The new owners of Warner Bros Discovery have been cutting costs for the past few months and also report that the indiscriminate creation of “content at any price” has ended. In other words, the company will think twice before giving the green light to any type of production. Or also at the time of renewing many others that for now remain in limbo without a defined future (Westworld).
“The great experiment of creating something at all costs is over,” said David Zaslav. Since he took over the helm of the company, many changes and restructurings have taken place. The president and CEO of Warner Bros Discovery plans a more austere path and plays that go more safely. In that sense, entire films like Batgirl, or TV series like demimonde by JJ Abrams, perished along the way.
Precisely the last one had a budget of almost $200 million dollars, a figure that matches perfectly with its search for savings. And it is that according to dead line, Zaslav showed a plan for savings targets that will allow the company to save $3.5 billion. In fact, they are 500 more than those in his initial plan.
Despite the austerity, the president of Warner affirms that the golden age of content is still far from over. His logic is especially that his strategy is less quantity, but much more quality.
“I was recently asked if I thought the golden age of content was over,” he said. “I said absolutely no. There is nothing more important than content, people consume more content than ever. But it has to be great content. It’s not about how much anymore.”
In his comments he highlighted products such as Harry Potter, Friends, The Big Bang Theory, Batman, Euphoria Y the house of the dragon. Indicative that these are licenses with clear plans for future expansion.
On the other hand once again attacked the previous form of release in theaters and streaming. The “strategy of smashing down all the windows, starting linear and theatrical, and spending money wildly, while earning a fraction in return…is deeply flawed,” she snapped.
Finally Zaslav delved a little deeper into his reasoning to decide which of his series deserve a space and which do not. In past months several animated series disappeared from the Warner platform. and others like Camping, Mrs. Fletcher, Run either Vinyl. According to him, none of the eliminated series were going to help them in any way.
HBO Max also ditched its attempts at virtual reality content and decimated much of the content aimed at children and young adults. Apparently only the most popular HBO series are safe.
Luis Angel H Mora My most stable relationship is with movies, parties and music. I love writing about cinema, meeting new people and sharing ideas. Idealistic in every way, I guess that’s my Aquarian Ascendant trait.