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"Now Streaming" is The Fly's weekly recap of the stories surrounding the biggest content streamers.PLAYING THIS WEEKEND:Among this weekend's most notable new streaming content is AmazonPrime Video'sa new Sherlock Holmes origin story starring Hero Fiennes Tiffin as the famed detective. Meanwhile, Peacocksubscribers can catch the, Seth MacFarlane's sitcom about a talking teddy bear, while Netflixusers can streamstarting Rachel Weisz as an obsessed English professor. Additionally, AMC+subscribers can tune in tostarring Sean Bean as a drug lord seeking to retire from his empire.NETFLIX ACQUIRES INTERPOSITIVE, APPOINTS AFFLECK AS SENIOR ADVISOR:On Thursday, Netflix announced, the filmmaking technology company founded by Ben Affleck that develops AI-powered tools built by and for filmmakers. "InterPositive's mission - to use emerging technology in ways that protect and expand creative choice - is deeply aligned with Netflix's long-standing belief that innovation should serve storytellers and the creative process," Netflix said in a statement, adding that "By bringing InterPositive's entire team into Netflix through this acquisition, and with Affleck joining as Senior Advisor, we're investing in creator-led innovation that keeps filmmakers at the center of the process."Additionally on Sunday, Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos told Bloomberg the company's decision to drop out of the bidding from Warner Bros. Discoveryhad been made earlier than announced and was based on various bidding scenarios the company worked out in advance, Lucas Shaw reported. "We knew right away, when we got the notice on Thursday that they had a superior offer and the details of that deal," Sarandos said, speaking of rival bidder Paramount Skydance. "We knew exactly what we were going to do."Barclays reinstated coverage of Netflix with an Equal Weight rating and $115 price target. The stock's valuation in the near term should be supported by potential estimates upside as the company walks away from Warner Bros. assets, the analyst said. However, Barclays believes Netflix's valuation is likely to "embed concerns" around the reasons for bidding on the assets. It sees risk to estimates beyond 2026.JPMorgan upgraded Netflix to Overweight from Neutral with a price target of $120, down from $124, after reinstating coverage following a period of restriction. The firm believes Netflix is a "healthy organic growth story," driven by strong content, global subscriber growth, continued pricing power, and an "under-monetized" advertising tier. JPMorgan expects elevated share repurchases in 2026 driven by the $2.8B Warner Bros. termination fee and "a currently opportunistic" share price. The company's "well-insulated subscription-based model" supports a premium valuation, contended the firm.BofA lowered the firm's price target on Netflix to $125 from $149 and kept a Buy rating on the shares. Following the decision to walk away from the Warner Bros. Discovery bidding process, Netflix's strategy reverts back to "business as usual," said the analyst, who updated the firm's calendar year 2026 forecasts and now projects revenue of $51.3B, up 13% year-over-year, which is in line with company guidance of 12-14% growth. The firm lowered its multiple to reflect recent multiple compression in the comp group, but believes that Netflix will continue to outperform supported by its "world-class brand," leading global subscriber scale, position as an innovator and increased visibility in growth drivers.Meanwhile on Wednesday, Netflix announced it is adding new ways for brands to buy and measure ads on Netflix. The company said, "Advertisers will now be able to tap into new targeting capabilities, better manage how often ads appear across streamers, and reach specific audiences at scale on our ad-supported plan. Starting in Q2 in the US - and rolling out to our other ad-supported countries later this year - clients will have new ways to connect with the right audiences on Netflix through expanded targeting capabilities via Amazon DSP and Yahoo DSP. Advertisers will now be able to leverage Amazon Audiences to inform their programmatic buys on Netflix. Built from trillions of Amazon's proprietary shopping, streaming, and browsing signals, the segments are built on real audience behavior. They help advertisers reach relevant Netflix members based on their lifestyles, interests, and products they are actively shopping for. By applying Amazon's exclusive signals to Netflix's highly engaged viewers, advertisers can reach the right audiences and drive even stronger performance. When buying through Yahoo DSP, advertisers can now also activate deterministic Yahoo DSP audiences on Netflix deals... We're excited to now offer our own Conversion API tools. Netflix's API is designed to help advertisers prove outcomes and will leverage real-time insights to optimize campaigns."Also on Wednesday, The Hollywood Reporter reported President Donald Trump continues to bet on the financial stability of Netflix. As Paramount sought to pry Warner Bros. away from the streaming giant, Trump was adding more Netflix bonds to his personal portfolio, financial disclosures released by the White House on Wednesday show. The disclosures show that President Trump bought between $600,000 and $1.25M worth of Netflix debt in January, adding to the $500,000 to $1M in Netflix