Ted Sarandos is too polite to use the word “liar,” but the streaming kingpin is certainly feeling bummed out and a bit betrayed that James Cameron believes it would be “disastrous for the theatrical motion picture business” if Netflix was successful in buying some of Warner Bros’ key assets.
“I was particularly surprised,” the streamer co-CEO said Friday of a blistering February 10 letter the Avatar director sent Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), basically backing Paramount‘s $108 billion hostile takeover bid in all but name.
More than surprised and fully aware that most of the industry is wary of the streamer’s commitment to bums in seats in theaters, the always-be-selling Sarandos feels Cameron was disingenuous in slagging the “good person” Netflix chief for promising a “ridiculously short” 17-day theatrical release window — because Sarandos says he never said that, ever.
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“I met with James personally in late December and laid out for him our 45-day commitment to theatrical exhibition of films and to the Warner Bros slate,” Sarandos told Fox Business’ The Claman Countdown today in the latest sit-down in the exec’s seemingly never-ending media blitz this week. “I have talked about that commitment in the press countless times. I swore under oath in front of the Senate Subcommittee on Antitrust that that’s what we would be doing.”
“So I am … I’m particularly surprised and disappointed that James chose to be part of the Paramount disinformation campaign that’s been going on for months about this deal,” Sarandos said, sticking it at the same time to the Oscar winner and his David Ellison-owned WB rival.
Sarandos added: “I have never even uttered the words ’17-day window.’ So I don’t know where it came from or why he would be part of that machine.”
Not to undermine Cameron’s love of the big screen creation and experience, but as Deadline mentioned in our previous story about the Titanic helmer’s letter to the MAGA senator, Paramount is putting out Cameron’s Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour, Billie Eilish’s 3D concert film, in May.
Sarandos’ remarks to FBN come as Netflix and the David Zaslav-run 103-year-old Warner Bros announced that the Warner Bros Discovery board would negotiate for seven days with Paramount, which has indicated it could raise its bid.
More than two months ago, Netflix and WBD sealed a proposed deal to acquire Warner Bros’ studios, TV and HBO Max crown jewels for $83 billion. Initial WBD suitor Ellison, who wants the whole company not just the best bits, has expressed his own frustrations that some sorta fix was in to deny him a second legendary studio after his Skydance officially acquired Paramount in August 2025. To that, Paramount has made multiple hostile bids for WBD, insisting only it has the Trump administration inside track to get regulatory sign-off. Ellison’s team has also appealed directly to shareholders, who will vote on the WBD board-approved Netflix proposal March 20.
In the meantime, Sarandos has been pounding the drum of more Paramount pain to come. The Netflix co-CEO warned that Ellison and his Oracle papa Larry Ellison’s plans for $6 billion in cost savings (which he re-calculates as $16 billion) if they snag Paramount would mean deep cuts and huge job losses at WBD.
Mocking the finances behind the well-heeled Ellisons’ WBD purchase plan, Netflix has tried to convince the town and shareholders that it isn’t looking to buy WB with a maxed-out credit card or on the backs of Hollywood workers. On February 17, the company asserted: “Netflix’s strong cash flow generation supports our all-cash transaction structure while preserving a healthy balance sheet and flexibility to capitalize on future strategic priorities. A combined Netflix and Warner Bros. will strengthen the entertainment industry, preserve choice and value for consumers, and give creators more opportunities.”
On Friday, Paramount brass said they’ve cleared a 10-day waiting period after responding to a second request for information from the DOJ around the company’s unsolicited offer for Zas’ empire. Flexing on regulatory approvals without actually having any agreement for WBD, Paramount claims that with the expiration of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Act’s waiting period, “there is no statutory impediment in the U.S. to closing” its deal for WBD — except the shareholders and the board.
Also today, as both Paramount and Netflix played high-level and high-stakes politics in D.C. and Sacramento, Lee, who chairs the influential Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competitive Policy, and Consumer Rights, threw down a newish challenge to Sarandos and WB exec Bruce Campbell.
In a post online, the Utah senator said he had more questions for the duo to follow up their often testy and partisan appearance before Lee’s subcommittee earlier this month. “I look forward to receiving their responses next week,” wrote Lee, who has said almost nothing about Paramount’s bid(s). “The subcommittee continues to examine this merger and the competition issues it raises.”
Following up from our antitrust hearing on the Netflix/Warner Brothers merger, I asked the companies these questions for the record.
I look forward to receiving their responses next week.
The subcommittee continues to examine this merger and the competition issues it raises. pic.twitter.com/NbxYvvgqZV
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) February 20, 2026
Focusing on competition, a promise to spend $20 billion on film and TV production in 2026, and YouTube “pricing pressures,” Lee got semi-granular in his queries:
Though Sarandos mentioned as an aside on FBN that he had responded to Cameron’s letter to Sen. Lee, Netflix had no comment on Lee’s questions or posting of today. However, we understand that the streamer intends to fully response to the queries by next week’s deadline.
Lee’s office did not respond to Deadline’s request today on when exactly that deadline is, but you can be sure it’s right around February 23, which is when the WBD and Paramount re-engagement chats are set to end.