When Warner Bros. Discovery dropped an anvil on Coyote vs. Acme, it was like Batgirl all over again — except it might have been an even bigger blow. While it’s up for serious questioning as to whether or not Batgirl was truly “unreleasable”, Coyote vs. Acme was by most accounts looking to be a pretty darn good movie. Now, the directors of Batgirl are showing their support for a fellow Wbd movie that was left hovering over a cliff’s edge.
Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, the directors behind Batgirl, showed their concern over how studios are willing to openly discard films, particularly name-checking the director of Coyote vs. Acme. “It’s an extra thing to worry about in Hollywood, and that’s sad. I think that we all are artists. We are friends with director Dave Green; he’s our boy. We hope that he will be able...
Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, the directors behind Batgirl, showed their concern over how studios are willing to openly discard films, particularly name-checking the director of Coyote vs. Acme. “It’s an extra thing to worry about in Hollywood, and that’s sad. I think that we all are artists. We are friends with director Dave Green; he’s our boy. We hope that he will be able...
- 6/1/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Mystery Inc. rides again! Variety is reporting that the long-running "Scooby-Doo" franchise may be making a leap back to the live-action world, this time courtesy of Netflix. Sources tell the outlet that, unlike past versions of the Hanna-Barbera-created franchise, the new series won't be a comedic mystery but a one-hour drama series. Warner Bros. Television, which has been responsible for other dark teen-centric Netflix shows like "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina" and "Dead Boy Detectives," is set to produce.
Though the deal apparently isn't set in stone yet, the untitled "Scooby-Doo" live-action project is apparently in talks to receive a script-to-series commitment, with the team from Arrowverse maestro Greg Berlanti's Berlanti Productions (which also helped bring the two above titles to life) set to produce. Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg, the creative duo that co-executive produced shows like Hulu's "High Fidelity" and MGM+'s underrated "From," are set to...
Though the deal apparently isn't set in stone yet, the untitled "Scooby-Doo" live-action project is apparently in talks to receive a script-to-series commitment, with the team from Arrowverse maestro Greg Berlanti's Berlanti Productions (which also helped bring the two above titles to life) set to produce. Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg, the creative duo that co-executive produced shows like Hulu's "High Fidelity" and MGM+'s underrated "From," are set to...
- 4/29/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Jessica Lange is calling out modern Hollywood for not valuing the “creative process” of filmmaking.
The “Feud” actress told Vulture that “artistic impulse” is squashed by the “corporate profit motive,” much like Warner Bros. Discovery canning almost-completed films like “Batgirl” and “Coyote vs. Acme” for tax write-off purposes. Of that in particular, Lange said, “There should be a law against it.”
“We’re living in a corporate world and it certainly has rolled over into the film industry,” Lange said. “So much of the industry now is not about the creative process. Obviously, this is not across the board, but there are many instances where I feel like the artistic impulse is overwhelmed by the corporate profit motive.”
Lange instead cited international features for being more bold in their storytelling.
“You look at some of the best films of the past year — what do they have in common? They’re not from America,...
The “Feud” actress told Vulture that “artistic impulse” is squashed by the “corporate profit motive,” much like Warner Bros. Discovery canning almost-completed films like “Batgirl” and “Coyote vs. Acme” for tax write-off purposes. Of that in particular, Lange said, “There should be a law against it.”
“We’re living in a corporate world and it certainly has rolled over into the film industry,” Lange said. “So much of the industry now is not about the creative process. Obviously, this is not across the board, but there are many instances where I feel like the artistic impulse is overwhelmed by the corporate profit motive.”
Lange instead cited international features for being more bold in their storytelling.
“You look at some of the best films of the past year — what do they have in common? They’re not from America,...
- 4/26/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Jessica Lange spoke critically of present-day Hollywood during a recent interview with Vulture, saying “there should be a law against it” when the topic came up about Warner Bros. Discovery axing already-shot movies like “Batgirl” and “Coyote vs. Acme” for tax write-off purposes. This topic became a launching pad for some of Lange’s wider criticisms of today’s entertainment industry.
“We’re living in a corporate world and it certainly has rolled over into the film industry,” Lange said. “So much of the industry now is not about the creative process. Obviously, this is not across the board, but there are many instances where I feel like the artistic impulse is overwhelmed by the corporate profit motive. You look at some of the best films of the past year — what do they have in common? They’re not from America. My favorite was ‘Anatomy of a Fall.’ How often...
“We’re living in a corporate world and it certainly has rolled over into the film industry,” Lange said. “So much of the industry now is not about the creative process. Obviously, this is not across the board, but there are many instances where I feel like the artistic impulse is overwhelmed by the corporate profit motive. You look at some of the best films of the past year — what do they have in common? They’re not from America. My favorite was ‘Anatomy of a Fall.’ How often...
- 4/25/2024
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Netflix’s new feature Boss Dan Lin has tapped former DreamWorks Animation and Coyote Vs. Acme producer Chris deFaria to consult for the streamer’s animation department, we hear on very good authority.
Lin and deFaria worked together on the mega success of The Lego Movie when the duo were at Warners. Essentially, what is being sorted at Netflix is how to eventize their animation movies more. The streamer, together with Annapurna, saved the Blue Sky axed Disney LGBTQ+ movie Nimona, a casualty of the Disney-Fox merger; the pic wound up getting an Oscar nomination for Animated Feature.
Animation reports into Lin. Karen Toliver serves as VP of Animated Film.
At Warners deFaria worked as the president of Animation and Innovative Technology. He held that position for four years between 2013 and 2017, which included co-oversight of the studio’s Warner Animation Group. While at Warners, deFaria’s credits included Man of Steel,...
Lin and deFaria worked together on the mega success of The Lego Movie when the duo were at Warners. Essentially, what is being sorted at Netflix is how to eventize their animation movies more. The streamer, together with Annapurna, saved the Blue Sky axed Disney LGBTQ+ movie Nimona, a casualty of the Disney-Fox merger; the pic wound up getting an Oscar nomination for Animated Feature.
Animation reports into Lin. Karen Toliver serves as VP of Animated Film.
At Warners deFaria worked as the president of Animation and Innovative Technology. He held that position for four years between 2013 and 2017, which included co-oversight of the studio’s Warner Animation Group. While at Warners, deFaria’s credits included Man of Steel,...
- 4/25/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
David Zaslav, the boss of Warner Bros Discovery, has been praised for his “exceptional leadership” and given nearly $50m in 2023.
If you’re willing to be the kind of media boss willing to delete completed films as a tax write-off rather than release them? Well, it sure does pay the bills.
Just before the weekend, we learned that Warner Bros Discovery boss David Zaslav received $49.7m in remuneration in the year ending 2023. That’s an increase of 26.5 percent on the year before, and since he’s been in post in his job, he’s also benefitted from around $200m in stock option grants as well.
It’s an incredible reward for a CEO who’s overseen cost cutting throughout Warner Bros Discovery, apart from when it comes to his own salary. It’s under David Zaslav’s tenure that Warner Bros has earned a fresh and unwanted reputation for junking completed films,...
If you’re willing to be the kind of media boss willing to delete completed films as a tax write-off rather than release them? Well, it sure does pay the bills.
Just before the weekend, we learned that Warner Bros Discovery boss David Zaslav received $49.7m in remuneration in the year ending 2023. That’s an increase of 26.5 percent on the year before, and since he’s been in post in his job, he’s also benefitted from around $200m in stock option grants as well.
It’s an incredible reward for a CEO who’s overseen cost cutting throughout Warner Bros Discovery, apart from when it comes to his own salary. It’s under David Zaslav’s tenure that Warner Bros has earned a fresh and unwanted reputation for junking completed films,...
