If you're a Netflix subscriber, chances are you received an email over the weekend outlining the streaming titan's acquisition of one of Hollywood's biggest movie studios. Yes, indeed, that wasn't a spam email; Netflix really is planning to buy Warner Bros.
One of the biggest studios in Hollywood, responsible for the likes of The Lord of the Rings, Dune, Batman and Harry Potter franchises, will soon be under the ownership of the biggest name in streaming, and I have one huge question on the future of the company's physical releases.
Now, as Netflix says in its email, "nothing is changing today". We don't expect to see the consequences of this deal come to fruition until the shareholders approve and sign the papers. But I'm concerned that a company that's been championing watching films and TV shows on smaller and smaller screens, might not have the best interests of physcial releases in mind.
That's not to say I'm against streaming on laptops or smartphones; I spend a lot of time reviewing phones, and plenty more time travelling, so I get the appeal.
However, Netflix's modus operandi centres around delivering quick and accessible entertainment via its expansive online platform; that doesn't really fit with releasing physical media.
With a huge and very well-known streaming infrastructure in place, it's not ridiculous to think that Netflix may steer Warner Bros in a streaming-first direction.
Netflix has previously released its content on Blu-ray, with shows such as Wednesday recently receiving a physical release (frustratingly not in 4K), so it's not out of the question that it could continue this trend.
However, it's fair to say that it's not been particularly dedicated or consistent in its disc releases. The Stranger Things (one of, if not the biggest show on Netflix) Blu-ray box set is nearly impossible to track down, and the Oscar-winning film The Irishman was only bestowed a physical release by The Criterion Collection.
On the flip side, Warner Bros has been dedicated to physical media in a way that few other studios can match.
A few of the company's recent SteelBook collections have caught my eye (especially The Dark Knight 20th Anniversary), and there have been frequent 4K re-releases and special editions as of late.
Ultimately, Warner Bros' stance on physical releases seems totally misaligned with Netflix's general stance. And that's why I'm concerned.
With little else to do but wait (and with Paramount entering the race to buy Warner Bros as I write), I sit here nervously glancing at my Dune: Part Two and The Batman 4K Blu-rays, wondering if I'll get to own the next entry in each franchise. Only time will tell.
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Read our full Netflix review
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As well as our picks for the best 4K Blu-ray players
