British actor Hugh Grant has voiced a blunt dislike for the streaming era after Netflix’s blockbuster acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. Speaking at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2025 in Delhi on Saturday, the 65‑year‑old star told actor Rahul Khanna that the $82.7 billion deal – which values Warner Bros. Discovery at roughly $72 billion in equity – signals a troubling shift from the ‘communal’ magic of the cinema to the solitary glow of a smartphone.
“When I woke up and read in the Hindustan Times today about Netflix acquiring Warner Bros., I think it was bad news. I absolutely hate streaming,” Hugh said, with a wry smile.
He also added that the very notion of “dreaming” in a theatre had become alien to him. “Films shown to an audience are communal. I find it hard to fall in love with a film on a smartphone. A lot of offers for streaming leave me feeling tired, I can’t get excited,” he said.
The deal, announced on Friday, sees Netflix buying Warner Bros., including its film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO, in a cash‑and‑stock transaction valued at $27.75 per Warner Bros. Discovery share. The enterprise value of the merger is about $82.7 billion, with an equity component of $72 billion.
Hugh, who turned 65 this year, linked his frustration to age and nostalgia. “My worry is for those who love the theatrical experience – that’s a piece of bad news,” he said. “I hope we get bored of the digital online experience and go back to the old theatrical experience soon. I was speaking to Shabana (Azmi, actor)… come offline, go back to paper. People will buy it – the same with books and movies, instead of sitting tragically at home all alone,” he addede.
