Netflix Acquires Warner Bros Discovery, Owns Rights For Mortal Kombat

Streaming giant Netflix has reportedly won the bidding war to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). In what is shaping up to be a landmark deal, Netflix will acquire WBD’s streaming assets and vast content catalogue, bringing heavyweights like HBO and DC under its umbrella.

For fighting-game fans, the big question is simple: what happens to Mortal Kombat and Injustice?

This is where things get complicated. Because Netflix isn’t buying WBD outright, NetherRealm Studios is expected to remain outside Netflix’s direct control. That means the games themselves may continue as normal, with NetherRealm operating independently when it comes to development and release schedules.

However, Netflix will gain the rights to produce TV shows, films, and other media based on the Mortal Kombat universe, something the company has already shown interest in with its aggressive push into gaming-adjacent content.

Still, clarity will take time. A deal of this scale has many moving parts, and fans are already split. Some were hoping that competitors like Paramount, which intended to acquire WBD in full, would win the bid, as that would have placed both Mortal Kombat and Injustice under entirely new ownership. Many in the community believed such a shake-up could spark a fresh direction after what they consider the missteps of Mortal Kombat 1 and its surprisingly fast drop-off.

Netflix also faces major hurdles before the deal can close. U.S. antitrust regulators are expected to scrutinize the acquisition heavily. But with Netflix offering a $5 billion breakup fee, the company clearly believes it has a real shot at securing approval.

For now, the fate of Mortal Kombat and Injustice hangs in the balance. But fans are cautiously optimistic that whatever emerges from this seismic shift will deliver a much-needed boost to both franchises.