Warner Bros. Discovery & Amazon Prime Video Strike Major Content Deal In France

Warner Bros. Discovery’s plan to distribute Westworld and other key shows via FAST channels has materialized.

As it prepares for negotiations for a new film and TV contract – and a possible writers strike in May – the WGA West is once again blasting Warner Bros Discovery for going back on its promise that the merger that created the giant media conglomerate last year would create more opportunities for content creators.

EXCLUSIVE: Jason Bateman is set to direct The Pinkerton, a supernatural revenge-western hybrid that Warner Bros. and JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot acquired two years ago. Pic was sold as a spec by F9’s Daniel Casey.

The creators of series including Tuca & Bertie and Gordita Chronicles, which both were axed at Warner Bros Discovery, have taken the conglomerate to task for the recent moves.

EXCLUSIVE: As Warner Bros Pictures continues to find its footing under new management, the studio on Thursday secured the services of a cornerstone filmmaker, signing a first-look deal with its Elvis director-writer-producer Baz Luhrmann. 

Kevin Fortson, the Executive Vice President of Production & Administration for Warner Bros. Unscripted Television, will retire this summer after three decades with the studio. 

“We’re going to put 2022 behind us and focus on the future,” said Kathleen Finch, Chairman and Chief Content Officer of Warner Bros. Discovery’s U.S. Networks Group.

EXCLUSIVE: Mattel is putting gas in the tank of its Warner Bros-Bad Robot movie Hot Wheels with writers Dalton Leeb and Nicholas Jacobson-Larson boarding to pen the live-action adaptation of the 54-year old racing car toy.

Back in Spring 2021, “Invincible” debuted on Amazon Prime Video to great fanfare and critical acclaim. In short, everyone loved the adult animated superhero series so much that Amazon renewed the show for two more seasons leading up to its finale.

Rami Malek‘s Hollywood breakout came partly thanks to his role on “Mr. Robot,” which landed him an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in 2016.

Ken Lowe, former CEO of Scripps Networks Interactive, is joining the Warner Bros Discovery board of directors.

EXCLUSIVE: Deadline hears that Warner Bros. Television is developing a limited series about Buster Keaton which has Oscar and Emmy winner Rami Malek playing the vaudeville-turned-silent comedy movie star.

More than 200 BT Sport staff who transferred to the company’s joint venture with Warner Bros Discovery in the UK and Ireland are at risk of redundancy.

Stephen Fry-Narrated Doc Set For Prime Video

Veteran Warner Bros. Television casting executive Findley Davidson has departed the studio after 15 years, most recently as head of New York casting. She has launched her own, New York-based independent casting office, Findley Davidson Casting, which will offer casting services for film, television, and theatre.

Antony Root, the long-serving HBO Max EMEA original programming chief, is to exit his role at Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and retire from the industry.

Warner Bros. International Television Production Spain has hired former Mediaset España director Alberto Carullo as Head of Drama.

Warner Bros Discovery and the European Broadcasting Union have won the auction for Olympic Games broadcasting rights between 2026 and 2032.

Warner Bros, whose Elvis Presley biopic Elvis has been near the top of the conversation this awards season, on Friday reacted to the death of Lisa Marie Presley. The only child of the King of Rock and Roll died Thursday at age 54 after being rushed to the hospital earlier in the day.

SkyShowtime has struck its first major content deal, picking up exclusive rights to 21 HBO Max Europe originals, most of which were ditched by the streamer last year following its European programing cull.