Warner Music wants Netflix to turn its legends into a cinematic universe
A potential streaming deal could redefine how music catalogs make money, shifting from playlists to stories that sell themselves.
If you thought Bohemian Rhapsody, Elvis, and Rocketman marked the end of the biopic era, think again. Warner Music believes the real show is only just beginning, and Netflix could be the stage where it happens.
At Bloomberg’s Screentime conference last week, Warner CEO Robert Kyncl hinted that the company is close to a streaming deal that could bring its vast artist catalog, names like Prince, Madonna, and Fleetwood Mac, to film and TV. Bloomberg later reported that Netflix is in the lead, which makes sense. Kyncl helped launch Netflix’s streaming business back in 2007, so the connection runs deep.
Music companies have learned something Hollywood figured out long ago. Franchises build value. Bohemian Rhapsody didn’t just celebrate Queen, it boosted the band’s streaming numbers and helped justify Sony Music’s $1.27 billion catalog deal. Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis lifted the late singer’s estate value from about $600 million to $1 billion in just two years.
For Netflix, the timing couldn’t be better. The platform has already turned music documentaries into cultural moments with Homecoming (Beyoncé), Miss Americana (Taylor Swift), and Quincy (Quincy Jones). What it lacks is a steady stream of stories tied to a single powerhouse partner. Warner offers that, and the global reach of Netflix, now over 300 million subscribers, means those stories can travel farther and faster than any theater release ever could.
This partnership would also give Warner a way to make its catalog work harder. Every film or series becomes marketing for the music, driving new streams, radio play, and sync deals. The catch is that these projects take years to make, so the real financial payoff might come later. Industry voices like Natalia Nastaskin of Primary Wave think the so-called “biopic bubble” is still a few years away from showing its limits.
For now, the industry is leaning in. After all, the rush to buy up catalogs from Bob Dylan to Bruce Springsteen isn’t just about royalties. It’s about storytelling rights, and how those stories can keep songs alive for another generation of fans.
If Warner and Netflix pull this off, they could reshape how the music business sees its own assets. Catalogs could become more than playlists to stream. They become worlds to explore. And for Netflix, always chasing the next genre that keeps viewers watching, that could be the biggest hit yet.
Oyinebiladou Omemu
