The Warner Bros. Thread | Will NOT merge with Paramount...capitalism is still terrible

[Jamiem]

 

 

 

[jimisawesome]

2 hours ago, filmlover said:

 

2 hours ago, Jamiem said:

 

 

 

Still no mention of the DGA, Jenkins or Sorkin loaning out money to theaters or buying theater chains.  I don't see Talent willing to write checks to cover the carrying costs for all these movies or to replace the lost revenue for VOD, Disk and HBO movies or any lost subscribers because nothing new is showing on HBO on Saturdays.  No mention of covering the cost of wasted marketing dollars.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cdsacken]

1 hour ago, jimisawesome said:

 

 

Still no mention of the DGA, Jenkins or Sorkin loaning out money to theaters or buying theater chains.  I don't see Talent willing to write checks to cover the carrying costs for all these movies or to replace the lost revenue for VOD, Disk and HBO movies or any lost subscribers because nothing new is showing on HBO on Saturdays.  No mention of covering the cost of wasted marketing dollars.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No one else is doing this. WB is not doing this because of costs.

 

They are desperate to save their dumpster fire rollout of HBOMAX.

 

I'm glad they went full throttle in pissing so many people off. Streaming for new films as the only option sucks. 

 

 

[BeastByTheBay]

28 minutes ago, cdsacken said:

I'm glad they went full throttle in pissing so many people off. Streaming for new films as the only option sucks. 

 

 

But it's not the only option, you get two. Watch on HBO Max or watch in theaters. If you don't have HBO Max in your territory then it'll still be available for you in theaters.

[jimisawesome]

1 hour ago, cdsacken said:

No one else is doing this. WB is not doing this because of costs.

 

They are desperate to save their dumpster fire rollout of HBOMAX.

 

I'm glad they went full throttle in pissing so many people off. Streaming for new films as the only option sucks. 

 

 

 

You have the option to go to the theater to see all of the WB movies on the day they are released on HBO Max.

 

How can you say no one else is doing this?  Paramount has sold basically their entire pipeline of projects save A Quit Place 2 and Top Gun to streaming.  MGM tried to sell Bond to streaming.  Universal used COVID to force a 2 week window down AMC throat.  Disney moved Hamilton, Mulan and Soul to streaming before WB made this announcement and is rumored to announce more former theatrical releases to D+.  Even Sony sold projects to streaming.

 

All this in an environment where AMC's ceo has said they will run out of money in January and filed SEC filings with ongoing concern language.  Regal CEO has said similar along with many local and regional chains.  This alone makes up more than half of the theaters and screens in NA.  That theaters have gone above and beyond trying to stay open with Safe Cinema and upgrading filtration and eating capacity for social distance and the thanks they get is the entertainment press all but saying you are playing Russian roulette if you see Tenet and probably going to die (see AV Club).  Or you have "pro science" governors opening up Indoor dinning and Bars while not even giving criteria or a timeline for theaters reopening and yet Hollywood is giving him an award.  And what thanks did theaters get?  Yeah entertainment press all but saying you will die if you step foot in a theater and they won't review movies that are theater only (see AV and they are not the only ones).  Funny enough some of the biggest critics of what WB is doing here are the same ones that continue to say its Russian roulette to go to the theater.

 

So, it would have been ok if they pulled a paramount and sold their slate to Amazon, Apple and Netflix?  Of course they are going to help their own streaming service.  Just like Disney has helped their own streaming service by taking movies that where supposed to go to theaters and releasing them on the service. 

 

Everyone criticizing this move from here to the Directors guild seems to ignore the state of theaters and believes everything goes back to normal on some date in 2021.  That people are just going to rush back to the theaters because they have gone to the theater for 15000 years (sorkin basically said this).  Or its just taken for granted that someone is going to buy AMC in bankruptcy for pennies on the dollar and only the name changes.  

[excel1]

HBO Max is a mega-flop + pathetic performance in scheduling war ensuring many films would flop = this decision. 

[lorddemaxus]

But a representative for Mr. Nolan told io9 that Warner Bros. presented multiple scenarios for release dates after the studio made the decision to delay Tenet from it’s original July 17 release date, all of which were no later than mid-August. Furthermore, the director did not push back on any of the proposed release dates WB decided on for Tenet. io9 was told that Nolan did not express, as THR reported, “the desire to be the one the first big studio films back in theaters.”

 

 

 

Nolan’s representative also told us that the director supported the move to release Wonder Woman 1984 in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously this December, as deals were made with its creative team and distributors ahead of the move’s public announcement, with the assurance this would not apply to other titles.

 

 

 

https://io9.gizmodo.com/oh-this-is-rich-christopher-nolan-1845833185

Edited December 10, 2020 by lorddemaxus

[Macleod]

3 hours ago, jimisawesome said:

Or its just taken for granted that someone is going to buy AMC in bankruptcy for pennies on the dollar and only the name changes.  

