Chapter 1: The Hypothetical Merge

The entertainment industry would have undergone significant changes.

Warner Brothers and DC Comics were united in 1969 under the banner of Kinney National Company, leading to a rich history in entertainment. But imagine if Kinney had owned Marvel Comics instead. The ramifications of such a shift would unfold over time, fundamentally altering the landscape of modern entertainment.

For instance, Disney would not currently possess Marvel. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as audiences recognize it would likely never have come into being. Instead, Warner would probably have initiated a connected universe featuring their characters, albeit with narratives distinct from those created by Disney.

This alternate timeline might have begun with a Spider-Man film, followed closely by a Captain America movie. The culmination could have led to a version of Avengers: Civil War, structured into two films, much like Disney's approach. However, unlike their counterparts, Warner's productions could have earned nominations for Best Picture Oscars—though the Academy might still be hesitant to award them the coveted statuette.

Another outcome of Warner Brothers' ownership of Marvel instead of DC would likely be the retention of Spider-Man's film rights within the studio. This scenario would eliminate the need for licensing characters, as financial concerns could be managed internally. Consequently, Sony would not have ventured into the Spider-Man franchise, pushing them to seek alternative intellectual property to develop into a series.

Instead, during the 1990s, Sony might have engaged in fierce bidding with Disney for the acquisition of DC Comics, ultimately spending around $150 million for the rights. Following this purchase, they would produce a Batman film that becomes a massive success, silencing critics who initially believed Sony overpaid for DC.

As Disney searched for its superhero franchise, they would initially face setbacks. Ultimately, they would focus on their animation department, zeroing in on a potential acquisition of Hanna-Barbera.

Meanwhile, 20th Century Fox, lacking an extensive roster of comic book characters, would attempt to create original superhero franchises with varying degrees of success, often leaning towards comedic narratives. Observing rival successes, Warner would commence production on a Deadpool film, revealing a market for the character. However, the film's profits would not justify a sequel, leading Warner to develop a Deadpool television series.

Numerous networks would express interest in the show. Warner would strategically position itself to acquire ABC from Capitol Cities for approximately $20 billion, a deal approved by shareholders in May 1995 with minimal FCC conditions. The show would air on Tuesday nights after a successful comedy block, resulting in a tremendous viewership and landing in the top 10 Nielsen ratings for its inaugural season.

In response, other networks would scramble to create their own versions of Deadpool. Disney would launch an animated series centered around the Genie from Aladdin, which would perform decently by network standards. Sony would attempt to package a Batman procedural for CBS, but the show would fail to meet expectations, causing concern about future television projects.

As the TV landscape evolved, so too did the movie industry. After the late '90s TV surge subsided, Warner would seek to revive its cinematic franchises. Their first new project would be a Thor movie, perceived as easily marketable. Released in Summer 2007, it would become a sensation, prompting Warner to pursue an Avengers-style universe culminating in a crossover film.

However, the narrative that the franchise relied upon would fail to engage audiences, leading to solid performance for individual films but a significant flop for the crossover. Observing this, Sony would strategize to create their Justice League universe, succeeding where Warner faltered by bringing their superheroes together in a manner that resonated with fans.

Sony's challenge would revolve around the underwhelming performance of individual films, leading executives to devise ways to minimize losses while capitalizing on the lucrative crossover opportunities. Fox would step away from the crossover film genre, nurturing their franchises by periodically resting them and rebooting when necessary.

Then came a game-changing offer from Netflix, requesting Fox to develop a show for its new streaming platform. This news would circulate through Hollywood, prompting Warner to recognize their extensive back catalog as a competitive asset. They would announce plans to enter the streaming market, revealing that long-running soap operas like All My Children, One Life to Live, and General Hospital would continue airing on ABC while also being available on their streaming service.

One of their first original projects would be a reboot of the popular Deadpool series, which would once again achieve significant success. Meanwhile, Disney would attempt to launch its streaming service in collaboration with Fox. Despite their extensive content library, the venture would struggle to gain traction and ultimately fold.

Sony would then make the strategic decision to license their content to other studios, yielding substantial profits and record revenues, which would be reinvested into producing more DC films.

In this alternate reality, Warner Brothers and Netflix would emerge as the two dominant streaming platforms, with Netflix evolving into a global powerhouse while Warner solidifies its status as a formidable entity at the box office.

Chapter 2: Alternate Outcomes in Entertainment

In this video, titled "What if Warner Brothers owned Marvel?" we delve into the implications of Warner owning Marvel and how it would reshape the entertainment world.

This video explores "What Would Happen if Warner Bros and Universal Pictures Merged?" highlighting the potential shifts in the film industry dynamics.