Amazon Studios, Warner Bros. Discovery Among Companies Added to ‘Coded for Inclusion’ Diverse Hiring Initiative

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentTying up one of TV animation’s most consistent talents over the last three decades, Cartoon Network Studios (CNS) and Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) have inked an exclusive multiyear cross-studio overall deal with Emmy Award-winning creator, producer and director Genndy Tartakovsky.Tartakovsky’s relationship with Cartoon Network stretches back over 25 years to Cartoon Network’s very first series, the seminal “Dexter’s Laboratory,” launched in 1996.

Amazon Prime Video renewed its Emmy-nominated, adult superhero series “The Boys” for a fourth season Friday, just one week after the third season debuted its first trio of episodes and saw a 17% increase in viewership from Season 2.Getting to work on another installment of the “The Boys,” created by “Supernatural” mastermind Eric Kripke and based on the comics by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, is the latest decision made by Amazon Studios to support what has stealthily become its first-ever franchise. It’s also symbolic of the streamer’s overall programming strategy heading into the fall debut of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.”“We’re just really excited.

Warner Bros Discovery is wasting no time in unveiling new leadership teams across the globe with the most recent structure outlined for Japan, Australia and New Zealand under James Gibbons, President and Managing Director of the region. This follows teams in EMEA, India, Southeast Asia and Korea being confirmed in the past 36 hours.

Following the departure of Toby Emmerich as Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group Boss, his fellow associate, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group COO Carolyn Blackwood is leaving. This is all ahead of Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy coming in to run the motion picture group under Warner Discovery CEO David Zaslav.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film WriterVeteran Warner Bros. executive and film division chief operating officer Carolyn Blackwood is parting ways with the studio, sources told Variety.Her resignation follows a week after word that her boss Toby Emmerich, chairman of the motion picture group, will transition to lot producer later this year. The regime changes come as Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. Discovery has officially laid out its senior EMEA leadership team under President and Managing for the region (excl Poland) Priya Dogra.

Manori Ravindran International EditorWarner Bros. Discovery has set out its EMEA leadership team under Priya Dogra, in her new role as president and managing director for the region.“My focus has been to build a senior team that harnesses and balances the experience, perspective and talent from across the Discovery and WarnerMedia businesses,” said Dogra.

Below is Toby Emmerich’s departure note to staff at Warners:

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority is investigating the proposed joint venture between Warner Bros Discovery and BT Group which will create a new premium sports offering for the UK and Ireland. The regulator said today that it notified the respective parties on Tuesday and is inviting comments on the transaction until June 17.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterWarner Bros. won a significant victory Friday in its legal battle with its longtime financing partner, Village Roadshow, as a judge agreed to send the dispute to arbitration.Village Roadshow has teamed with the studio on numerous blockbusters over the last 25 years, including “Joker,” the “Ocean’s” series, and “American Sniper.” But the relationship foundered when Warner Bros. opted to release “The Matrix: Resurrections” simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max, along with the rest of its 2021 slate.Village Roadshow sued in February, alleging that Warner Bros.

Warner Bros. Discovery has formally named Nathaniel Brown chief corporate communications officer of the newly merged company.

Nathaniel Brown has been named chief corporate communications officer for Warner Bros. Discovery, the company announced on Tuesday.Brown will be responsible for its global communications operations and media relations, while also serving as lead spokesperson.Brown previously led global corporate communications for Discovery, Inc. as the company’s executive vice president of global communications.

EXCLUSIVE: Bong Joon-Ho’s follow-up film to Oscar winner Parasite is currently in pre-production at Warner Bros Studios Leavesden.

EXCLUSIVE: Amazon Studios Europe Boss Georgia Brown has said “broadcasters and streamers were not investing enough in the non-scripted space” when she joined five years ago, as the SVoD prepares to unveil a suite of true crime docs with a variety of different tones.

Does the world of DC Films seem a little schizophrenic at times? Well, that happens when you change leadership seemingly dozens of times over a few years and or when a company is acquired by a larger parent company, as in the case of Discovery and their recent acquisition of Warner Bros. That might be the long way of saying that it sounds like another DC Comics film adaptation may have been axed.

David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros Discovery, proclaimed the merged company as essentially the fifth broadcast network, and repeated his vow that the company would overcome any skepticism about its prospects.

EXCLUSIVE: JB Perrette has set his leadership for his global streaming team.