Someone will step in...when it's worth pennies.  They are waiting for the right moment to grab them.  But you're right -- no one else from Hollywood has stepped up to really even publicly float the idea of re-investing in theaters from the studio/talent side... My bet is that they are all waiting for the right moment to pounce.  As selfish as that is...that's Hollywood.  And some things don't change.  

[WittyUsername]

2 hours ago, lorddemaxus said:

But a representative for Mr. Nolan told io9 that Warner Bros. presented multiple scenarios for release dates after the studio made the decision to delay Tenet from it’s original July 17 release date, all of which were no later than mid-August. Furthermore, the director did not push back on any of the proposed release dates WB decided on for Tenet. io9 was told that Nolan did not express, as THR reported, “the desire to be the one the first big studio films back in theaters.”

 

 

 

Nolan’s representative also told us that the director supported the move to release Wonder Woman 1984 in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously this December, as deals were made with its creative team and distributors ahead of the move’s public announcement, with the assurance this would not apply to other titles.

 

 

 

https://io9.gizmodo.com/oh-this-is-rich-christopher-nolan-1845833185

Delaying the film no later than the end of August/beginning of September sure sounds like the kind of baffling decision that post-AT&T WB would come up with.

[Chicago]

If anything this crisis should be the end of 5m+ paychecks. It's difficult to sympathise with hollywood's financial troubles when actors are easily the most overpaid profession in talent the world has seen.

[TerwillikerInst]

1 hour ago, Chicago said:

If anything this crisis should be the end of 5m+ paychecks. It's difficult to sympathise with hollywood's financial troubles when actors are easily the most overpaid profession in talent the world has seen.

That isn't the problem, what is the problem is that WB/AT&T are going to pointlessly lose a ton of money by doing this and as a consequence hundreds of people will lose their jobs as a result. 

 

Studios will absolutely tighten their belts when it comes to the people who will still have jobs but trust me, it isn't going to be rich A-list actors or studio executives who are going get their pay cut. 

 

Edited December 10, 2020 by TerwillikerInst

[filmlover]

12 hours ago, lorddemaxus said:

But a representative for Mr. Nolan told io9 that Warner Bros. presented multiple scenarios for release dates after the studio made the decision to delay Tenet from it’s original July 17 release date, all of which were no later than mid-August. Furthermore, the director did not push back on any of the proposed release dates WB decided on for Tenet. io9 was told that Nolan did not express, as THR reported, “the desire to be the one the first big studio films back in theaters.”

 

 

 

Nolan’s representative also told us that the director supported the move to release Wonder Woman 1984 in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously this December, as deals were made with its creative team and distributors ahead of the move’s public announcement, with the assurance this would not apply to other titles.

 

 

 

https://io9.gizmodo.com/oh-this-is-rich-christopher-nolan-1845833185

One could say it was because they blew the marketing budget on the movie throughout the summer like it was about to be released and became eager to write it off, but then they somehow acted surprised that it flopped and tried to minimize the bad press by refusing to the release the numbers it was making for as long as they could. Then there's the fact they released it giving theaters false hope and forcing them into reopening (and then causing many to close again even before the fall movie schedule completely imploded due to no one showing up) on the terms that theaters will get only 35% of the gross, basically screwing them over since hardly anyone went to see the movie. So yeah, they weren't taking one for the team or really care about whether AMC survives. It was just to try and boost their image thinking that the narrative of being the first big movie released in an ongoing pandemic with no end in sight couldn't fail until it did (which everyone else could see coming).

 

But this is more the influence AT&T has had on the studio. As has been mentioned, they're a cell phone company out to make a quick buck first and foremost (and a lousy one at that).

Edited December 10, 2020 by filmlover

[WittyUsername]

4 hours ago, Chicago said:

If anything this crisis should be the end of 5m+ paychecks. It's difficult to sympathise with hollywood's financial troubles when actors are easily the most overpaid profession in talent the world has seen.

What about athletes?

[DlAMONDZ]

Athletes are still draws. Especially star athletes

 

Look at LeBron. He single handedly made the city of Cleveland relevant at a national level and boosted their economy

[Chicago]

33 minutes ago, WittyUsername said:

What about athletes?

Athletes have to be competitive, being the best at anything in this world must be difficult and they will have to physically work hard every day to be the best. Not really comparable to an actor who shoots a few scenes then gets a massive paycheck, usually bigger than the Athlete's pay too. 

 

Im sure Ronaldo has worked harder his life than someone like Leo to get to where he is. 