- 4/22/2024
- by Simon Brew
- Film Stories
This ought to go over just fine on Twitter/X. Warner Bros. Discovery President and CEO David Zaslav’s executive compensation for 2023 was $49.7 million, according to a new filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.
Here’s how the near-$50-million haul breaks down: Zaslav’s salary actually dipped a hair from 2022 to $3 million, his stock awards practically doubled to $23.1 million, and his non-equity incentive plan compensation stayed pretty steady at $22 million. Along with $1.6 million in the “other” category — pocket change, really — Zaslav’s 2023 compensation package was about 27 percent larger than his 2022 pay of $39.3 million.
Zaslav’s Discovery, Inc. merged with AT&T’s WarnerMedia on April 8, 2022. With a crazy options package revealed ahead of the closure, Zaslav’s estimated executive compensation for 2021 was $246.6 million — nearly $203 million of that from options. But here’s the rub: Options awards are not guaranteed, rather they are tied to the company’s stock price. If...
Here’s how the near-$50-million haul breaks down: Zaslav’s salary actually dipped a hair from 2022 to $3 million, his stock awards practically doubled to $23.1 million, and his non-equity incentive plan compensation stayed pretty steady at $22 million. Along with $1.6 million in the “other” category — pocket change, really — Zaslav’s 2023 compensation package was about 27 percent larger than his 2022 pay of $39.3 million.
Zaslav’s Discovery, Inc. merged with AT&T’s WarnerMedia on April 8, 2022. With a crazy options package revealed ahead of the closure, Zaslav’s estimated executive compensation for 2021 was $246.6 million — nearly $203 million of that from options. But here’s the rub: Options awards are not guaranteed, rather they are tied to the company’s stock price. If...
- 4/19/2024
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
When we think of the antics of the Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote, there is one iconic image that comes to mind: Wile E. Coyote running full-steam after his nemesis, only to be outsmarted and finding himself running past a cliff’s edge, defying gravity by hovering in the air, nowhere to go but down. Only after the realization of doom does he fall. It’s a perfect metaphor for what happened with Warner Bros.’ abandoned Coyote vs. Acme movie, which the studio shelved last year as a tax write-off despite major hype. But could the movie actually emerge from the tunnel and see the light of day? Maybe, although we’d be as foolish as the coyote to believe it just yet.
According to one spokesperson for Warner Bros., the idea that the studio could use Coyote vs. Acme as a write-off is at this time “inaccurate”, with The...
According to one spokesperson for Warner Bros., the idea that the studio could use Coyote vs. Acme as a write-off is at this time “inaccurate”, with The...
- 4/15/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Will Forte just might be a new honorary Irish citizen on the internet thanks to upcoming Netflix comedy series “Bodkin.”
Forte stars as a podcaster who travels to a small coastal Irish town to investigate the mysterious disappearance of three strangers. Siobhán Cullen and Robyn Cara play Forte’s fellow podcast hosts who uncover a story much bigger and weirder than they could have ever imagined.
Per the official synopsis, as the heroes of “Bodkin” try to discern fact from fiction — about the case, about their colleagues, and, most painfully, themselves — the series challenges our perception of truth and exposes the stories we tell ourselves to justify our beliefs or validate our fears. Chris Walley and David Wilmot also star.
Each of the seven “Bodkin” episodes span one hour. The original series is the latest Netflix venture from Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground productions, which was recently behind Oscar-nominated “Rustin.
Forte stars as a podcaster who travels to a small coastal Irish town to investigate the mysterious disappearance of three strangers. Siobhán Cullen and Robyn Cara play Forte’s fellow podcast hosts who uncover a story much bigger and weirder than they could have ever imagined.
Per the official synopsis, as the heroes of “Bodkin” try to discern fact from fiction — about the case, about their colleagues, and, most painfully, themselves — the series challenges our perception of truth and exposes the stories we tell ourselves to justify our beliefs or validate our fears. Chris Walley and David Wilmot also star.
Each of the seven “Bodkin” episodes span one hour. The original series is the latest Netflix venture from Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground productions, which was recently behind Oscar-nominated “Rustin.
- 4/2/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
For a short bit there, it seemed like Ezra Miller’s career was going to be torpedoed thanks to numerous controversies. Yet, Miller managed to stay on board The Flash. Ok, so that was yet another flop for DC but it showed there was still (some) support for Miller within the industry in one way or another. But now, it might truly be over, as Invincible, has quietly removed Miller from the series. The actor had been previously cast as D.A. Sinclair. So where does that leave the troubled star?
While Ezra Miller voiced the mad scientist with a penchant for turning people into obedient cyborgian zombie soldiers called “Reanimen” in the first season, Eric Bauza has now taken over the role. Miller only voiced the character in one episode (“You Look Kinda Dead”) so it’s really not that big of a loss for Invincible. But it does...
While Ezra Miller voiced the mad scientist with a penchant for turning people into obedient cyborgian zombie soldiers called “Reanimen” in the first season, Eric Bauza has now taken over the role. Miller only voiced the character in one episode (“You Look Kinda Dead”) so it’s really not that big of a loss for Invincible. But it does...
- 3/30/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Although he has made some memorable on-screen appearances, Ezra Miller’s career seems to be on a downward spiral, as the Hollywood actor has been fired from yet another major project. Namely, when the seventh episode of Amazon’s adaptation of Invincible aired, titled “I’m Not Going Anywhere”, the character of D.A. Sinclair appeared once again, but unlike season one, he was not voiced by Ezra Miller anymore. This came as a sort of surprise for everyone, as it had not been announced that Miller was fired from the series. The character is now voiced by Eric Bauza.
The second part of Invincible‘s second season premiered on March 14, 2024, after a several-month break and no information about Miller being recast had been released; Deadline has contacted Amazon, but no official statement has been released regarding this change in the voice cast of the series.
Although no precise reason...
The second part of Invincible‘s second season premiered on March 14, 2024, after a several-month break and no information about Miller being recast had been released; Deadline has contacted Amazon, but no official statement has been released regarding this change in the voice cast of the series.
Although no precise reason...
- 3/30/2024
- by Arthur S. Poe
- Fiction Horizon
It appears Ezra Miller was quietly recast as mad scientist D.A. Sinclair in Season 2 of Prime Video’s Invincible.
Miller voiced the character in one episode in the first season of the adult animated series, but when Sinclair appeared in the March 28th episode, the character was voiced by Eric Bauza.
Deadline has reached out to Prime Video for comment.
Miller, embattled star of The Flash and Fantastic Beasts, has been embroiled in multiple scandals. Last year, they pleaded guilty to unlawful trespassing in a burglary case in Vermont after cutting a plea deal ahead of the hearing. In 2022, Miller agreed to mental health treatment after a string of run-ins with the law.
Based on the Skybound/Image comic, from The Walking Dead’s Robert Kirkman, Invincible revolves around 18-year-old Mark Grayson, voiced by Steven Yeun, who’s just like every other guy his...
Miller voiced the character in one episode in the first season of the adult animated series, but when Sinclair appeared in the March 28th episode, the character was voiced by Eric Bauza.
Deadline has reached out to Prime Video for comment.
Miller, embattled star of The Flash and Fantastic Beasts, has been embroiled in multiple scandals. Last year, they pleaded guilty to unlawful trespassing in a burglary case in Vermont after cutting a plea deal ahead of the hearing. In 2022, Miller agreed to mental health treatment after a string of run-ins with the law.
Based on the Skybound/Image comic, from The Walking Dead’s Robert Kirkman, Invincible revolves around 18-year-old Mark Grayson, voiced by Steven Yeun, who’s just like every other guy his...
