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

[Jonwo]

On 5/6/2023 at 4:09 PM, WittyUsername said:

I’m not the one who came up with the theory that he bought WB so he could sell it. It’s just starting to make more and more sense to me. 

[Johnny Tran]

This thread is ridiculously harsh on him.  The stock is up 39% since the start of the year.  HBO MAX is now profitable.  They are going to have a profitable 2023.  That's way better than expectations. 

[WittyUsername]

5 minutes ago, Jonwo said:

So you think I am the one who came up with the theory that Zaslav wants to sell WB? If so, you give me too much credit. 

[Jonwo]

16 minutes ago, Johnny Tran said:

This thread is ridiculously harsh on him.  The stock is up 39% since the start of the year.  HBO MAX is now profitable.  They are going to have a profitable 2023.  That's way better than expectations. 

That's because no one on here apart from a handful of people actually understands how business works.

[WittyUsername]

Personally, the reason I’m “harsh on him” is because he comes across as the epitome of everything that’s wrong with all these corporate executives. He makes all kinds of meaningless and hyperbolic statements about how he’s going to lead WBD to greatness, and many of his decisions come off like he’s just chasing trends that aren’t even relevant anymore. How can anyone read that report about how he wants Lord of the Rings to be WB’s answer to Star Wars, and not roll their eyes out of their head?

 

He does not at all come off like someone who gives a damn about the artistic side of Hollywood. He just wants to go for the easiest and most risk-averse ways of making money. That’s why Discovery was pumping out so many crappy reality shows. 

Edited May 7, 2023 by WittyUsername

[Jonwo]

1 hour ago, WittyUsername said:

Personally, the reason I’m “harsh on him” is because he comes across as the epitome of everything that’s wrong with all these corporate executives. He makes all kinds of meaningless and hyperbolic statements about how he’s going to lead WBD to greatness, and many of his decisions come off like he’s just chasing trends that aren’t even relevant anymore. How can anyone read that report about how he wants Lord of the Rings to be WB’s answer to Star Wars, and not roll their eyes out of their head?

 

He does not at all come off like someone who gives a damn about the artistic side of Hollywood. He just wants to go for the easiest and most risk-averse ways of making money. That’s why Discovery was pumping out so many crappy reality shows. 

I mean that's pretty much every company who makes content. 

 

I think having  such a hate boner for someone you don't even know is a bit unhealthy. 

[WittyUsername]

1 hour ago, Jonwo said:

I mean that's pretty much every company who makes content. 

 

I think having  such a hate boner for someone you don't even know is a bit unhealthy. 

All I said earlier was that I’m starting to buy into the theory that he’s hoping to sell WB. 

[Johnny Tran]

3 hours ago, WittyUsername said:

He does not at all come off like someone who gives a damn about the artistic side of Hollywood. He just wants to go for the easiest and most risk-averse ways of making money. 

 

Isn't that every studio?

[excel1]

5 hours ago, Johnny Tran said:

This thread is ridiculously harsh on him.  The stock is up 39% since the start of the year.  HBO MAX is now profitable.  They are going to have a profitable 2023.  That's way better than expectations. 

 

5 hours ago, Jonwo said:

That's because no one on here apart from a handful of people actually understands how business works.

 

10000%. WB was a fucking mess post Alan Horn. Is what it is. 

 

4 hours ago, WittyUsername said:

Personally, the reason I’m “harsh on him” is because he comes across as the epitome of everything that’s wrong with all these corporate executives. He makes all kinds of meaningless and hyperbolic statements about how he’s going to lead WBD to greatness, and many of his decisions come off like he’s just chasing trends that aren’t even relevant anymore. How can anyone read that report about how he wants Lord of the Rings to be WB’s answer to Star Wars, and not roll their eyes out of their head?

 

He does not at all come off like someone who gives a damn about the artistic side of Hollywood.

 

The artistic side exists to the bankrollers money. That is how it has always been. 

 

4 hours ago, WittyUsername said:

 

He just wants to go for the easiest and most risk-averse ways of making money. 

 

 

...sounds good to me if I am a shareholder. FYI - there will be no money made if the content they produce is not of satisfactory quality in eyes of consumers. 

[WittyUsername]

1 hour ago, Johnny Tran said:

 

Isn't that every studio?

Sure, he just comes off as especially blatant about it, hence why I said that he’s the epitome of everything wrong with these people. I didn’t say he was the only bad apple. 
 

I have to say, I think it’s pretty weird that people on the Internet are so willing to go to bat for a CEO. Why? I don’t even like Bob Iger either. 

