During Warner Bros. Discovery’s latest earnings name, CEO David Zaslav shared insights into the studio’s efficiency, acknowledging the highs and lows of WB’s 2023 slate.
Zaslav admitted that whereas the studio has seen success with titles just like the Margot Robbie film Barbie, there have been notable disappointments like The Color Purple and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. He particularly identified the underperformance on the finish of the 12 months, marking it as a interval of battle. Despite these setbacks, Zaslav stays optimistic, seeing potential for vital enchancment within the coming years.
“Our commitment to the motion picture business is something that’s there’s a real sense of in the town, and it’s one of the reasons why we’re getting some of the very best people coming on board with us,. I’m pretty excited about what we have this year and what you’ll see pulling out in the year ahead. Bottom line, the studio has really been underperforming, including the end of the year where we had some real struggle, but we’re very optimistic about this year and it has given us a chance to have a lot of upside in the next two years. I mean, it was really a struggle.”
David Zaslav hypes up the DC Universe reboot as Superman: Legacy prepares to start filming
The Color Purple managed to gross solely $68 million towards an estimated manufacturing finances of $100 million, whereas Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom sequel introduced in $433 million worldwide, a stark distinction to the primary movie’s $1.152 billion haul. However, Zaslav is wanting forward, specializing in the energy and potential of WB’s franchise portfolio.
“A real strategic advantage we have as a company, and I’ve talked about it often, is the strength and depth of our franchises, which I believe will be a meaningful driver of asset value and growth for us. We intend to deliver on our commitment to reinvigorate the best of them. And as I’ve said, major franchises have been underused and underleveraged. We are hard at work to begin to get full value.”
Highlighting 2025’s Superman: Legacy as a cornerstone of WB’s future, Zaslav shared his pleasure for the reboot, which marks a brand new chapter for the DC universe. Written and directed by James Gunn, who, together with Peter Safran, is steering the DC Studios slate, the movie represents a recent begin for the long-lasting superhero.
“We haven’t made a ‘Superman’ movie in over a decade. James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ starts filming next week. I’ve had a glimpse into what James and Peter are doing, and it really does serve as an exciting indicator of where the new DC is headed under their leadership.”
Gunnar Wiedenfels, Warner Bros. Discovery’s CFO, echoed Zaslav’s sentiments, acknowledging Hollywood’s hit-driven nature. He referenced the combined outcomes of 2023, together with the phenomenon of “superhero fatigue,” which affected not solely Warner Bros. but in addition its rivals, as seen with Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels.