Khaberni - The Hollywood actors' union is considering a potential strike in protest of the merger plans between Netflix and Warner Bros Discovery (WBD), a move that could lead to a complete shutdown of film and television production in the United States.
According to the "New York Post," SAG-AFTRA, which represents about 160,000 workers in the entertainment sector, is quietly preparing a campaign to oppose the deal amid fears that the merger could lead to reduced wages and job opportunities, along with decreased residuals on which many actors and industry workers rely.
The report quotes sources close to the union's leadership saying that the union is setting up an operations room to confront the deal, confirming that the strike option is still on the table if developments escalate in the coming period, with expectations of intensifying opposition movements in the first quarter of 2026.
In contrast, a spokesperson for Netflix stated that the company had been in touch with all the unions representing workers in Hollywood, while no official comment has been issued by Warner Bros Discovery regarding these reports.
For her part, Pamela Greenwalt, a spokesperson for the SAG-AFTRA union, confirmed that the union has not yet taken a final stance on the deal, noting that the merger is currently under review and analysis, and any decision will be made based on the interest of its members.
The union previously warned in a statement that the deal raises serious questions about the future of the entertainment industry, especially for creative professionals whose livelihoods depend on this industry.
The potential merger would give Netflix extensive control over a vast content library, including the Warner Bros film archive, the entire HBO library, and rights to DC Comics characters, raising concerns related to competition and market shares.
These developments come after a historic strike in the entertainment sector in 2023, which lasted four months and led to the suspension of production of several major films and series, marking the longest stoppage of its kind in the history of actors' unions.
Reports indicate that the deal has become a focus of attention for regulatory authorities in the United States and the European Union, amid fears of significant concentration in the digital streaming market, especially with expectations that the new company could control about 35 percent of total viewing hours across platforms.