- 3/30/2024
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
In July 2023, near the peak of animosity between scribes and studios during the writers strike, a picket outside ABC’s The View in New York welcomed an ally: Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan. Behind closed doors, the writers union had been sharing concerns of a wave of mergers that it said left just a handful of studios like Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and Amazon as the lone arbiters of which movies and TV shows are made, what consumers watch and how they can watch it. Flanked by protest signs name-checking Wbd boss David Zaslav to “just give up one yacht” and chants embracing themes of “exploitation,” “concentrated power” and “corporate giants,” Khan delivered a fiery speech that also effectively served as a signal to moguls seeking more mergers and acquisitions.
Since that time, feverish speculation has centered on Shari Redstone relinquishing control of Paramount Global in a megadeal or Warner Bros.
Since that time, feverish speculation has centered on Shari Redstone relinquishing control of Paramount Global in a megadeal or Warner Bros.
- 3/14/2024
- by Winston Cho
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Cancelled Netflix sci-fi thriller The Mothership was “full of mystery and threat” and had “the makings of a classic,” its storyboard artist tells us.
In January, news broke that Netflix had made the decision to scrap The Mothership – a sci-fi thriller starring Halle Berry that had been shot and was initially scheduled for release in 2023.
To date, the only official comment we’ve heard from Netflix came from interim content boss Bela Bajaria, who at a press event in February said there were “lots of issues during production, and so everybody just felt like it was the right thing to… do something else together eventually.”
The decision to abandon a relatively high-profile movie with some Oscar-winning talent attached is unusual – Bajara herself admitted that the situation was “rare” – though not unheard of. Over the past year, Warner Bros has infamously scrapped the likes of Batgirl, Scoob! 2 and Coyote Vs Acme.
In January, news broke that Netflix had made the decision to scrap The Mothership – a sci-fi thriller starring Halle Berry that had been shot and was initially scheduled for release in 2023.
To date, the only official comment we’ve heard from Netflix came from interim content boss Bela Bajaria, who at a press event in February said there were “lots of issues during production, and so everybody just felt like it was the right thing to… do something else together eventually.”
The decision to abandon a relatively high-profile movie with some Oscar-winning talent attached is unusual – Bajara herself admitted that the situation was “rare” – though not unheard of. Over the past year, Warner Bros has infamously scrapped the likes of Batgirl, Scoob! 2 and Coyote Vs Acme.
- 3/14/2024
- by Ryan Lambie
- Film Stories
'Salem's Lot' will be released on the streaming service Max rather than being launched in cinemas.The studio behind the horror picture, New Line, has confirmed that the flick will appear on the streamer at some point in 2024.The film is an adaptation of Stephen King's 1975 novel of the same name and has an ensemble cast that features Lewis Pullman, Makenzie Leigh and Alfre Woodward.The movie had initially been slated for release in 2022 before being pushed back to spring 2023 as a result of Covid-related delays. It was then taken off the release schedule altogether by Warner Bros. - to the bemusement of King himself.Taking to social media platform X (previously Twitter), the author wrote: "Between you and me, Twitter, I've seen the new 'Salem's Lot' and it's quite good. Old-school horror filmmaking: slow build, big payoff. "Not sure why WB is holding it back; not like it's embarrassing,...
- 3/13/2024
- by Alex Getting
- Bang Showbiz
'Coyote vs. Acme' screenwriter Samy Burch says that the shelved film could still be released.The live-action/animated hybrid movie was controversially axed by Warner Bros. last November but the scribe has revealed that talks are still "ongoing" as to whether audiences will get the chance to see the movie.Speaking to IndieWire, Samy said: "As far as I know it's ongoing. I think we're all pretty heartbroken about it. We hope it will somehow find its home and not end up stuck in a vault for the rest of time. That would be a great resolution."She continued: "I know that they have been screening places and I think they still are."I hope that I'm allowed to say that. I'm going completely rogue here. It's just the best group of people. Dave Green, who directed it, I just love so much. Will Forte is amazing in the movie.
- 3/12/2024
- by Joe Graber
- Bang Showbiz
Writer Samy Burch has said that, despite earlier reports that Coyote Vs Acme has been shelved, attempts to sell it are “ongoing”.
Amid all the drama, glamour, and spontaneous John Cena nudity on display at last night’s Oscars, along came a small yet potentially promising update for Coyote Vs Acme.
Although Warner Bros Discovery seems intent on shelving the comedy forever, there’s still the possibility that it could be saved, according to its screenwriter Samy Burch.
Collared on the Oscars’ red carpet by IndieWire, Burch said, “As far as I know, it’s ongoing. “I think we’re all pretty heartbroken about it. We hope it will somehow find its home and not end up stuck in a vault for the rest of time. That would be a great resolution.”
Indeed it would. Burch also “went rogue” by revealing that Coyote Vs Acme has been privately screened, and may still be screening,...
Amid all the drama, glamour, and spontaneous John Cena nudity on display at last night’s Oscars, along came a small yet potentially promising update for Coyote Vs Acme.
Although Warner Bros Discovery seems intent on shelving the comedy forever, there’s still the possibility that it could be saved, according to its screenwriter Samy Burch.
Collared on the Oscars’ red carpet by IndieWire, Burch said, “As far as I know, it’s ongoing. “I think we’re all pretty heartbroken about it. We hope it will somehow find its home and not end up stuck in a vault for the rest of time. That would be a great resolution.”
Indeed it would. Burch also “went rogue” by revealing that Coyote Vs Acme has been privately screened, and may still be screening,...
- 3/11/2024
- by Ryan Lambie
- Film Stories
After Warner Bros. Discovery seemingly dropped the final anvil on the head of “Coyote vs. Acme,” screenwriter Samy Burch is speaking out about the shelved film.
Burch told IndieWire’s Vincent Perella on the red carpet for the 2024 Oscars that the conversation is “ongoing” about whether or not the film will see the light of day.
“As far as I know, it’s ongoing,” Burch said. “I think we’re all pretty heartbroken about it. We hope it will somehow find its home and not end up stuck in a vault for the rest of time. That would be a great resolution.”
While the story outline for the feature was reportedly leaked via Paste Bin in early March 2024, Warner Bros. has yet to officially announce the fate of the completed live-action and cartoon hybrid film. John Cena and Will Forte star in the film which was at first announced as...
Burch told IndieWire’s Vincent Perella on the red carpet for the 2024 Oscars that the conversation is “ongoing” about whether or not the film will see the light of day.
“As far as I know, it’s ongoing,” Burch said. “I think we’re all pretty heartbroken about it. We hope it will somehow find its home and not end up stuck in a vault for the rest of time. That would be a great resolution.”
While the story outline for the feature was reportedly leaked via Paste Bin in early March 2024, Warner Bros. has yet to officially announce the fate of the completed live-action and cartoon hybrid film. John Cena and Will Forte star in the film which was at first announced as...
- 3/10/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson and Vincent Perella
- Indiewire
Indie game developers who published games under the label of Adult Swim Games are under threat of being delisted by Adult Swim’s parent company, Warner Bros. According to reports, some game developers received a warning from the company that their games would be removed from Steam and other digital console stores in the coming days. Fans are now calling Warner Bros. the worst company ever after they refused to transfer ownership to the developers on Steam.
Warner Bros. plans to delist games published under Adult Swim Games
Adult Swim Games is the video game publishing division of the Adult Swim brand of Cartoon Network. The division is known for its association with indie developers to produce games that were praised by critics for their originality and quality.
Fans Are Angry At Warner Bros. After Their Latest Move With Adult Swim Games Michael Molinari’s Soundodger+ is one of the...
Warner Bros. plans to delist games published under Adult Swim Games
Adult Swim Games is the video game publishing division of the Adult Swim brand of Cartoon Network. The division is known for its association with indie developers to produce games that were praised by critics for their originality and quality.
Fans Are Angry At Warner Bros. After Their Latest Move With Adult Swim Games Michael Molinari’s Soundodger+ is one of the...
