Update: Netflix Shoots Down Lionsgate Acquisition

At one point in time, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Netflix would be the new home to Warner Bros. Discovery, and with that acquisition, the biggest streamer around would also be entering the motion picture market in a much heavier way. That ultimately didn’t end up happening thanks to Paramount, but a recent report stated that Netflix might be merging with Lionsgate. Netflix has since addressed those reports though and completely shut them down.

In response to the report, an official Netflix representative has confirmed that Netflix is not interested and is not pursuing Lionsgate. That would pretty much put a pin in things, but if you missed the original news that started all this, it was due to a report from Rohan Goswami of Semafor. The report stated that Netflix was one of several companies interested in purchasing Lionsgate Studios, though there was never a formal offer (via What’s On Netflix).

Everything Netflix Would Get In A Lionsgate Merger

If Netflix were to eventually merge with Lionsgate Studios, there would be a number of major benefits for Netflix, both in the short term and the long term. One of the most immediate benefits would be the bolstering of Netflix’s already deep library of content, both in the realm of movies and TV, and that would be true of future Lionsgate releases as well.

The acquisition of Lionsgate would bring several successful and current franchises to Netflix, including John Wick, The Hunger Games, Saw, Now You See Me, and one of the most recent hits, The Housemaid, which is getting a highly anticipated sequel. There are also other franchises that are either getting reboots or are primed for one, including The Twilight Saga and Divergent, and that’s just on the franchise movie front.

Lionsgate is also home to several popular TV shows, including Nashville, Mad Men, The Royals, Weeds, and the Power franchise, which has been a staple of the Starz network. Not only would these shows be another addition to Netflix’s catalog, but it would also gain the Starz network as a whole, which could certainly be utilized in some beneficial ways.

Another interesting benefit of this merger would be the acquisition of Lionsgate Entertainment World, which is an indoor and outdoor interactive theme park in Zhuhai Hengqin, China. The theme park contains a full Lionsgate experience, with rides and attractions based on The Hunger Games, The Twilight Saga, Gods of Egypt, Escape Plan, and more.

Netflix has already started to expand into this area of entertainment with its Netflix House, and this would instantly give them a whole new way to utilize their well-known IP. We’ll have to wait and see if this ends up happening, as Netflix has shown itself to be shrewd when it comes to acquisitions, but if it does happen, it has some major potential.

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