[Macleod]

1 hour ago, Chicago said:

Athletes have to be competitive, being the best at anything in this world must be difficult and they will have to physically work hard every day to be the best. Not really comparable to an actor who shoots a few scenes then gets a massive paycheck, usually bigger than the Athlete's pay too. 

 

Im sure Ronaldo has worked harder his life than someone like Leo to get to where he is. 

While actors can and should be humble about their profession and what they get to do in life (though we know this is not always the case), I think many people have no conception of how much genuine hard work it takes to deliver a committed, strong film performance that communicates to millions of disparate psychologies worldwide and conveys some essential human truth -- some people have "it" but it still often takes years of training both mental and physical -- especially when you're being asked to connect a character trajectory when filming nearly every single bit out of order and often across geographies.  I don't think just saying "footballers train their body harder" has any comparison, really.  

 

Equally, compensation is all relative.  If a film is potentially earning hundreds of millions worldwide, and a lead actor or director is a big part of that, they deserve some significant percentage for that success, as far as I'm concerned.  

Edited December 10, 2020 by Macleod

[Chicago]

49 minutes ago, Macleod said:

While actors can and should be humble about their profession and what they get to do in life (though we know this is not always the case), I think many people have no conception of how much genuine hard work it takes to deliver a committed, strong film performance that communicates to millions of disparate psychologies worldwide and conveys some essential human truth -- some people have "it" but it still often takes years of training both mental and physical -- especially when you're being asked to connect a character trajectory when filming nearly every single bit out of order and often across geographies.  I don't think just saying "footballers train their body harder" has any comparison, really.  

 

Equally, compensation is all relative.  If a film is potentially earning hundreds of millions worldwide, and a lead actor or director is a big part of that, they deserve some significant percentage for that success, as far as I'm concerned.  

I agree and disagree with certain aspects. There are those that work extremely hard to produce the performances and marketing/interviews that goes with it but there is also a considerable amount of luck to take into consideration. When these actors land these comic book characters which become successful, they are turned into superstars and this is mainly down to the source material and people behind the scenes all collaborating to make a great product yet its the actors who take the largest share. I understand why, they can now negotiate larger sums as people have become familiarised with the character.

 

With athletes they don't have the sort of luck, its just 15-20 good years of competition to be the best or being left behind. The dedication it must take to get to a superstar earning level must be impressive and you don't get there by luck. Then when these people hit 40 they usually have to retire (depending on the sport) which is a limitation many overlook. Actors can work till any age.

[BeastByTheBay]

Kilar states that they've been talking to their partners and are renegotiating deals for the creatives

 

https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/hbo-max-warner-bros-jason-kilar-dealmakers-1234850254/

 

 

Quote

 

Kilar vowed that the studio would renegotiate contractual terms with creative partners on the films “through the lens of generosity,” but he acknowledged after being pressed by Eller that he did not reach out to many key creative partners for the studio until after the bombshell announcement hit Dec. 3.

 

“We’re in the middle of a pandemic. I can’t wave that away,” Kilar said. “But in terms of how we’re trying to approach this financially and economically with the folks that we partner with, we are endeavoring to be generous at every turn.”

 

But the the combination of uncertainty and surprise has roiled the film community. The studio is facing threat of lawsuits from production partners like Legendary, and the ire of industry orgs such as the Directors Guild of America. Kilar said WarnerMedia and Warner Bros. executives have made outreach to as many as 700 people to discuss the plan.

 

“The vast majority of those conversations have been very, very positive because as people are able to hear from us, and to be able to be taken through it, and to be able to have questions answered, ultimately people feel good about that,” Kilar said. “We all want a healthy industry, we all want storytellers to be compensated fairly and ideally generously, and we ultimately want studios to be healthy, too. So this is all of us doing the best we can.”

 

Kilar emphasized that he is well aware of how important talent relations are for the studio amid the massive overhaul of executive operations, which came with more than 1,000 layoffs. Under AT&T’s ownership, the new focus on fueling premium film and TV productions to HBO Max is a big sea change for the studio’s strategy of assembling high-wattage projects that commanded top dollar from outside buyers.

 

“I see this as a defining moment for WarnerMedia. I really do because there’s a lot of spotlights on us right now and how we conduct ourselves,” Kilar said. “I feel very good about the steps we’re taking.”

 

 

 

[cdsacken]

22 hours ago, excel1 said:

HBO Max is a mega-flop + pathetic performance in scheduling war ensuring many films would flop = this decision. 

Yep it reeks of desperation and frankly doing the entire year was always going to piss off directors and movie stars. People defending HBOMAX because of covet with a vaccine that is literally being released this month for an entire 360 days more is a bit crazy. Had they said through May sure.

[Warmaster506]

Warner is done.  Disney just stepped on their throats while doing a victory lap then doing a tea bag for good measure.

 

DC needs to get away from Warner.