James Cameron Blasts Netflix–Warner Bros. Deal as Disastrous in Scathing Open Letter

James Cameron is not sitting out the latest round of studio merger chatter. The Avatar filmmaker, a lifelong champion of the big screen, weighed in on the talk of Netflix buying Warner Bros. Discovery — and he is absolutely not into it.

Where Cameron lands on this

In a letter that made the rounds in industry circles, Cameron argued that handing a legacy studio to a streamer would be ruinous for movie theaters. He does not mince words, calling the proposed sale 'disastrous' for the theatrical landscape and framing it as a worst-case outcome for the business he cares about most.

'I believe strongly that the proposed sale of Warner Brothers Discovery to Netflix will be disastrous for the theatrical motion picture business that I have dedicated my life's work to. Of course, my films all play in the downstream video markets as well, but my first love is the cinema.'

Why this hits a nerve

Cameron has been consistent: streaming can thrive, but theaters come first. The idea of Netflix owning a major studio sets off every alarm he has about what happens to wide releases, windows, and the long-term health of going to the movies. He is doubling down here, not testing the waters.

However this deal talk evolves, Cameron is drawing a clear line. For him, the cinema stays at the center — and any move that pushes it to the edge is a nonstarter.