- 3/9/2024
- by Hashim Asraff
- FandomWire
It's looking less likely with each passing day that a mass audience will be able to see Dave Green's comedy film "Coyote vs. Acme." Despite being complete, Warner Bros. infamously decided to cancel the film's release -- and delete it from existence -- just to obtain a massive tax write-off. The few Hollywood insiders who have seen "Coyote vs. Acme" have gone on the record, assuring audiences that it's good. Meanwhile, WB has reportedly received multiple offers for the film from other studios, yet has rejected each and every one of them. It seems "Coyote vs. Acme" is doomed to become yet another lost film, sacrificed on the alter of the Bottom Line. It makes one wonder how many other films have been similarly deleted.
The premise of "Coyote vs. Acme" was fun. Wile E. Coyote -- the voracious carnivore who debuted in Chuck Jones' 1949 short film "Fast and...
The premise of "Coyote vs. Acme" was fun. Wile E. Coyote -- the voracious carnivore who debuted in Chuck Jones' 1949 short film "Fast and...
- 3/7/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Rooster Teeth, the pioneering digital-content company known for its webisodes and series like “Red vs. Blue,” “Rwby,” and “Gen: Lock,” is being shut down by parent company Warner Bros. Discovery after 21 years of operation.
Jordan Levin, the production company’s general manager, announced the news to staff on March 6 and sent a company-wide memo also shared to Rooster Teeth’s website. You can read it in full below.
“It’s with a heavy heart I announce that Rooster Teeth is shutting down due to challenges facing digital media resulting from fundamental shifts in consumer behavior and monetization across platforms, advertising, and patronage,” Levin wrote in the memo.
The shuttering of Rooster Teeth will result in the layoff of roughly 150 staffers, as well as numerous other contractors and creators put out of work. The Roost Podcast Network will continue as Wbd looks to sell its associated assets, including “The Rt Podcast,...
Jordan Levin, the production company’s general manager, announced the news to staff on March 6 and sent a company-wide memo also shared to Rooster Teeth’s website. You can read it in full below.
“It’s with a heavy heart I announce that Rooster Teeth is shutting down due to challenges facing digital media resulting from fundamental shifts in consumer behavior and monetization across platforms, advertising, and patronage,” Levin wrote in the memo.
The shuttering of Rooster Teeth will result in the layoff of roughly 150 staffers, as well as numerous other contractors and creators put out of work. The Roost Podcast Network will continue as Wbd looks to sell its associated assets, including “The Rt Podcast,...
- 3/6/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Speaking at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom confernece, Disney CEO Bob Iger admitted to having quashed several movies.
Disney simply no longer carries the heft it once did as an entertainment company. Outside of the pandemic-stricken 2020 and 2021 movie slates, 2023 was the first year since 2014 that Disney did not see a movie gross $1 billion in theaters, and despite cost-cutting measures and price increases its streaming services are still losing money. Disney CEO Bob Iger still has faith in his strategy to turn things around for the company, but he revealed this week that part of that strategy has been to use a tactic universally castigated when it’s been employed by Warner Bros. Discovery in the recent past: killing TV shows and movies in some stage of production.
Iger revealed that Disney has nixed several projects it didn’t feel were “strong enough.” The CEO said that deciding to...
Disney simply no longer carries the heft it once did as an entertainment company. Outside of the pandemic-stricken 2020 and 2021 movie slates, 2023 was the first year since 2014 that Disney did not see a movie gross $1 billion in theaters, and despite cost-cutting measures and price increases its streaming services are still losing money. Disney CEO Bob Iger still has faith in his strategy to turn things around for the company, but he revealed this week that part of that strategy has been to use a tactic universally castigated when it’s been employed by Warner Bros. Discovery in the recent past: killing TV shows and movies in some stage of production.
Iger revealed that Disney has nixed several projects it didn’t feel were “strong enough.” The CEO said that deciding to...
- 3/6/2024
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
You guys can back off David Zaslav for a minute: Bob Iger says Disney too has “killed a few projects.” The difference? They’ve done it quietly and at (presumably) a much earlier stage than, say, “Batgirl” or “Coyote vs. Acme,” the two most infamous (and most egregious) last-minute movie cancellations in recent Hollywood history.
“When we talk about improving our film slate there are really three approaches, one is you have to kill things you no longer believed in and that’s not easy in this business, because either you’ve gotten started, you have some sunk costs ,or it’s a relationship with either your employees or with the creative community, and it’s not an easy thing, but you’ve got to make those tough calls,” Disney CEO Iger said Tuesday at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Conference. “We’ve actually made those tough calls,...
“When we talk about improving our film slate there are really three approaches, one is you have to kill things you no longer believed in and that’s not easy in this business, because either you’ve gotten started, you have some sunk costs ,or it’s a relationship with either your employees or with the creative community, and it’s not an easy thing, but you’ve got to make those tough calls,” Disney CEO Iger said Tuesday at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media and Telecom Conference. “We’ve actually made those tough calls,...
- 3/5/2024
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
WB wipes out Coyote vs. Acme, so we probably will not see it, but we might be able to figure out the story, given that the entire plot appears to have been leaked online. Yes, Warner Bros. might have just committed the biggest fumble of the year with the leaked script of Coyote vs. Acme hitting Twitter feeds everywhere. In the now-canceled film Coyote vs. Acme, John Cena was supposed to play the lawyer for Acme Corporation.
John Cena will star in Coyote vs. Acme
Sure, most people still have fond memories of the Looney Tunes cartoons from the early and late 1900s. Warner Bros., thus, wanted to bring back that nostalgic feeling, so Coyote vs. Acme was approved and put into production. Early in November (2023), the studio announced the film’s cancellation before changing its mind and pitching it to other studios. These studios showed interest, but their offers fell short of Warner Bros.
John Cena will star in Coyote vs. Acme
Sure, most people still have fond memories of the Looney Tunes cartoons from the early and late 1900s. Warner Bros., thus, wanted to bring back that nostalgic feeling, so Coyote vs. Acme was approved and put into production. Early in November (2023), the studio announced the film’s cancellation before changing its mind and pitching it to other studios. These studios showed interest, but their offers fell short of Warner Bros.
- 3/5/2024
- by Siddhika Prajapati
- FandomWire
Patton Oswalt took a shot at Warner Bros. Discovery chief David Zaslav during his opening monologue as host of the 71st Motion Picture Sound Editors Golden Reel Awards.
Oswalt kicked off the Mpse ceremony Sunday in Los Angeles by lamenting the challenges that Hollywood faced in 2023. Oswalt, who also hosted the event last year, went on to discuss the labor stoppages for both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA.
“What better choice to entertain a room full of postproduction workers than a guy who is in both SAG and the WGA,” the Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire actor quipped. “That’s right. I’m the asshole that forced you to take out a second mortgage on your home.”
Oswalt continued, “But despite the nightmare of last year’s basically living hell that we all went through, you guys, as always, did some amazing work. And I’m just talking about the movies that were...
Oswalt kicked off the Mpse ceremony Sunday in Los Angeles by lamenting the challenges that Hollywood faced in 2023. Oswalt, who also hosted the event last year, went on to discuss the labor stoppages for both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA.
“What better choice to entertain a room full of postproduction workers than a guy who is in both SAG and the WGA,” the Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire actor quipped. “That’s right. I’m the asshole that forced you to take out a second mortgage on your home.”
Oswalt continued, “But despite the nightmare of last year’s basically living hell that we all went through, you guys, as always, did some amazing work. And I’m just talking about the movies that were...
