Discovery and WarnerMedia Merger

[Viator]

The Wrap is reporting that WBD is making three billion dollars in cuts, risking their relationships to get back income.

 

[Nick]

This would be a HUGE hit to WB. Sadly, Zaslav probably doesn't care.

 

[Jerroddragon]

I guess we need Disney to buy WB

I mean, it is better then whats happening to it now

 

[Nick]

I guess we need Disney to buy WB

I mean, it is better then whats happening to it now

Nah. Warner Discovery just needs to learn that scripted content means is a huge part of their brand. It's not all Property Brothers and Chip & Joanna.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Nah. Warner Discovery just needs to learn that scripted content means is a huge part of their brand. It's not all Property Brothers and Chip & Joanna.

And if they don’t?
I have zero confidence that this new ceo cares about anything but cheap entertainment

 

[Viator]

This would be a HUGE hit to WB. Sadly, Zaslav probably doesn't care.

This probably was going to happen already given the events of 2021 and how Warner Bros and Legendary was with projects such as Dune and Godzilla v. Kong, and honestly I hope Paramount gets them.

 

[Nick]

And if they don’t?
I have zero confidence that this new ceo cares about anything but cheap entertainment

Well, first of all Disney buying WB would never pass a DOJ sniff test in a million years since they already own Marvel and 20th Century. It would give the a monopoly on major comic content, they'd have two adult oriented studios which would inevitably just merge together, and FX & HBO both put out some of the highest quality shows going. Disney would also have *almost* a monopoly on geek content as they would inherit Potter, LOTR, GOT, and the aforementioned DC Comics/Studios.

Could happen elsewhere, but never with Disney.

 

[Viator]

Well, first of all Disney buying WB would never pass a DOJ sniff test in a million years since they already own Marvel and 20th Century. It would give the a monopoly on major comic content, they'd have two adult oriented studios which would inevitably just merge together, and FX & HBO both put out some of the highest quality shows going. Disney would also have *almost* a monopoly on geek content as they would inherit Potter, LOTR, GOT, and the aforementioned DC Comics/Studios.

Could happen elsewhere, but never with Disney.

Would one argue Comcast could take a shot? Given Universal is potentially removing Marvel's film side contract in 2023 (assuming rumors pan out for that), Comcast would essentially be getting with a deal that of Warner Bros. Pictures, Village Roadshow, New line Pictures, Warner Bros. TV, and Warner Bros Gaming; ontop of smaller companies and DC.

It'd essentially put NBCUniversal toe-toe with The Walt Disney Company in the scale and scope.

 

[Nick]

Would one argue Comcast could take a shot? Given Universal is potentially removing Marvel's film side contract in 2023 (assuming rumors pan out for that), Comcast would essentially be getting with a deal that of Warner Bros. Pictures, Village Roadshow, New line Pictures, Warner Bros. TV, and Warner Bros Gaming; ontop of smaller companies and DC.

It'd essentially put NBCUniversal toe-toe with The Walt Disney Company in the scale and scope.

I mean, they would've been a great landing spot when AT&T was selling the company. Zaslav won't be selling anytime soon and he seems determined to burn as many bridges with talent as possible before he even gets the chance and this is two consecutive ownership groups to do this type of thing where they anger talent on a large scale. At some point, the brand becomes tainted.

 

[JS610]

Zaslav and his executives clearly don't value animation/kids content. If WBD isn't going to use Hanna-Barbera, why not sell it?

How exactly do those kinds of transactions occur? Are other studio executives already on the phone?

 

[rageofthegods]

Comcast (and for that matter, Disney) are not absorbing WB, not while they're drowning in 55b in debt amid tightening interest rates. Either way, it'd be a disaster for the industry if that happened.

I could see WB being fleeced for parts, though. That seems to be the direction Zaz is going in. Why scrap and get tax credits when you could get paid for, say, Looney Tunes and Hanna Barbera, IP which apparently aren't part of the strategy anymore?

 

[Nick]

Comcast (and for that matter, Disney) are not absorbing WB, not while they're drowning in 55b in debt amid tightening interest rates. Either way, it'd be a disaster for the industry if that happened.

