Netflix's Warner Bros. Discovery Acquisition & Hollywood's Oz Obsession

Major Industry Shakeup: Netflix Acquires Warner Bros. Discovery

• 🚀 Netflix is reportedly acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery for $82.7 billion, a deal that would significantly reshape the media landscape.
• ⚠️ The acquisition is moving with unprecedented speed, raising questions about regulatory approval and potential antitrust concerns.
• 💰 This deal is being compared to Disney's acquisition of Fox, with adjustments for inflation, highlighting the massive scale of the transaction.
• 📺 It's understood that Netflix is not interested in acquiring the linear cable assets, suggesting a potential spin-off of those channels.

Animated Oz Explorations Through Hollywood History

• 🌈 Hollywood has a long and complex history of attempting to revisit the world of Oz, with numerous projects never fully materializing.
• 💡 Walt Disney considered a live-action and animation hybrid film, "Rainbow Road to Oz," which would have picked up after the events of MGM's "The Wizard of Oz," but it was ultimately shelved in favor of "Mary Poppins."
• 📺 The public domain status of L. Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by 1956 allowed various studios to develop their own interpretations.
• 🌟 Rank and Bass produced a syndicated animated series, "The Tales of the Wizard of Oz," featuring distinct character designs and Dorothy with silver slippers.
• 🎬 MGM attempted its own TV series, "The MGM Parade," and later "Off to See the Wizard," which featured animated interstitials by Chuck Jones's company, but both failed to gain traction.

Filmation's Troubled Journey Back to Oz

• ⏳ Filmation Associates announced a full-length animated "Journey Back to Oz" in 1962, boasting an ambitious A-list voice cast including Liza Minnelli as Dorothy, Milton Berle, Danny Thomas, Mickey Rooney, and Margaret Hamilton.
• 💰 The project was shelved for nearly a decade due to financial difficulties, only to be revived in the early 1970s with funding from the success of "The Archie Show."
• 🎶 The film featured 12 original songs by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen, though some songs were recycled for other projects.
• 🎭 Production faced challenges, including missing dialogue tapes, leading to Larry Storch re-recording Danny Thomas's lines for the Tin Woodsman.
• 📺 "Journey Back to Oz" was finally released in December 1972, but had a limited theatrical run and was later broadcast on CBS with live-action wraparound segments featuring Bill Cosby as the Wizard.

Animation News and Upcoming Releases

• 🐘 A new animated "creative experience" titled "The Elephant," featuring talent from "Adventure Time" and "Steven Universe," is set to debut on Adult Swim on December 19th.
• 🐻 "Snow Bear," an animated short by Aaron Blaze, has garnered millions of views on YouTube.
• 🐐 Sony Pictures Animation's "GOAT," featuring Steph Curry, is scheduled for release on February 13th, timed with NBA All-Star Weekend.
• 🐶 "Bluey" is expanding its presence at Disney parks with a stage show at Disneyland and an appearance at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
• 🎬 Upcoming animated films include "The Simpsons Movie 2" and a "Bluey" theatrical film, both slated for 2027 releases.