The latest Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery merger update just droppedand while AEW wasnt mentioned by name, the writing between the lines is telling.
On January 21, 2026, Netflix and WBD filed a massive 519-page proxy statement related to their upcoming merger. While All Elite Wrestling didnt appear once in the document, its absence says plenty.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, page 53 of the filing sheds some light on AEWs future within the WBD ecosystem:
AEWs programmingincluding Dynamite on TBS and Collision on TNTis expected to remain with Discovery, the cable/sports half of the company that will eventually split from Warner Bros. post-merger.
That means, at least for now, AEW Dynamite and AEW Collision will stay where they areairing on TBS and TNT, and streaming on HBO Maxuntil their media rights deal expires in either 2027 or 2028, depending on the fourth-year option.
This confirmation gives AEW some breathing room. As of today, theres no sign that AEW will be joining the Netflix rosterand the division of assets between Warner Bros. (entertainment) and Discovery (sports/cable) suggests they wont be anytime soon.
AEW signed its latest media rights deal with WBD at the end of 2024, which kicked off in 2025. Netflix and WBD have yet to finalize the merger, but theyre pushing for approval in the next 1218 months.
Do you think AEW should stick with Discovery and HBO Maxor start planning its own future outside the WBD world before the deal expires? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know where youd want AEW to land.