- 3/4/2024
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Will Forte is devastated that the "incredible" 'Coyote vs. Acme' will not be released.The 53-year-old actor had been due to play Wile E. Coyote's lawyer in the live-action/animated hybrid movie featuring the Looney Tunes characters and has publicly expressed his disappointment after getting to watch the flick that was shelved by Warner Bros. last year.In a message to those who worked on the movie, Will wrote on social media platform X: "To the Cast and Crew of 'Coyote vs. Acme' – I know that a lot of you haven't gotten a chance to see our movie. And sadly, it's looking like you never will."When I first heard that our movie was getting 'deleted', I hadn't seen it yet. So I was thinking what everyone else must have been thinking this thing must be a hunk of junk. But then I saw it. And it's incredible.
- 3/1/2024
- by Joe Graber
- Bang Showbiz
After seeing the finished – and now deleted – Coyote Vs Acme film, Will Forte has penned an open letter to everybody who brought the project to life.
Following a few months when it seemed like the film Coyote Vs Acme might have earned an unlikely reprieve, Warner Bros has seemingly made a final decision regarding the film’s fate. That means deleting the collaborative efforts of a lot of talented and hard-working people from the very same creative community that the studio relies on for the continued lifeblood of its business. Sounds like a wonderful business strategy to us.
One of those talented and hard-working people is Will Forte, who played one of the movie’s leads (alongside John Cena). It looks like Forte got the chance to see the film before it disappeared forever, and he was so taken with it, the actor penned an open letter to everybody involved with the film,...
Following a few months when it seemed like the film Coyote Vs Acme might have earned an unlikely reprieve, Warner Bros has seemingly made a final decision regarding the film’s fate. That means deleting the collaborative efforts of a lot of talented and hard-working people from the very same creative community that the studio relies on for the continued lifeblood of its business. Sounds like a wonderful business strategy to us.
One of those talented and hard-working people is Will Forte, who played one of the movie’s leads (alongside John Cena). It looks like Forte got the chance to see the film before it disappeared forever, and he was so taken with it, the actor penned an open letter to everybody involved with the film,...
- 3/1/2024
- by Dan Cooper
- Film Stories
“Coyote vs. Acme” star Will Forte has broken his silence on Warner Bros.’ shelving of the completed but unlikely-to-be-released Looney Tunes movie. Forte posted a statement to social media addressed to the film’s cast and crew on Thursday, praising their work on the “incredible” film.
“I know a lot of you haven’t gotten a chance to see our movie,” wrote Forte, who stars in the live-action/animated hybrid comedy as Wile E. Coyote’s attorney. “And sadly, it’s looking like you never will.”
“When I first heard that our movie was getting ‘deleted,’ I hadn’t seen it yet,” he continued. “So I was thinking what everyone else must have been thinking: this thing must be a hunk of junk. But then I saw it. And it’s incredible.”
“Super funny throughout, visually stunning, sweet, sincere, and emotionally resonant in a very earned way,” the “Saturday Night Live” alum wrote.
“I know a lot of you haven’t gotten a chance to see our movie,” wrote Forte, who stars in the live-action/animated hybrid comedy as Wile E. Coyote’s attorney. “And sadly, it’s looking like you never will.”
“When I first heard that our movie was getting ‘deleted,’ I hadn’t seen it yet,” he continued. “So I was thinking what everyone else must have been thinking: this thing must be a hunk of junk. But then I saw it. And it’s incredible.”
“Super funny throughout, visually stunning, sweet, sincere, and emotionally resonant in a very earned way,” the “Saturday Night Live” alum wrote.
- 2/29/2024
- by Liam Mathews
- Gold Derby
Will Forte is applauding the “Coyote vs. Acme” cast and crew, especially since the film is indefinitely shelved by Warner Bros. Discovery.
Forte issued a social media statement (below) that cited his “confusion and frustration” over the Looney Tunes cartoon live-action hybrid movie being effectively canceled by Wbd.
“Super funny throughout, visually stunning, sweet, sincere, and emotionally resonant in a very earned way. As the credits rolled, I just sat there thinking how lucky I was to be part of something so special,” Forte wrote. “That quickly turned to confusion and frustration. This was the movie they’re not going to release?”
The film was written by Oscar-nominated “May December” scribe Samy Burch and stars Forte and John Cena. “Coyote vs. Acme” completed production in New Mexico in 2022 and was set to start streaming on Wbd’s platform Max on July 21. James Gunn produced the feature and also received a story credit.
Forte issued a social media statement (below) that cited his “confusion and frustration” over the Looney Tunes cartoon live-action hybrid movie being effectively canceled by Wbd.
“Super funny throughout, visually stunning, sweet, sincere, and emotionally resonant in a very earned way. As the credits rolled, I just sat there thinking how lucky I was to be part of something so special,” Forte wrote. “That quickly turned to confusion and frustration. This was the movie they’re not going to release?”
The film was written by Oscar-nominated “May December” scribe Samy Burch and stars Forte and John Cena. “Coyote vs. Acme” completed production in New Mexico in 2022 and was set to start streaming on Wbd’s platform Max on July 21. James Gunn produced the feature and also received a story credit.
- 2/29/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
After Warner Bros. permanently shelved its latest live-action “Looney Tunes” movie “Coyote vs. Acme” last November, many wondered if the situation was “Batgirl” redux. That is, the studio figured the movie made more sense for them as a write-off and a relic of a bygone Warner Bros. administration, never to reach audiences. Deadline reports that “Coyote vs. Acme” star Will Forte took to social media this morning to all but confirm those suspicions: the movie is as good as dead.
Continue reading ‘Coyote vs. Acme’: Will Forte Takes To Social Media To Defend Shelved Warner Bros. Movie at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Coyote vs. Acme’: Will Forte Takes To Social Media To Defend Shelved Warner Bros. Movie at The Playlist.
- 2/29/2024
- by Ned Booth
- The Playlist
Actor Will Forte has posted an open letter to the cast and crew of Coyote vs. Acme after he finally got to watch his own film.
Amid heavy rumors the film is officially dead following Warner Bros. Discovery’s recent quarterly report that included a mysterious $115 million tax write-off, Forte admitted he assumed the film must have been “a hunk of junk … but then I saw it.” Forte’s comments also seem to confirm that the movie will not be released following Warners entertaining offers to sell it.
Writing on X, Forte began, “To the Cast and Crew of Coyote Vs Acme — I know that a lot of you haven’t gotten a chance to see our movie. And sadly, it’s looking like you never will. When I first heard that our movie was getting ‘deleted,’ I hadn’t seen it yet. So I was thinking what everyone else...
Amid heavy rumors the film is officially dead following Warner Bros. Discovery’s recent quarterly report that included a mysterious $115 million tax write-off, Forte admitted he assumed the film must have been “a hunk of junk … but then I saw it.” Forte’s comments also seem to confirm that the movie will not be released following Warners entertaining offers to sell it.
Writing on X, Forte began, “To the Cast and Crew of Coyote Vs Acme — I know that a lot of you haven’t gotten a chance to see our movie. And sadly, it’s looking like you never will. When I first heard that our movie was getting ‘deleted,’ I hadn’t seen it yet. So I was thinking what everyone else...
- 2/29/2024
- by James Hibberd
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Will Forte posted a note to the cast and crew of “Coyote vs. Acme,” four months after Warner Bros. shelved the Looney Tunes comedy after filming was completed.
Warner Bros. opted to take a $30 million tax write-off instead of releasing the film, then later announced it would let the filmmakers shop “Coyote vs. Acme” to other distributors. The film has not been sold.
“To the Cast and Crew of ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ — I know that a lot of you haven’t gotten a chance to see our movie. And sadly, it’s looking like you never will,” Forte wrote in a statement posted to X, formerly Twitter. “When I first heard that our movie was getting ‘deleted,’ I hadn’t seen it yet. So I was thinking what everyone else must have been thinking: this thing must be a hunk of junk. But then I saw it. And it’s incredible.
