Proposed Netflix–Warner Bros. deal raises concerns for Black filmmakers

As major media companies continue to consolidate, Black film students say they worry about whether there will be space for their voices in an industry increasingly controlled by fewer decision-makers.

Reports and speculation surrounding a potential Netflix acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery have sparked concern across the entertainment industry, particularly among emerging Black filmmakers. For students studying film, consolidation raises questions not only about on-screen representation, but about access, opportunity and creative freedom behind the scenes.

“Accessibility is continuing to dwindle,” said Wanjiru Mbuthia, a filmmaker, actress and co-founder of Dreamy Mango Studios, a women-of-color-founded film collective. “Producing and directing my own projects has been much more beneficial and easier to do with my friends.”

Mbuthia, a student at Northeastern Illinois University, said consolidation limits access at every level of the industry. She hopes her creative work can help expand opportunities for independent filmmakers, whose potential she believes is often overlooked.

“There are not a lot of spaces or theaters that show indie or short films,” she said. “I’d like my studio to help curate those events and build the spaces we hope for.”

For Mbuthia, filmmaking is about more than entertainment. She said she wants to create media that feels accessible, safe and inclusive for communities often excluded from mainstream storytelling.

In a written statement, Mbuthia referenced comments made by producer and writer Issa Rae, who has spoken publicly about the difficulty of getting projects funded or promoted at the same level as sequels, reboots and big-budget releases.

“If it’s hard for her, and she’s been planting roots in this industry for Black creatives, then it will be even more difficult for smaller organizations and collectives,” Mbuthia said.

Rather than relying on major studios, Mbuthia said independent film communities must continue building their own networks of support.

“We have our own stories we want to tell,” she said. “We don’t have the backing of big studios, but we can still create together and share resources.”

Networking and self-promotion have become essential survival tools for independent creators, she added, even as access to consistent audiences remains limited.

“All the money in the world that studios offer, along with their restrictions, shouldn’t be worth sacrificing creative and personal freedom,” Mbuthia said.

Morgan Norris, a video and broadcast master’s degree student at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, said consolidation concentrates decision-making power and narrows opportunities for diverse voices.

“As you saw with the decline of NBC Black and layoffs affecting Black employees at studios, there’s a push to centralize power,” Norris said. “When power sits with fewer people, you narrow the scope of ideas and open-mindedness.”

Norris hopes to work as a local reporter or video journalist after graduation, but said consolidation could have lasting effects on film and television.

“With Netflix becoming a dominant distributor, a lot of mediocrity could seep through,” she said. “Valuable stories risk being overlooked.”

Despite those concerns, Norris said Black filmmakers are not lacking in preparation or talent.

“We’re honestly overprepared at this point,” she said. “All we need is the platform.”

She pointed to filmmakers such as Spike Lee and Will Packer, both graduates of historically Black colleges and universities, as examples of creators who built influential careers despite limited institutional support.

For Mbuthia, the challenge is further complicated by intersecting identities and systemic barriers.

“It’s already hard to get your foot in the door as a filmmaker,” she said. “When you add other parts of your identity, it becomes even harder.”

She also expressed concern about how Black stories are framed by mainstream studios.

“Black film and TV are rarely depicted outside of struggle,” Mbuthia said. “We don’t see enough stories of us just existing.”

That reality, she said, makes it difficult to trust that corporate mergers will lead to meaningful change.

“Representation on boards alone isn’t enough,” she said. “Someone has to take a chance on our stories.”

While founding a women-of-color-led film collective has been empowering, Mbuthia said funding and promotion remain major obstacles.

“It’s disheartening to see how much money is spent on reboots and sequels while smaller, meaningful projects struggle to get support,” she said.

Still, both Mbuthia and Norris see possibility in community-driven storytelling and digital platforms that allow filmmakers to reach audiences directly.

As Hollywood reshapes itself, Black film students say the issue is no longer only about who gets hired or funded, but who is allowed to imagine freely. For emerging filmmakers, the future of Black representation may depend less on corporate promises and more on whether space is made for stories that exist beyond stereotypes.

Lizzy Nyoike is a Hubbard School of Journalism & Mass Communication student.