I could see WB being fleeced for parts, though. That seems to be the direction Zaz is going in. Why scrap and get tax credits when you could get paid for, say, Looney Tunes and Hanna Barbera, IP which apparently aren't part of the strategy anymore?

It just doesn't make any sense to me why they want nothing to do with these iconic kids brands anymore. Supposedly they have no intention of re-upping their contract with Sesame Workshop once that ends in 2025. Considering Disney owns The Muppets, it would make a ton of sense for Disney to try to scoop them up after that's over. Not that I think Disney needs more kids content of course, but Sesame Street is iconic and it would also allow them to potentially reintegrate The Muppets with the Sesame characters for the first time in a long time.

 

[Legacy]

Let ComcastUniversal buy Looney Tunes and give the IP to Illumination to develop into shows and features. That would be a fantastic alignment.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Let ComcastUniversal buy Looney Tunes and give the IP to Illumination to develop into shows and features. That would be a fantastic alignment.

Also finally we can have some real Looney Tunes Rides

Well, first of all Disney buying WB would never pass a DOJ sniff test in a million years since they already own Marvel and 20th Century. It would give the a monopoly on major comic content, they'd have two adult oriented studios which would inevitably just merge together, and FX & HBO both put out some of the highest quality shows going. Disney would also have *almost* a monopoly on geek content as they would inherit Potter, LOTR, GOT, and the aforementioned DC Comics/Studios.

Could happen elsewhere, but never with Disney.

I honestly don't want Disney to get bigger, but my point was at least they'd use what they have over Discovery. Also lol at the DOJ, I cant remember the last time they stopped a big merger

 

[Nick]

Also lol at the DOJ, I cant remember the last time they stopped a big merger

They don’t often at all, but this would just create too blatant of a monopoly.

If this was Apple or Amazon, it would probably go through because they don’t have any major brands really. Amazon has The Boys and LOTR, but that’s it.

A move like that would basically give Disney a good majority of all major franchises in Hollywood.

 

[Jerroddragon]

They don’t often at all, but this would just create too blatant of a monopoly.

If this was Apple or Amazon, it would probably go through because they don’t have any major brands really. Amazon has The Boys and LOTR, but that’s it.

A move like that would basically give Disney a good majority of all major franchises in Hollywood.

I mean kinda, but nothing is stopping Universal or any of these companies from hiring great writers and making new hero's

Like while MCU still has some heavy hitters, no one knew who the guardians of the Galaxy until ten years ago. Disney hired a great director and made them a thing, no one I had ever met talk about the Boys until it was made into as show. GOT didn't just happen

Its like what Matt Damon said recently, its on the Studios for why most movies are pretty much meh now (at least to the masses) they don't take risks, they do everything by a committee. There is nothing and I mean NOTHING standing in the way of Universal, Apple, Amazon and so on from making the next star wars, hunger games, GOT, the boys or MCU its on them to hire better people and make stories and characters that get people to watch.


I want Disney broken up but in this case if Discovery is refusing to use good IPs like Looney Tunes, Infinity Train (amazing show, reason no one watched is because HBO put zeroooooo dollars into marketing it) and wont even try spin offs like Batgirl and Nightwing then I don't care who it goes to as long as great stories are told and right now Disney is the one using pretty much every IP they own. We have a Willow show coming out, so while Disney is not perfect at least they are using Ips now because of Disney plus.

 

[quinnmac000]

Final Space Creator Olan Rogers Shares Some Heartbreaking News

Final Space creator Olan Rogers took to Twitter to share some heartbreaking news regarding the show's status with Warner Bros. Discovery.

bleedingcool.com

 

[Viator]

Warner Bros. Cooked HBO Max Subscriber Numbers, Misled Shareholders in Discovery Merger, Lawsuit Claims

An Illinois police pension board brought the suit suggesting "hundreds of thousands" of Discovery shareholders were duped

www.thewrap.com

 

[Jerroddragon]

Not good news for anyone

 

[Nick]

Not good news for anyone

It does sound like they’ll still b going forward with his script. Unfortunately this movie will probably miss its release date now if they have to delay production.