Netflix Deal for Warner Bros. Adds New Twist to Rivalry With HBO NYT | Top Stories By: John Koblin 7 December 2025 at 18:02 Netflix’s blockbuster deal to buy Warner Bros., including HBO, is the latest twist in a rivalry that has reshaped the entertainment industry. © Jordan Strauss/Invision, via Associated PressTed Sarandos, now co-chief executive officer of Netflix, recently recalled his reaction to HBO’s refusal in 2010 to license its shows: Netflix had to make original programs of its own.