Warner Bros. Television is the latest section of Warner Bros. Discovery to face major cost-cutting decisions in the wake of the $43 billion merger. Deadline reports that the studio is laying off or declining to re-staff 125 positions (26% of the workforce) across scripted, unscripted and animation. WBTV is also shuttering its digital production studio Stage 13 and its mentorship initiative Warner Bros. Television Workshop.
These cuts, which aim to help WBD save at least $3 billion to help cover costs of the merger, follow layoffs at HBO and streamer HBO Max in August which axed about 70 employees (14% of staff).
Studio Chairman Channing Dungey laid out the changes at WBTV in a memo to employees, revealing that Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios are further merging their teams, building on the cross-studio collaborations of select departments across all three of its toon shops (the other being Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe).
These studios have multiple projects in active production, with the current pipeline reported to remain “relatively unchanged” in spite of the restructure. Upcoming projects for the studios include WBA’s revamps of classic IPs like Tiny Toons Looniversity (HBO Max/Cartoon Network), Bedrock (Fox), Velma (HBO Max) and Bruce Timm/JJ Abrams’ Batman: Caped Crusader (TBA); and at CNS, Genndy Tartakovsky‘s new original Unicorn: Warriors Eternal (HBO Max/Cartoon Network), Craig of the Creek spin-off Jessica’s Big Little World (Cartoonito) and Adventure Time spin-off Fionna and Cake (HBO Max).
“In Animation, run by Sam Register, President, Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios, we are implementing a new streamlined structure in which the development and main production teams will now work across both Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios. The kids and family series development team will be led by Audrey Diehl, adult animation development will be led by Peter Girardi, and animated longform series development will be led by Sammy Perlmutter, with Bobbie Page leading main production. This is an extension of the cross-studio teams that have already been in place for current programming, casting, legal and business affairs, and artist relations. Ed Adams will continue as Executive Vice President and General Manager.”
She added, “These are challenging times in the world at large, and a tumultuous time in our industry. For this kind of change to hit so close to home is incredibly difficult. But my hope is that these changes, made with an eye to a more focused business strategy, will strengthen and stabilize our company, maintain our great creative output, and better position us for continued future success.”
Dungey took over the role at WBTV from Peter Roth in October 2020, shortly after departing her post as VP Original Series at Netflix. Prior to this, she spent 14 years at ABC, closing out with two and a half years as President of ABC Entertainment.
[Source: Deadline]
