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Rumors have it that Warner Bros. and Discovery are up for sale. There are plenty of suitors available, and WB has reportedly been turning down offers so far. One of the most recent rumors is that Apple is in play to buy the studio and no one should be more “all-in” than Apple. Why should they tech company roll the dice on a property that could be their next Beats purchase?
The IPs
Apple has been needing something to draw in the casual fans. With their Apple TV in serious need of a boost in content, the purchase of Warner Bros would give them what they’re looking for. Apple would own the rights that WB owns already such as Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, and The Lord of the Rings. Not only would Apple benefit from their users getting the fan favorites, but they’d also own the production of shows under their umbrella such as Ted Lasso.
Diversifying
Apple has been looking to make a dent in the entertainment industry for quite some time. Their main goal has been to do with television what iTunes did for music. A purchase of Warner Bros. would finally move the needle in more than one category. WB has a large presence in movies, and Apple would likely take on HBO’s production of Harry Potter for TV. They’d own the rights to classic video games such as Mortal Kombat, the Lego games, Injustice, and all the Batman games. Not to mention, they’d pick up DC Comics in the process.
For a company looking to make a big dent in the entertainment field, nothing would help their cause like the purchase of WB would. Movies, books, games, and TV would all be in the fold with properties people are fanatics about. This would be their movie/television equivalent of the Beats purchase.
Premium Content
Apple is the low man on the totem pole when it comes to streaming in a way they’re a little behind the curve. It’s been said that Apple TV is closer to HBO in terms of quality content over quantity of content. While the comparison is accurate, by purchasing the company that owns HBO, they’d be able to continue that trend. Apple has a knack for creating original stories and taking chances on movies and shows that normally wouldn’t get made. They could keep that under their Apple TV logo, while also bringing in a variety of different content outside of their brand.
The chances of Apple buying Warner Bros are probably slim to none. The people in charge are probably just throwing Apple’s name around to drive up the price to start a bidding war. However, no one in the running so far would benefit from this move the way Apple would. It would push them into the conversations with the heavyweights such as Netflix and Disney. The only problem is, Apple doesn’t seem too interested in a big purchase and would like to focus on the path they’re on. Still, in a world where content is king, maybe they’ll change their minds.