Warner Bros. opted to take a $30 million tax write-off instead of releasing the film, then later announced it would let the filmmakers shop “Coyote vs. Acme” to other distributors. The film has not been sold.
“To the Cast and Crew of ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ — I know that a lot of you haven’t gotten a chance to see our movie. And sadly, it’s looking like you never will,” Forte wrote in a statement posted to X, formerly Twitter. “When I first heard that our movie was getting ‘deleted,’ I hadn’t seen it yet. So I was thinking what everyone else must have been thinking: this thing must be a hunk of junk. But then I saw it. And it’s incredible.
- 2/29/2024
- by Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety Film + TV
Update: Will Forte has an update about the shelved Coyote vs. Acme movie that could make you feel like you’ve run face-first into a fake tunnel painted on a mountainside. WB executives killed the film in November, leading to social media outrage from cinephiles tired of seeing higher-ups scrap films in favor of a tax cut and other “benefits.” Forte knows people’s anger toward Warner’s decision to shelve Coyote vs. Acme and has some words to add to the ongoing conversation.
In a social media post this morning, Forte said, “I know that a lot of you haven’t gotten a chance to see our movie. And sadly, it’s a looking like you never will.” Forte also says that when he heard the film was getting deleted, he had yet to see it.
“So I was thinking what everyone else must have been thinking: this thing...
In a social media post this morning, Forte said, “I know that a lot of you haven’t gotten a chance to see our movie. And sadly, it’s a looking like you never will.” Forte also says that when he heard the film was getting deleted, he had yet to see it.
“So I was thinking what everyone else must have been thinking: this thing...
- 2/29/2024
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Coyote vs. Acme star Will Forte has spoken out for the first time since the movie was killed by Warner Bros back in November, telling fans in a social media post this Am, “I know that a lot of you haven’t gotten a chance to see our movie. And sadly, it’s a looking like you never will.”
He continues that when he first heard about the film being “deleted,” he hadn’t watched it.
“So I was thinking what everyone else must have been thinking: this thing must be a hunk of junk.”
“But then I saw it,” he continued, “And it’s Incredible.”
The last we checked in with Warners, the door wasn’t 100% closed on Coyote vs. Acme, however, they had already taken a $70M writedown on the completed feature in Q3 earnings.
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He continues that when he first heard about the film being “deleted,” he hadn’t watched it.
“So I was thinking what everyone else must have been thinking: this thing must be a hunk of junk.”
“But then I saw it,” he continued, “And it’s Incredible.”
The last we checked in with Warners, the door wasn’t 100% closed on Coyote vs. Acme, however, they had already taken a $70M writedown on the completed feature in Q3 earnings.
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- 2/29/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Warner Bros. has been in the news quite a bit this past year. Between talks of possible industry-shaking mergers and the current chaos surrounding "Coyote vs. Acme," it's starting to seem like the best course of action might be to call up whoever it was that let Ryan Gosling do a photoshoot on top of the Warner Bros. water tower, and kindly ask that they let the Animaniacs loose to cause a little chaos and release the movie.
For the somehow uninitiated, the Animaniacs consist of the Warner Brothers Yakko (Rob Paulsen), Wakko (Jess Harnell), and the Warner Sister, Dot (Tress MacNeille), who ruled the '90s with their animated variety sketch series which included shorts centered on equally beloved characters like Pinky (Paulsen) and the Brain (Maurice Lamarche). What separated "The Animaniacs" from its contemporaries wasn't just the biting satire and classic 1930s animation style for the main characters,...
For the somehow uninitiated, the Animaniacs consist of the Warner Brothers Yakko (Rob Paulsen), Wakko (Jess Harnell), and the Warner Sister, Dot (Tress MacNeille), who ruled the '90s with their animated variety sketch series which included shorts centered on equally beloved characters like Pinky (Paulsen) and the Brain (Maurice Lamarche). What separated "The Animaniacs" from its contemporaries wasn't just the biting satire and classic 1930s animation style for the main characters,...
- 2/26/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav is facing intense criticism yet again after the studio disclosed $115 million in abandoned film write-downs in an earnings report on Friday. The news renewed outrage over Zaslav’s strategy of canceling projects for tax benefits, with fans calling for his ousting. The write-offs likely include the scrapped $70 million film Coyote vs. Acme. Warner Bros. initially planned to release the animated Looney Tunes spinoff theatrically in 2023, before new animation leadership decided to shelve it.
Warner Bros. Faces Major Backlash Over $115 Million Tax Write-Downs
Coyote vs. Acme
Director Dave Green blasted the “devastating” decision last November. After backlash, Warner Bros. allowed him to shop the finished film to other distributors, but its fate remains uncertain. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the $115 million write-down disclosure suggests Coyote vs. Acme is permanently canceled.
Many are expressing anger at Zaslav and Warner Bros. for repeatedly scrapping films solely for tax benefits.
Warner Bros. Faces Major Backlash Over $115 Million Tax Write-Downs
Coyote vs. Acme
Director Dave Green blasted the “devastating” decision last November. After backlash, Warner Bros. allowed him to shop the finished film to other distributors, but its fate remains uncertain. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the $115 million write-down disclosure suggests Coyote vs. Acme is permanently canceled.
Many are expressing anger at Zaslav and Warner Bros. for repeatedly scrapping films solely for tax benefits.
- 2/24/2024
- by Nivedita Dubey
- FandomWire
Those following the saga of Coyote vs. Acme waited with bated breath Friday for Warner Bros. Discovery’s earnings report to hint at any signs of the animated film’s fate.
The feature became the most talked about movie in town on Nov. 10, when The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that Warners intended to scrap the movie. The outcry from filmmakers on social media was swift, and Warners soon reversed course, and decided to allow director Dave Green to shop the film to other buyers — something Green had been preparing to do when Warners surprised him by scrapping the film. Green ultimately showed the film to multiple buyers, with at least one bid coming in at around $40 million, according to one source.
Friday brought no definitive news on Coyote vs. Acme‘s future, but there are troubling signs for those rooting for its release. As part of an earnings filing,...
The feature became the most talked about movie in town on Nov. 10, when The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that Warners intended to scrap the movie. The outcry from filmmakers on social media was swift, and Warners soon reversed course, and decided to allow director Dave Green to shop the film to other buyers — something Green had been preparing to do when Warners surprised him by scrapping the film. Green ultimately showed the film to multiple buyers, with at least one bid coming in at around $40 million, according to one source.
Friday brought no definitive news on Coyote vs. Acme‘s future, but there are troubling signs for those rooting for its release. As part of an earnings filing,...
- 2/24/2024
- by Aaron Couch
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
So, I guess Warner Bros. Discovery is actually serious about this "Harry Potter" reboot series, huh?
The Wizarding World lost a whole lot of its glamor in the years immediately after "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" brought the saga of The Boy Who Lived to a close on the big screen in 2011. Between her sometimes exasperating additions to the franchise's lore, her constant attempts to insist the "Harry Potter" books are more inclusive than they really are, and her muddled efforts to continue the property in film form with her underwhelming "Fantastic Beasts" scripts, J.K. Rowling spent most of the 2010s burning through the goodwill she had amassed faster than a Golden Snitch whizzing around the Quidditch field. This was all before she damaged her legacy for good with her openly transphobic rhetoric and behavior, which reportedly includes donating £70,000 to an anti-trans group's battle over the legal...
The Wizarding World lost a whole lot of its glamor in the years immediately after "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" brought the saga of The Boy Who Lived to a close on the big screen in 2011. Between her sometimes exasperating additions to the franchise's lore, her constant attempts to insist the "Harry Potter" books are more inclusive than they really are, and her muddled efforts to continue the property in film form with her underwhelming "Fantastic Beasts" scripts, J.K. Rowling spent most of the 2010s burning through the goodwill she had amassed faster than a Golden Snitch whizzing around the Quidditch field. This was all before she damaged her legacy for good with her openly transphobic rhetoric and behavior, which reportedly includes donating £70,000 to an anti-trans group's battle over the legal...