Edited May 8, 2023 by WittyUsername

[Reddroast]

4 minutes ago, WittyUsername said:

Sure, he just comes off as especially blatant about it, hence why I said that he’s the epitome of everything wrong with these people. I didn’t say he was the only bad apple. 
 

I have to say, I think it’s pretty weird that people on the Internet are so willing to go to bat for a CEO. Why? I don’t even like Bob Iger either. 

Do I understand why people here not like DZ especially after the batgirl debacle? Yes. Even I disagree with how he handled it. But I think people here forget when AT&T bought WB they saddled a lot of their own debt to WB.

He was stuck with a very tough situation. 

 

 

On Iger ill say this: people talk of him fondly because he doesn't meddle in creative decisions and burn bridges like Michael Eniser did and knows how to handle PR Situations unlike Chapek

 

 

[WittyUsername]

1 minute ago, Reddroast said:

Do I understand why people here not like DZ especially after the batgirl debacle? Yes. Even I disagree with how he handled it. But I think people here forget when AT&T bought WB they saddled a lot of their own debt to WB.

He was stuck with a very tough situation. 

 

 

On Iger ill say this: people talk of him fondly because he doesn't meddle in creative decisions and burn bridges like Michael Eniser did and knows how to handle PR Situations unlike Chapek

 

 

The thing is, Zaslav didn’t have to buy WB to begin with. No one was forcing him. The company’s debt was largely exacerbated by the Discovery purchase. 
 

Anyway, it is kind of funny to think that all these current problems with WB more or less started because BvS disappointed. That was a real domino effect. 

[excel1]

7 minutes ago, WittyUsername said:

Anyway, it is kind of funny to think that all these current problems with WB more or less started because BvS disappointed. That was a real domino effect. 

 

The root cause of BVS was MOS disappointing due to horrific scheduling 

[Reddroast]

16 minutes ago, excel1 said:

 

The root cause of BVS was MOS disappointing due to horrific scheduling 

If BVS was a good film. There would have been an increase

[TerwillikerInst]

 

On 5/5/2023 at 9:10 PM, WittyUsername said:

It’s one thing to try and inspire confidence, but every time Zaslav talks, it comes off like he’s overcompensating. I mean, does anyone actually believe that he cried watching The Flash? It would make sense if his goal is to boost the company’s stocks so he can sell it. 

100%. I've been banging this drum for ages now, and the more stuff he does, the clearer it becomes that he's just salting the mine with gold dust before he unloads it on some buyer. 

 

Like, announcing a slew of insanely expensive brand new LOTR movies, a brand new DC Universe, and new Harry Potter-stuff is kind of an odd thing to do for a company which is in debt and still technically losing money. 

 

Those IPs haven't exactly been gaining in value in the past few years so he needs to juice them up a bit just long enough for someone to buy them. Hell, some will probably not have any big money put into them before the sale happens. 

 

That's probably why he hired Gunn and is giving him a lot of leeway. He knows that by the time it actually gets going in earnest, it won't be his problem anymore. 

 

Even doing this lavish 100 Years Celebration while also actively gutting WB suddenly makes more sense when you realize that he wants to keep the brand name and library looking valuable. 

 

Now, it is possible he changes his mind? Maybe, I guess. But I don't see it.

 

He's a used car dealer. And a used car dealer doesn't buy up a creaking old wreck just so he can spend decades lovingly restoring it back to its former glory. 

 

[WittyUsername]

 

[dudalb]

On 5/7/2023 at 11:46 AM, Jonwo said:

That's because no one on here apart from a handful of people actually understands how business works.

This, I think Zaslev has made some questionable moves, but anybody coming into the situation he was coming into would have had to have made the same moves. When you are in deep debt trouble, you slash expenses, and there is no painless way to do that.

I also think they come in from a fan's point of view and never get that the studio exist not as a parton of the arts, but to make money for the stockholders.

[JWR]

No, Zack. They GOT it. They just didn't like it.

 

 

[WittyUsername]

17 hours ago, dudalb said:

This, I think Zaslev has made some questionable moves, but anybody coming into the situation he was coming into would have had to have made the same moves. When you are in deep debt trouble, you slash expenses, and there is no painless way to do that.

I also think they come in from a fan's point of view and never get that the studio exist not as a parton of the arts, but to make money for the stockholders.

How many times do I need to point out that he didn’t have to buy WB to begin with?

[dudalb]

4 hours ago, JWR said:

No, Zack. They GOT it. They just didn't like it.

 

 

This.Snyder was not exaclty subtle about the points he was trying to make. Audieces have never liked the "Supes As Jesus" angle.