Over the coming weeks, subscribers of the best streaming services will be excited to welcome the launch of the Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery (WDB) streaming bundle in the US, which will see Disney Plus, Hulu and Max join forces to make one combined discounted package. But while no exact date has been announced for when the new bundle will be available, one streamer has already said it wants no part of it: Netflix will not only be sitting out of the Disney and WBD package but it also plans to stay out of combining its services with rivals completely.
In a recent shareholder letter that was sent out on July 18, the streaming giant stated that it has no intentions of bundling with rival platforms due to it limiting its own offering. “We haven’t bundled Netflix solely with other streamers like Disney Plus or Max because Netflix already operates as a go-to destination for entertainment thanks to the breadth and variety of our slate and superior product experience,” Netflix said in the letter in seemingly response to the Disney Plus, Hulu and Max bundle as noted by Deadline.
Despite Netflix’s shareholder letter, the company doesn’t completely rule out bundling from its business model, especially if it’s through a network operator. Back in December 2023, a Netflix and Max bundle with ads became available for customers of Verizon’s new myPlan subscription tier. This was the first time in years that Netflix had offered a discount on any of its platforms and originally signalled to us that it might be the start of more subscription packages.
More recently, in May, Comcast announced a new StreamSaver bundle that would combine Netflix, Apple TV Plus, and Peacock all under the same roof, which will only be available to Comcast customers. As a result, Netflix will be available at a “vastly reduced price” reported Variety, however news of a launch date has yet to be unveiled.
The announcements of all the upcoming streaming bundles seem to be sparking a cable TV renaissance, especially with Netflix considering a completely free ad-supported service in Europe and Asia. But given its recent shareholder letters, it’s highly unlikely that Netflix will consider new bundling options with other services – and it sort of makes sense.
Netflix is keeping its cards close to its chest
It doesn’t come as a surprise why Netflix is still the go-to streaming services for movie and TV buffs who, in addition to its letter to investors, revealed that it gained eight million subscribers in the second quarter of 2024 – reaching a global total of 277 million subscribers.
Given Netflix’s popularity in the world of streaming platforms, joining forces with competitors Disney Plus, Hulu and Max could result in a major setback for Netflix’s numbers. It also wouldn’t make sense for Netflix to become part of a streaming bundle like Disney and WBD’s proposal, considering that its core aim is to actively compete with Netflix’s growing popularity.
Although Netflix is still allowing for “some partnerships” like it has with Verizon and Comcast to remain, these are still only available to a very limited number of subscribers. And by the looks of things, it seems as though Netflix has a while to go before it considers branching out with more bundles to wider audiences.