- 2/23/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
After an interesting couple of years scrapping films and making people very cross, insiders suggest Warner Bros boss David Zaslav could be preparing to sell the historic studio, Variety reports.
In the cut-throat world of corporate Hollywood, shake-ups to the major film studios aren’t unheard of – but they are rare.
The last seismic shift happened in 2019, when Disney bought out 20th Century Fox for $52.4bn (£41.3bn) and turned the “Big Six” into a “Big Five”.
In recent months, though, rumours have been circling that the five could soon become four – or even three – as one or more of Hollywood’s biggest players looks to merge or sell their assets to a one-time rival.
According to Variety, Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav is the latest to consider cashing his studio-sized cheque. Insiders point to the company’s surprising willingness to splash the cash on big deals of late, including...
In the cut-throat world of corporate Hollywood, shake-ups to the major film studios aren’t unheard of – but they are rare.
The last seismic shift happened in 2019, when Disney bought out 20th Century Fox for $52.4bn (£41.3bn) and turned the “Big Six” into a “Big Five”.
In recent months, though, rumours have been circling that the five could soon become four – or even three – as one or more of Hollywood’s biggest players looks to merge or sell their assets to a one-time rival.
According to Variety, Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav is the latest to consider cashing his studio-sized cheque. Insiders point to the company’s surprising willingness to splash the cash on big deals of late, including...
- 2/22/2024
- by James Harvey
- Film Stories
It’s no secret that Hollywood studios often employ big names and flashy announcements in order to create hype and distract from negative press. Warner Bros. might be hoping for that. By dangling the tantalizing prospect of a Tom Cruise-Quentin Tarantino collaboration in front of fans, they will mitigate the blow of scrapped projects like Coyote vs. Acme & Batgirl.
According to Variety, Warner Bros. is making big investments in projects by Tom Cruise and Quentin Tarantino, in addition to Joker 2. But are they luring these powerful figures in Hollywood with their own sinister motives?
In recent years, many assumed WB would become a studio non-grata, especially after Discovery purchased the studio and put CEO David Zaslav at the top of the apex, canceling completed films like Batgirl and Coyote vs. Acme. Why? Because the tax incentives were too good to resist.
Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick
Well,...
According to Variety, Warner Bros. is making big investments in projects by Tom Cruise and Quentin Tarantino, in addition to Joker 2. But are they luring these powerful figures in Hollywood with their own sinister motives?
In recent years, many assumed WB would become a studio non-grata, especially after Discovery purchased the studio and put CEO David Zaslav at the top of the apex, canceling completed films like Batgirl and Coyote vs. Acme. Why? Because the tax incentives were too good to resist.
Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick
Well,...
- 2/22/2024
- by Siddhika Prajapati
- FandomWire
Author Stephen King’s novels have been adapted multiple times, with acclaimed directors such as Stanley Kubrick taking a stab at his stories. The noted horror author is known for his thrilling stories such as the It franchise and The Shining that tap into humanity’s deepest fears.
The author’s popular novel ‘Salem’s Lot’ was adapted for the third time in a film by Gary Dauberman but it has been sitting on the shelves of WB studios since it was done. The film was first supposed to be released in cinemas in 2022 but was then postponed to 2023. During the SAG-AFTRA strikes, the film was planned to be streamed directly on Max before being shelved. However, the author slammed the studio for not planning a release for the film despite it being good.
Stephen King Slammed WB For Not Releasing ‘Salem’s Lot Stephen King | Credits: CBS News
Author Stephen...
The author’s popular novel ‘Salem’s Lot’ was adapted for the third time in a film by Gary Dauberman but it has been sitting on the shelves of WB studios since it was done. The film was first supposed to be released in cinemas in 2022 but was then postponed to 2023. During the SAG-AFTRA strikes, the film was planned to be streamed directly on Max before being shelved. However, the author slammed the studio for not planning a release for the film despite it being good.
Stephen King Slammed WB For Not Releasing ‘Salem’s Lot Stephen King | Credits: CBS News
Author Stephen...
- 2/21/2024
- by Nishanth A
- FandomWire
Stephen King has questioned Warner Bros. for delaying the release of 'Salem's Lot'.Gary Dauberman's movie adaptation of King's 1975 novel was removed from the studio's release schedule last year but the acclaimed author is puzzled by the move as he was impressed with the picture when he watched it.In a post on the social media platform X – formerly known as Twitter – King wrote: "Between you and me, Twitter, I've seen the new 'Salem's Lot' and it's quite good. Old-school horror film making: slow build, big payoff. Not sure why WB is holding it back; not like it's embarrassing, or anything. Who knows. I just write the things."It was reported last October that Warner Bros. was planning to release the film on HBO Max as the SAG-AFTRA strike had created "a growing need for content" on the streaming service.Warner Bros. has come under fire for...
- 2/21/2024
- by Joe Graber
- Bang Showbiz
After the 2017 feature film adaptation of Stephen King's "It" became a blockbuster, studios rushed to greenlight new Stephen King adaptations. One example was a new film based on "Salem's Lot," King's 1975 novel about vampires who take over a small New England town. The new "Salem's Lot" movie was announced in 2019, and believe it or not, the film has long since finished production.
So where the heck is it?
Sitting on a (digital) shelf somewhere, that's where. Warner Bros, the studio behind the vampire adaptation, has been holding the film back for years now. It was initially scheduled for a 2022 release date, and now here we are in 2024, with no new date in place. King took to social media last year to complain about the film not being released, and now he's done it again, commenting that he thinks the movie is quite good and he still has no idea why WB isn't releasing it.
So where the heck is it?
Sitting on a (digital) shelf somewhere, that's where. Warner Bros, the studio behind the vampire adaptation, has been holding the film back for years now. It was initially scheduled for a 2022 release date, and now here we are in 2024, with no new date in place. King took to social media last year to complain about the film not being released, and now he's done it again, commenting that he thinks the movie is quite good and he still has no idea why WB isn't releasing it.
- 2/20/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
Stephen King is urging Warner Bros. Discovery for an update on its long-awaited “Salem’s Lot” adaptation.
Legendary horror author King took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to question why the feature adaptation of his book “Salem’s Lot,” which was first announced in 2019 and shot way back in 2021, has yet to be released by Warner Bros.
“Between you and me, Twitter, I’ve seen the new ‘Salem’s Lot’ and it’s quite good,” King wrote on social media. “Old-school horror filmmaking: slow build, big payoff. Not sure why WB is holding it back; not like it’s embarrassing, or anything. Who knows. I just write the fucking things.”
Between you and me, Twitter, I've seen the new Salem's Lot and it's quite good. Old-school horror filmmaking: slow build, big payoff. Not sure why WB is holding it back; not like it's embarrassing, or anything. Who knows. I just write the fucking things.
Legendary horror author King took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to question why the feature adaptation of his book “Salem’s Lot,” which was first announced in 2019 and shot way back in 2021, has yet to be released by Warner Bros.
“Between you and me, Twitter, I’ve seen the new ‘Salem’s Lot’ and it’s quite good,” King wrote on social media. “Old-school horror filmmaking: slow build, big payoff. Not sure why WB is holding it back; not like it’s embarrassing, or anything. Who knows. I just write the fucking things.”
Between you and me, Twitter, I've seen the new Salem's Lot and it's quite good. Old-school horror filmmaking: slow build, big payoff. Not sure why WB is holding it back; not like it's embarrassing, or anything. Who knows. I just write the fucking things.
