{"id":35814,"date":"2022-08-05T00:47:51","date_gmt":"2022-08-05T00:47:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/batgirl-shelved-warner-bros-discovery-ceo-defends-decision\/"},"modified":"2022-08-05T00:47:51","modified_gmt":"2022-08-05T00:47:51","slug":"batgirl-shelved-warner-bros-discovery-ceo-defends-decision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/batgirl-shelved-warner-bros-discovery-ceo-defends-decision\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Batgirl’ Shelved: Warner Bros. Discovery CEO Defends Decision"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav addressed the company’s controversial decision this week to cancel releases for \u201cBatgirl\u201d and \u201cScoob!: Holiday Haunt,\u201d during the company’s Q2 earnings call on Thursday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’re not going to launch a movie until it’s ready,\u201d Zaslav said during the Q&A portion of the call, when asked directly about \u201cBatgirl\u201d getting the ax. \u201cWe’re not going to launch a movie to make a quarter and we’re not going to put a movie out unless we believe in it.\u201d<\/p>\n

During the presentation, Zaslav repeatedly pointed to the company’s DC superhero properties \u2014 including Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman \u2014 as central to the company’s broader content strategy. To better marshal those properties, Zaslav cited his previously reported goal of putting together a team with a \u201c10-year plan focusing just on DC,\u201d similar to the approach Disney has taken with Marvel Studios, as run by Kevin Feige. But he did not announce who would be heading that team.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are brands that are known everywhere in the world,\u201d he said of the DC characters. \u201cAnd as part of that, we’re going to focus on quality. DC is something that we think we could make better and we’re focused on it now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zaslav mentioned \u201cquality\u201d repeatedly when discussing DC, strongly implying that \u201cBatgirl\u201d was not up to a standard that he believes is necessary for adaptations of the wider comic book property.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe objective is to grow the DC brand, to grow the DC characters,\u201d he said. \u201cBut also, our job is to protect the DC brand. And that’s what we’re going to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zaslav name-checked \u201cBlack Adam,\u201d \u201cShazam! 2\u201d and \u201cThe Flash\u201d as DC features that he’s \u201cvery excited about.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’ve seen them, we think they’re terrific, and we think we can make them even better,\u201d he said. (Zaslav’s mention of \u201cThe Flash,\u201d scheduled to debut June 2023, is particularly meaningful, as star Ezra Miller is facing multiple of abuse and misconduct that neither the actor nor the studio have addressed publicly.)<\/p>\n

The decision to shelve two nearly completed feature films \u2014 including a superhero property with a $90 million budget \u2014 stunned the wider industry. On Wednesday, \u201cBatgirl\u201d directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (\u201cBad Boys for Life,\u201d \u201cMs. Marvel\u201d) released a statement that they were \u201csaddened and shocked by the news,\u201d and star Leslie Grace said she was \u201c proud of the love, hard work and intention all of our incredible cast and tireless crew put into this film.\u201d<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, variety<\/em> reported that the main driver for the decision was the shift in company strategy away from creating feature films exclusive to HBO Max, as was the case with \u201cBatgirl\u201d and \u201cScoob!: Holiday Haunt,\u201d following the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis idea of \u200b\u200bexpensive films going direct to streaming \u2014 we can’t find an economic case for it, we can’t find an economic value to it, so we’re making a strategic shift,\u201d Zaslav said during the Q&A.<\/p>\n

He also addressed this shift during his opening remarks on the Q2 earnings call.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will fully embrace theatrical as we believe that creates interest and demand, provides a great marketing tailwind, and generates word-of-mouth buzz as films transition to streaming and beyond,\u201d Zaslav said. \u201cWe have a different view on the wisdom of releasing direct streaming films, and we have taken some aggressive steps to course correct the previous strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n

During the presentation, CFO Gunnar Wiedenfel cited the strategy driven by previous leadership at WarnerMedia \u2014 namely, Jason Kilar and Ann Sarnoff \u2014 to bankroll \u201cselect direct-to-HBO Max films\u201d as lacking \u201csufficient support\u201d to sustain. He cited the \u201cWonder Twins\u201d movie (which was in pre-production), and the nearly completed \u201cBatgirl\u201d and \u201cScoob!: Holiday Haunt\u201d as \u201cexamples of streaming films that do not fit this new strategic approach.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wiedenfels said canceling those projects was a \u201cdifficult decision,\u201d but the company is \u201ccommitted to being disciplined about a framework that guides our comfortable investment for maximum return.\u201d<\/p>\n

To defray the losses from canceling the films, the company is said to be taking a tax write-down on both movies, citing a shift in strategy in the wake of the merger, but that strategy was not addressed during the earnings call.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n