bonds that he purchased in December, shortly after Netflix's megadeal for Warner was announced, the author noted.PARAMOUNT SKYDANCE TO COMBINE PARAMOUNT+, HBO MAX:Paramount Skydance, in its M&A announcement conference call, said itof net debt. The company said it has already funded the $2.8B termination fee as of last Friday, payable to Netflix under Warner Bros. Discovery's prior merger agreement. Paramount said the deal "gives us the operational efficiencies" to keep its businesses healthier for significantly longer than they would be on a standalone basis, and said it has "no divestitures" planned at this time. Cost savings will not include a reduction in production capacity, the company added. Most synergies will come from non-labor sources. Paramount will be a mid-20% margin company by 2030, and the company is targeting a mid-single digit CAGR for revenue. Paramount CEO David Ellison also said the company intends to combine Paramount+ and Warner Bros.' HBO Max into one single streaming service offering. "We think the combined offering, and given the amount of content and what we can do from the tech side, really will put us in a position to be able to compete with the most scaled players in DTC," Ellison said, noting that there are over 200M DTC subscribers today across the two platforms.Additionally, the Financial Times reported that Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr has signaled the watchdog does not plan to block Paramount's $110B deal to buy Warner Bros. Carr told the Financial Times in an interview that there had been "concerns raised in Washington about the concentration of power" arising from Warner Bros' previous deal with Netflix but added the "obviously the level of market share and issue with a Paramount purchase is drastically different."Guggenheim raised the firm's price target on Paramount Skydance to $14 from $11 and kept a Neutral rating on the shares following Paramount's conference call based on the pro forma outlook for the combined company.Meanwhile, MoffettNathanson downgraded Warner Bros. Discoverywith Paramount Skydance emerging as the victor in the takeover battle.ROKU LAUNCHES APPLE TV FOR PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTIONS:Rokuannounced the launch of Apple TVonRoku said, "Using their Roku account, customers can now subscribe to Apple TV through Premium Subscriptions on The Roku Channel to access Apple TV's premium, compelling drama and comedy series, feature films, groundbreaking documentaries, live sports, and kids and family entertainment in one seamless experience."STOCK PLAYS:Other publicly traded companies in the space include Disney, FuboTVand Fox.

"Now Streaming" is The Fly's weekly recap of the stories surrounding the biggest content streamers.PLAYING THIS WEEKEND:Among this weekend's most notable new streaming content is part two of season four of Netflixperiod drama "Bridgerton." Meanwhile, Hulusubscribers can catch new seasons of "Paradise" and "Scrubs," while HBO Maxusers can watch the first episode of "DTF St. Louis."WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY/PARAMOUNT:On Thursday, Warner Bros. Discovery announced that its Board of Directors, following consultation with its independent financial and legal advisors, has determined that the previously disclosed proposal from Paramount Skydance Corporationconstitutes a "Company Superior Proposal" as defined in WBD's merger agreement with Netflix. As disclosed by WBD on February 24, 2026, PSKY's proposal includes a purchase price of $31.00 per WBD share in cash, plus a daily ticking fee equal to $0.25 per share per quarter beginning after September 30, 2026, as well as a $7 billion regulatory termination fee payable by PSKY in the event the transaction does not close due to regulatory matters, payment by PSKY of the $2.8 billion termination fee that WBD would be required to pay to Netflix to terminate the existing Netflix merger agreement, an obligation of Larry J. Ellison and an associated trust to contribute additional equity funding to the extent needed to support the solvency certificate required by PSKY's lending banks, and a "Company Material Adverse Effect" definition that excludes the performance of WBD's Global Linear Networks segment.Following this announcement, Netflix said that it has declined to raise its offer for Warner Bros., with coc-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters saying, "The transaction we negotiated would have created shareholder value with a clear path to regulatory approval. However, we've always been disciplined, and at the price required to match Paramount Skydance's latest offer, the deal is no longer financially attractive, so we are declining to match the Paramount Skydance bid. Warner Bros. is a world-class organization, and we want to thank David Zaslav, Gunnar Wiedenfels, Bruce Campbell, Brad Singer and the WBD Board for running a fair and rigorous process. We believe we would have been strong stewards of Warner Bros.' iconic brands, and that our deal would have strengthened the entertainment industry and preserved and created more production jobs in the U.S. But this transaction was always a 'nice to have' at the right price, not a 'must have' at any price. Netflix's business is healthy, strong and growing organically, powered by our slate and best-in-class streaming service. This year, we'll invest approximately $20 billion in quality