- 2/20/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Those dismayed by the cancellation of the big-budget “Coyote vs. Acme” — a high-profile casualty of the recent Hollywood trend towards pulling the plug on near-completed projects — may find consolation and then some in “Hundreds of Beavers.” That is, if they become aware of it, of course. Chances are good that they will, eventually, as this DIY delight has begun self-distributing to North American theaters following a long tour on the regional festival circuit. It’s sure to develop a significant cult following with its unique mix of silent-era slapstick, animation elements, theme-park-style critter costumes, and general air of inspired absurdity.
Well, not entirely unique: Director Mike Cheslik and star Ryland Brickson Cole Tews previously collaborated on 2018’s “Lake Michigan Monster,” a similarly nonsensical B&w comedy, albeit in a more Guy Maddin-esque pseudo-early-talkie vein, with a fantasy adventure gist in the vein of Jules Verne. But for all its enterprise,...
Well, not entirely unique: Director Mike Cheslik and star Ryland Brickson Cole Tews previously collaborated on 2018’s “Lake Michigan Monster,” a similarly nonsensical B&w comedy, albeit in a more Guy Maddin-esque pseudo-early-talkie vein, with a fantasy adventure gist in the vein of Jules Verne. But for all its enterprise,...
- 2/17/2024
- by Dennis Harvey
- Variety Film + TV
David Zaslav is the current CEO and president of Warner Bros. Discovery and found quite a name for himself for his controversial decisions. With the cancelation of several movies that were being made at Warner Bros. studio, to creating deals with multi-millionaire stars, people seem to have figured Zaslav out.
It isn’t old news that the company recently found itself on the brink of financial collapse but Zaslav pulled through. Well, a recent report by notable insider Jeff Sneider talks about a deal between Margot Robbie and Warner Bros. Discovery, and therein may lie the answer.
David Zaslav at the Dealbook Summit (via The NY Times)
Margot Robbie Allegedly Tied A Deal With Warner Bros. Discovery!
As per a report by notable insider Jeff Sneider on The InSneider, Barbie star Margot Robbie has signed a multiyear deal with Warner Bros. Discovery in a recent contract. This marks the inclusion...
It isn’t old news that the company recently found itself on the brink of financial collapse but Zaslav pulled through. Well, a recent report by notable insider Jeff Sneider talks about a deal between Margot Robbie and Warner Bros. Discovery, and therein may lie the answer.
David Zaslav at the Dealbook Summit (via The NY Times)
Margot Robbie Allegedly Tied A Deal With Warner Bros. Discovery!
As per a report by notable insider Jeff Sneider on The InSneider, Barbie star Margot Robbie has signed a multiyear deal with Warner Bros. Discovery in a recent contract. This marks the inclusion...
- 2/14/2024
- by Visarg Acharya
- FandomWire
Phil Lord has a question for David Zaslav:
Is it anticompetitive if one of the biggest movie studios in the world shuns the marketplace in order to use a tax loophole to write off an entire movie so they can more easily merge with one of the other biggest movie studios in the world? Cause it Seems anticompetitive.
— Phil Lord (@philiplord) February 10, 2024
Lord’s tweet, of course, is about “Coyote vs. Acme.” Warner Bros. Discovery shelved the completed film, a la “Batgirl” — although, unlike that DC Comics production, the Looney Tunes movie was supposedly shopped and according to some reports, received offers. Wbd denies the reports of official offers being made.
Into the Accounting-Verse, we go.
A person with knowledge of the situation told IndieWire that Warner Bros. screened the film for a dozen distributors. Of these, 10 passed; the other two expressed interest in acquiring it, but for less...
Is it anticompetitive if one of the biggest movie studios in the world shuns the marketplace in order to use a tax loophole to write off an entire movie so they can more easily merge with one of the other biggest movie studios in the world? Cause it Seems anticompetitive.
— Phil Lord (@philiplord) February 10, 2024
Lord’s tweet, of course, is about “Coyote vs. Acme.” Warner Bros. Discovery shelved the completed film, a la “Batgirl” — although, unlike that DC Comics production, the Looney Tunes movie was supposedly shopped and according to some reports, received offers. Wbd denies the reports of official offers being made.
Into the Accounting-Verse, we go.
A person with knowledge of the situation told IndieWire that Warner Bros. screened the film for a dozen distributors. Of these, 10 passed; the other two expressed interest in acquiring it, but for less...
- 2/13/2024
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has made headlines recently by being up to his usual tricks of deleting finished films for tax write-offs. This time, it was the Looney Tunes-themed movie, Coyote vs. Acme. The family comedy that put a twist on the classic Wile E. Coyote cartoon featured stars like John Cena and Will Forte and would have the opportunity to be distributed by another studio, but Zaslav set the bid at $70-$80 million. That amount would have potential buyers leaving the floor and now the movie is in danger of being deleted. In a new development at the company, Variety reports that Margot Robbie‘s production company, LuckyChap, has just signed a partnership deal with Zaslav and the famous water tower after the big year they both had with the Greta Gerwig film, Barbie. The partnership is a multi-film, first-look deal on future projects. Robbie’s...
- 2/13/2024
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
Daniels calls on Warner Bros boss David Zaslav to release Coyote Vs Acme, and “pretend this was all brilliant viral marketing”.
Pressure continues to grow on Warner Bros to find a way to let the film Coyote Vs Acme be seen. The fate of the movie at the moment looks grim: last year it was reported that the studio was simply planning to junk the film, and to write it off against tax.
For the studio, that means it’ll get some of its $70m investment in the production back. Directed by Dave Green and written by Samy Burch, the live action/animated hybrid film is not short of star power, with John Cena and Will Forte heading the cast list.
For them, and the other creatives, it’ll mean their film is basically deleted: should it leak out, Warner Bros would presumably have to repay its tax write off.
Pressure continues to grow on Warner Bros to find a way to let the film Coyote Vs Acme be seen. The fate of the movie at the moment looks grim: last year it was reported that the studio was simply planning to junk the film, and to write it off against tax.
For the studio, that means it’ll get some of its $70m investment in the production back. Directed by Dave Green and written by Samy Burch, the live action/animated hybrid film is not short of star power, with John Cena and Will Forte heading the cast list.
For them, and the other creatives, it’ll mean their film is basically deleted: should it leak out, Warner Bros would presumably have to repay its tax write off.
- 2/13/2024
- by Simon Brew
- Film Stories
Warners Bros has screened their axed Coyote vs. Acme to around 12 buyers we hear with a rigid buy price of $70M+; which is how much the animated live-action hybrid movie cost.
Netflix and Paramount put forth bids, which we told you about, but they were lower than the $70M asking price (between $30M-$50M), therefore in Warner’s eyes, rivals didn’t want the feature for what it cost.
What Deadline has received clarity on is that Warner Bros took a $70M writedown on Q3 earnings, not the upcoming Q4. Nonetheless, the movie, which the Burbank, CA lot decided back in early November not to release — remains in purgatory. That said, we hear the door isn’t officially closed on Coyote vs. Acme‘s prospects yet — it’s just that the Coyote could wind up in the cave with Batgirl.
“No one is doing anything at Warners to push this film for a sale,...
Netflix and Paramount put forth bids, which we told you about, but they were lower than the $70M asking price (between $30M-$50M), therefore in Warner’s eyes, rivals didn’t want the feature for what it cost.
What Deadline has received clarity on is that Warner Bros took a $70M writedown on Q3 earnings, not the upcoming Q4. Nonetheless, the movie, which the Burbank, CA lot decided back in early November not to release — remains in purgatory. That said, we hear the door isn’t officially closed on Coyote vs. Acme‘s prospects yet — it’s just that the Coyote could wind up in the cave with Batgirl.
“No one is doing anything at Warners to push this film for a sale,...
- 2/10/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
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