Film Club Toolkit: Using Netflix-WBD Deal News to Teach Negotiation and Media Economics

Hook: Teach real negotiation and media economics with a live, unfolding case

Teachers and students studying media economics, negotiation, or policy often tell us the same thing: they want live, high-engagement case material that connects textbook models to real-world stakes. The Netflix–Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) negotiations in late 2025—and the theatrical-window promises made in early 2026—are a rare, current, classroom-ready story. Use this toolkit to turn that live news cycle into a semester-long, multimedia-rich learning experience that teaches negotiation, antitrust, and M&A media implications.

At a glance: The 2026 teaching moment

In early 2026 media headlines focused on Netflix’s proposed acquisition of WBD and the surrounding rival bids and regulatory scrutiny. A pair of crucial negotiation facts became classroom gold: Netflix publicly offered a commitment to a 45‑day theatrical exclusivity window and earlier sources suggested support for a 17‑day window. Those two figures crystallise trade-offs between theatrical revenue, streaming subscriber growth, and bargaining leverage—perfect for applied lessons in media economics and negotiation strategy.

"We will run that business largely like it is today, with 45‑day windows," Netflix co‑chief Ted Sarandos told The New York Times—an explicit concession designed to reassure exhibitors and regulators about the fate of cinema in a larger streaming-controlled industry.

Why this story matters in 2026 (and how it maps to your syllabus)

This is not a hypothetical merger. The negotiation illustrates:

• Bargaining power: How a streamer's willingness to alter release windows changes the division of surplus between studios, cinemas and platforms.
• Price discrimination & multi-platform revenue: Theatrical windows are a classic tool for extracting consumer surplus across formats.
• Regulatory risk in media M&A: Antitrust and cultural policy shape deal structure, remedies, and approval timelines.
• Strategic signaling: Public promises (17 vs 45 days) are negotiation instruments with reputational and legal effects.

Learning objectives (what students will be able to do)

• Model the revenue impact of theatrical window lengths using demand curves and simple simulations.
• Design and execute multi‑party negotiations with competing objectives (profit, reach, cultural access).
• Compose antitrust arguments for and against consolidation using 2026 regulatory frameworks.
• Value a media company with streaming and theatrical revenue streams and estimate synergies and breakup value.
• Assess policy implications for independent theatres, creators' compensation, and market concentration.

Quick classroom timeline and context (prep in one page)

1. Late 2025: Rival bids for WBD escalate—students read a short press timeline.
2. Early 2026: Netflix’s public commitment to theatrical windows (45 days) and earlier 17‑day reports spark industry debate.
3. Ongoing: Regulators (US, EU) signal scrutiny toward big tech-media consolidations; policy updates in 2025–26 affect remedies.

Materials to gather before class

• Press articles (NYT, Reuters, Deadline summaries from late 2025–early 2026).
• Box office data (Box Office Mojo / Comscore) for major WBD titles 2019–2025.
• Netflix and WBD investor filings (10‑K, earnings calls) for revenue breakdowns.
• Exhibitor statements and AMC financials as counterparty data.

Five ready-to-run lesson plans

1) Negotiation simulation: Netflix vs WBD vs Exhibitors vs Regulators

Duration: 90–120 minutes.

Setup: Divide students into four teams—Netflix negotiators, WBD management, exhibitor coalition (large chains + indie reps), and regulators. Give each team a one‑page brief with objectives, BATNA (Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement), and private valuation numbers. Include a public

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