Warner Bros. says it has finished canceling movies and shows
2023 marks a new chapter for the company
Warner Bros.' mass spree of cancelations that plagued 2022 are seemingly over – at least according to one of its bosses. Last year, movies like Batgirl and Scoob!: Holiday Haunt were pulled before they hit the screen, while shows like Westworld and The Time Traveler’s Wife were also axed.
Per Variety, Warner Bros. Discovery CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels has now announced that in the next 12 months, they will instead be looking to grow the business.
"We took a little bit of time to make sure that we do it properly," he said at Citi’s 2023 Communications, Media & Entertainment Conference. "For some of the titles, we’ve found new homes elsewhere. That’s why this took six or seven months. But I think we’ve come to great solutions and, most importantly, we’re done with that chapter."
According to the publication, following the acquisition of WarnerMedia by Discovery, the company had to cut $3 billion in costs. By the end of 2022, this had risen to $3.5 billion, leading to even more cuts.
Alongside the cancelations, Warner Bros.’ streaming service HBO Max has also been pulling content as well. Some shows like Westworld, The Nevers, and Raised By Wolves are being shifted to ad-supported streaming services, while others, including several hundred episodes of Looney Tunes and The Flintstones, have been removed completely.
Speaking about the recent axing of Westworld, star James Marsden recently spoke of his "disappointment". He told Rolling Stone: "I totally understand it’s an expensive show and big shows have to have big audiences to merit the expense, I just wish it was about more than financial success."
If you’re looking to fill up your 2023 watchlist, here are all of the new TV shows and upcoming movies on the way.
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I’m the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at 12DOVE, covering TV and film for the Total Film and SFX sections online. I previously worked as a Senior Showbiz Reporter and SEO TV reporter at Express Online for three years. I've also written for The Resident magazines and Amateur Photographer, before specializing in entertainment.