films and series and will expand our entertaining offering. Consistent with our capital allocation policy, we'll also resume our share repurchase program. We will continue to do what we've done for more than 20 years as a public company: delight our members, profitably grow our business, and drive long-term shareholder value."Meanwhile, on Friday, CNBC's Dan Mangan and Eamon Javers reported that Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos visited the Whie House for a meeting related to the company's efforts to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery shortly before announcing the company would terminate the deal. Sarandos did not meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, but was meeting with staff members of the White House. After arriving to the White House, Warner Bros. issued a statement that Paramount Skydance's new bid appeared to be a "superior proposal" to Netflix's offer.WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY RESULTS:Prior to the deal announcement, Warner Bros. Discovery reported lower-than-expected Q4 earnings per share, though revenue for the quarter beat consensus estimates. The company added that Q4 global streaming subscribers rose 3.5M sequentially to 131.6M.PARAMOUNT RESULTS:Coincidentally, Paramount Skydance also reported quarterly results this week, noting that Q4 revenue rose year-over-year for its predecessor company. Paramount also reiterated its FY26 reveenue outlook of $30B, which would represent 4% year-over-year growth.F1:In other news, Netflix will broadcast the Canadian Formula One Grand Prix live to U.S. viewers in May as part of a deal that makes season eight of the docu-series "Drive to Survive" available for streaming on Apple TV, Reuters' Alan Baldwin. Apple TV is taking over from Disney's ESPN this season as the exclusive U.S. broadcaster of Formula One, with live coverage of all 24 rounds. Apple's SVP of Services Eddy Cue told reporters on a video call that select races and practice sessions will be made available for free through the season, without giving details.STOCK PLAYS:Other publicly traded companies in the space include FuboTV, Fox, AMC Networks, Roku, Comcast, and Amazon.

"Now Streaming" is The Fly's weekly recap of the stories surrounding the biggest content streamers.PLAYING THIS WEEKEND:Among this weekend's most notable new streaming content is season three of action thriller series "The Night Agent," which is available on Netflix. Meanwhile, Netflix users can also catch new animated series "Strip Law," starring Adam Scott. Additionally, Apple TVsubscribers can watch season two of mystery thriller series "The Last Thing He Old Me," starring Jennifer Garner and Angourie Rice.WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY:Earlier this week, Warner Bros. Discoveryannounced that it will hold the Special Meeting of Shareholders to vote on the merger with Netflix on March 20, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time and the commencement of mailing of the definitive proxy statement to shareholders in connection with the Special Meeting. WBD also announced that Netflix has provided WBD a limited waiver under the terms of WBD's merger agreement with Netflix, permitting WBD to engage in discussions with Paramount Skydancefor a seven-day period ending on February 23, 2026 to seek clarity for WBD stockholders and provide PSKY the ability to make its best and final offer. During this period, WBD will engage with PSKY to discuss the deficiencies that remain unresolved and clarify certain terms of PSKY's proposed merger agreement. Netflix retains its matching rights as defined by the merger agreement. The WBD Board of Directors continues to unanimously recommend in favor of the Netflix merger. The WBD Board also unanimously recommends that shareholders reject the PSKY offer.Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice has summoned large theater chains to discuss the potential impact of a sale of Warner Bros. Discovery, with government antitrust lawyers seeking information on how a sale would impact the movie-going public and film releases in theaters, Bloomberg's Thomas Buckley reported. The Justice Department's review is focused on the potential impact of a sale to either Netflix or Paramount Skydance on the cinema industry, people familiar with the matter say.Additionally, Reuters reported Thursday that Netflix has ample cash and could raise its offer for Warner Bros. Discovery if Paramount increases its own bid.DISNEY/BYTEDANCE:Late last week, Disneysent a cease-and-desist letter to Bytedance, claiming that the Chinese tech firm has been infringing on its IP to train and develop an AI video generation model Seedance 2.0 without proper compensation, Axios' Sara Fischer reported, citing a copy of the letter. The move marks the most serious action a major U.S. media giant has taken so far against ByteDance, the author noted.A few days later, ByteDance pledged to curb the AI video-making tool following the letter, Osmond Chia of BBC reports. ByteDance told BBC the company "respects intellectual property rights and we have heard the concerns regarding Seedance 2.0... We are taking steps to strengthen current safeguards as we work to prevent the unauthorised use of intellectual property and likeness by users."STOCK PLAYS:Other publicly traded companies in the space include FuboTV, Fox, AMC Networks, Roku, Comcast, and Amazon.