Why does Warner Bros. keep canceling finished movies? – By Brendan Morrow (The Week) / Nov 25, 2023
The studio’s decision to scrap multiple completed films isn’t sitting well with Hollywood
Welcome to a new age in Hollywood, where even a finished movie isn’t guaranteed to see the light of day.
Since 2022, Warner Bros. Discovery has ruffled feathers by taking the highly unusual step of scrapping movies that had already been fully filmed and were nearly ready for release. The latest instance, though, may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back, sparking massive backlash in the industry. One lawmaker is even calling for the FTC to take action.
Holy tax write-offs, Batgirl!
In 2020, a top priority at WarnerMedia was propping up the company’s new streaming service, HBO Max, with content to attract subscribers. That was part of the reason for the controversial decision to send all of the studio’s 2021 films to HBO Max and theaters at the same time during the pandemic. But to that same end, Warner Bros. also ordered a number of films that would premiere exclusively on HBO Max and never be released in theaters, including “Batgirl.”
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