David Zaslav: Even With a Writers Strike, Max Streaming Launch Is ‘Ready to Go Guns Blazing’

officially on strike, “The View” is one of the few talk shows that will continue for the time being.At the top of Tuesday morning’s show, moderator Whoopi Goldberg addressed the situation, saying that the shows audiences will get for the foreseeable future will not be as polished as usual.“So, you know how we’re always talking about how we’re very different than most other shows? Well, as you know, there is a writer’s strike on, and so we don’t have writers,” Whoopi said. “So you’re gonna hear how it would be when it’s not, you know, slicked up.”Host Joy Behar then clarified that “we don’t have writers today,” not that the talk show never has writers.

Gavin Bridge Senior Media Analyst The writers strike of 2023 is on. Now that the die has been cast, there’s one question on everyone’s lips: Who can ride out the storm?  VIP+ has conducted an analysis of the leading U.S. TV and streaming entertainment companies to assess how reliant they are on scripted content, which is most vulnerable to being disrupted by a strike. We examined the volume of scripted comedy and drama the companies program versus more secure unscripted genres, including documentaries, true crime, reality, pop culture and lifestyle.  Should a strike go as long as it did in 2007-08 (100 days), there are some factors to note. The first is that due to the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down productions, entertainment companies have recent experience in having to cobble together schedules on the fly. Unlike 2020, though, they now have a willingness to license their content after a certain point in time, aiding TV schedulers. 

The Writers Guild of America is on strike.

Amazon Studios is going airborne with a spectacular squadron of the U.S. military.

EXCLUSIVE: This month’s upfronts in New York City, where the networks pitch their fall lineups to advertisers, would be the target of WGA East picketing if negotiations fail to reach an agreement on a new film and scripted TV contract. The Writers Guild contract talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers are entering their final day today, with the guild’s current contract set to expire tonight at midnight PT.

Editors note: Farah Bunch has worked as a makeup artist in film and television for more than 25 years. Her credits include Will & Grace, Man with a Plan and the Oscars. She is currently working on the reboot of Frasier for Paramount+.  

Fears are reportedly on the rise that Prince Harry could pull out of the King's Coronation with only days left to go until the big event.

Can David Kushner catch up with Calvin Harris & Ellie Goulding this week? After one of the closest Number 1 races in recent chart memory last week, Miracle (1) is holding on for a fourth non-consecutive week at the top of the Official Singles Chart.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Roku came in above analyst estimates on the top line for the first quarter of 2023, as it gained 1.6 million active streaming accounts in the period. But the company told investors that the macroeconomic environment was still “challenged” in the quarter. The company posted Q1 sales of $741 million, up 1%, and a net loss of $193.6 million, or $1.38 per share. On average, Wall Street analysts were expecting Roku to post Q1 of $708.49 million and a net loss of $1.37 per share. Click here to sign up for Variety’s free Strictly Business newsletter covering earnings, financial news and more.

Max streaming service, David Zaslav and Warner Bros. embraced theatrical as they showed off their upcoming 2023 slate at CinemaCon in Las Vegas.Zaslav made his debut at the movie theater trade show on Tuesday with a lengthy speech that earned plenty of applause from cinema execs, especially when he reaffirmed his company’s plans to never go back to the day-and-date releasing model that his predecessor, Jason Kilar, rolled out for all of Warner’s theatrical releases in 2021. “We believe in full theatrical windows, we don’t believe in direct to streaming.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav came to Las Vegas to put all of his chips on movie theaters. The executive made an appearance at CinemaCon, the annual convention of theatrical exhibitors, to reassure the crowd that the Warner Bros. Pictures Group was not interested in releasing its premium movies directly to streaming platform Max. “At Warner Bros., at DC Studios, we believe that everything is possible. This business could be bigger and stronger than its ever been,” Zaslav said on stage at Caesar’s Palace on Tuesday. “We believe in full windowing of the motion pictures. We do not want to do direct-to-streaming movies. We’re in no rush to bring the movie to Max.”

In a rare appearance for a corporate CEO at CinemaCon, Warner Bros. Discovery chief executive David Zaslav took the stage at Cesars Palace Colisseum Tuesday — a visual show of support for an industry he’s been touting since he took the reins of newly merged WBD last year.

EXCLUSIVE: Deadline has learned that Warner Bros Discovery CEO and President, David Zaslav, will be teeing off Warner Bros studio presentation at CinemaCon on Tuesday AM, April 25.

As part of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, Netflix is one of those companies currently at the table negotiating with the Writers Guild over a new deal.

Charlie Sheen is reuniting with Chuck Lorre.The star has joined Lorre's upcoming new Max series, How to Be a Bookie, according to multiplereports. Sheen will recur in the series, which is led by comedian Sebastian Maniscalco.Warner Bros.

EXCLUSIVE: Time does heal all wounds. Twelve years after Charlie Sheen and Chuck Lorre’s dramatic falling out on Two and a Half Men, the pair are back in business together, reuniting on Lorre’s first Max comedy series How To Be a Bookie, I have learned.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain says it’s ready to stand “shoulder to shoulder” with its U.S. counterpart if a strike goes ahead. “Many of their issues are our issues,” said WGGB chair Lisa Holdsworth in a statement shared with Variety. “Their fight is our fight. We hope that the WGA reaches a deal but we are ready to stand shoulder to shoulder with our sister union and their members in support of every writer’s right to be paid a decent rate for their work, to be treated with respect and to be financially rewarded for the success of their work – including subsequent use and sales.”

Ana De Armas appeared in a slew of sketches during her Saturday Night Live hosting debut including as a contestant on game show The Dome and a rap recording session.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO and President David Zaslav, just a day after revealing details of the new combined streaming service Max, joined industry titans Steven Spielberg and Paul Thomas Anderson to tout another area close to the heart of the studio he now heads: the importance of restoring and preserving Warner Bros.’ rich legacy of film classics, especially as it heads into its 100th anniversary year. Appearing on stage at the opening night of the 14th TCM Classic Film Festival with Spielberg and Anderson in a conversation moderated by TCM host Ben Mankiewicz, Zaslav — who previously stated his belief in the theatrical experience and a return to that after 2021’s much-derided day-and-date release model under past CEO Jason Kilar — made it clear that the studio’s commitment to the preservation and well-being of the studio’s rich library will be a priority in his administration. (Turner Classic Movies is a cable channel under the WBD umbrella.)