As Netflix enters exclusive talks to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, a new concern is circulating among DC insiders.
According to people close to the studio, there is growing fear that Netflix has no interest in maintaining a traditional publishing division, and that a major downsizing of DC Comics could follow.
Concern Netflix Doesn’t Need a Publishing Arm
Our DC insiders say Netflix’s business model doesn’t rely on comic publishing at all. The company focuses on streaming, internal franchises, and high-volume content production.
That structure leaves little room for a full comic-book division, and insiders worry DC Comics could be reduced to a small IP management group.
The fear is that the long-running monthly publishing line becomes the first casualty of the merger.
One-Off Films and Netflix-Style Franchises
On the studio side, the talk is that Netflix would shift away from long-term interconnected storytelling. Instead, the focus would move to one-off films, filmmaker-driven projects, and Netflix-centric franchises built for global streaming.
For fans hoping for a stable connected cinematic universe, sources say that may not be Netflix’s priority. They just want the views.
DC Characters Potentially Licensed to Other Studios
The biggest shockwave inside DC is the scenario where Netflix allows other studios to license DC characters. That would break decades of precedent.
Insiders say Netflix may see more value in farming out characters than trying to run a full in-house blockbuster machine.
If this happens, studios across Hollywood could pitch their own Batman, Superman, or Justice League projects — something that has never been possible under a single-studio model.
A Radical Future for DC
People inside the DC circle describe the mood as uncertain and anxious.
Netflix’s lean structure and streaming-first strategy could reshape DC from the ground up. The long-term concerns go beyond leadership changes or creative shakeups. The fear is a complete transformation of how DC operates and how its characters reach audiences.
For now, these conversations remain internal, but they show how disruptive a Netflix takeover could be for the future of DC.
Our insiders have also said that Hollywood is bracing for war and is against the Netflix-WBD deal.
