Folks, this is just getting silly.
Deadline is reporting that WarnerMedia is looking to gobble up the streaming rights to CBS hits The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men for their upcoming streaming service, HBO Max. That’s not surprising, neither shows have ever been on streamers before and they’re both insanely popular. Plus they would fit nicely with HBO Max’s newly-acquired Friends, even if they pale in comparison in terms of quality.
The big news here is how much WarnerMedia is willing to pay for the rights to these two shows. Apparently they’re looking to spend as much as $1.5 billion for a package deal that lands both shows. That’s billion with a B. I re-read that number again and again to make sure it’s right. $1.5 billion. Must be nice to have that sort of money laying around!
As I’ve been reporting lately, the streaming wars are heating up and this is one of the biggest signs that things are only getting more and more intense. While $1.5 billion is a jaw-dropping amount, it’s not just pulled out of thin air. WarnerMedia has obviously done the research and the math and have determined that that’s a fair number, it’s worth it to them. They aren’t just spending money for the hell of it. They know that plunking down this amount will pay itself back over time. We laugh at the price but the only ones who will be laughing are WarnerMedia. Laughing all the way to the bank.
I can’t imagine that Warner misses out on Big Bang and Men after offering that deal. So now the next question will be how does this impact the streaming landscape. Which services will step up next and which shows will they step up for? There are many, many other properties out there, all ready to be seized by the right suitors.
