater, saying that, in a time of increasing social isolation, this communal experience can foster authentic connection.
“Through your productions, you connect with people who are looking for entertainment, as well as those who carry within their hearts a sense of restlessness and are looking for meaning, justice and beauty,” he said in the address.
This is a far cry from the views of Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, who once mused, “There’s no reason to believe that the movie itself is better in any size of screen,” and even bragged that his son had watched Lawrence of Arabia, the 1962 cinematic epic full of astonishing vistas, on an iPhone.
Sarandos’ low view of film as a medium impacts the shows and movies that Netflix produces. In recent years, Netflix has intentionally dumbed down its programming, tailoring it to be easy to follow for people scrolling on their phones.
Fundamentally, Sarandos — and Netflix in general — views the work as a kind of background noise to life. Instead of the high view proposed by Pope Leo that film is an art that connects people, Netflix presents its work as mere “content”: an indistinguishable mass of sounds and images, signifying nothing.
What could acquisition by Netflix mean for films made by Warner Brothers? Netflix has said that all films currently in production will be completed, but much else would be up in the air. The company has already indicated that Warner Brothers movies would have shorter theatrical runs, encouraging “consumers” to watch them alone on laptops, tablets, and smartphones rather than in community with others.
Whatever Pope Leo may think about all this, he is unlikely to speak out against Netflix’s plan. Thankfully, others have signaled their opposition.
The Screen Actors Guild — American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) released a statement the same day as Netflix’s announcement.
“The potential Netflix/Warner Bros transaction is a consolidation that may serve the financial interests of shareholders of both companies, but which raises many serious questions about its impact on the future of the entertainment industry, and especially the human creative talent whose livelihoods and careers depend on it,” the statement said.
Christopher Nolan, the director of films such as Interstellar and The Dark Night Trilogy and a staunch defender of theatergoing, is meeting with Netflix in his capacity as head of the Directors Guild of America. The guild has expressed serious concerns over the proposed merger.
“We believe that a vibrant, competitive industry — one that fosters creativity and encourages genuine competition for talent — is essential to safeguarding the careers and creative rights of Directors and their teams,” the guild wrote, according to Men’s Journal. “We will be meeting with Netflix to outline our concerns and better understand their vision for the future of the company. While we undertake this due diligence we will not be commenting further.”
Even President Donald Trump is skeptical of Netflix’s plan – from an economics perspective. The President said the merger “could be a problem” because Netflix’s market share could begin to look like a monopoly. Trump said he would be involved in the decision of whether to allow the deal to go through.
Some have speculated that President Trump is under the influence of leadership at Paramount, a rival studio. Larry Ellison, the father of current Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison, is a major Trump Donor.
For its part, Paramount launched a hostile takeover bid for Warner Brothers Dec. 8.
The story is still developing, and only time will tell what will become of Netflix’s attempt to purchase Warner Brothers.
Hopefully film continues to bring people together for generations to come because, as Pope Leo put it in his address, “When the magic light of cinema illuminates the darkness, it simultaneously ignites the eyes of the soul.”
>> Farewell, penny. We’ll miss you <<
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