Tech Won't Save Us Netflix Buying Warner Would Be a Disaster w/ AS Hamrah
Feb 5, 2026
A.S. Hamrah, film critic and author of Algorithm of the Night, examines what a Netflix takeover of Warner could mean for cinema. He discusses streaming incentives, industry consolidation, threats to independent and foreign films, and how corporate control reshapes access to classic movies and theatrical life.
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Streamers Threaten Cinema Diversity
- Consolidation by streamers threatens diverse cinema by pushing out independent and foreign films.
- If Netflix owns Warner's archive, a single company would control much of cinema's past and future.
Screen Gaps Invite Unusual Content
- Empty Hollywood screens invite alternative content like Bollywood and Christian nationalist films.
- Chains often refuse indie boutique films while filling calendars with IP-driven releases.
Act To Keep Indie Screens Alive
- Support and attend independent cinemas to sustain diverse programming.
- Push exhibitors to show films from Mubi, Neon, A24, and archival releases.
