@Cashmere said:

Critics Choice Awards

Super Awards: Congrats to the nominees for Best SuperHero Movie!

1. The Blackwidow
2. The Eternals
3. Shangchi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings
4. Spider-Man No Way Home
5. Suicide Squad
6. Zack Snyder’s Justice League

Where is the competition if you nominate everything? Six superhero films came out last year.

Screenrant

Justice League: Snyder's Flash Time Travel Proves How Badly WB Messed Up

The Flash's time-travel sequence in Zack Snyder's Justice League won the Oscars Cheer Moment as the 94th Academy Awards, highlighting the studio's botched handling of the DCEU film more than ever. 

Putting aside Will Smith's infamous onstage altercation with Chris Rock as the night's most talked-about moment, the Snyder Cut getting Oscar attention is even more significant than it seems at face value. In Zack Snyder's Justice League showing up at the Academy Awards, even in the context of an entirely fan-voted poll, it continues to shine a bright light on the major mistakes Warner Bros. made with the film.

It wasn't until the Snyder Cut finally arrived in 2021 that the actual plans for Barry's big moment of heroism were finally seen. This ending saw Barry reversing time in his lightspeed exceeding last-minute save to project the Justice League's tech-powered Cyborg (Ray Fisher) into the Mother Boxes to prevent the Unity. This ending made it clear that Justice League's ending had been massively downgraded in the reshoots. The reasoning behind it also simply made the change look even worse.

Time-travel is one of the signature abilities of The Flash, and was given a big tease in Barry's visit to the Batcave from the Knightmare future in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Despite this, visual effects supervisor John "DJ" Des Jardin would commented in an interview that Warner Bros. responded to The Flash's time-travel with perplexity, stating, "They were just like 'I don't understand this.' Des Jardin also stated that Barry's time-travel "was one of the first things they threw out" after Snyder's departure from the film (via YouTube). Snyder himself also stated during the Snyder Cut press tour that Warner Bros. didn't like Barry's time-travel powers.

This isn't the first time WB executives displayed an apparent lack of understanding of core characteristics of major DC characters during Snyder's tenure. Man of Steel screenwriter David S. Goyer revealed in 2021 that studio executives balked at the destruction of the Kryptonian scout ship, asking how Superman would be able to get home to his destroyed homeworld of Krypton.

With the Snyder Cut having been out of sight for so long, just getting the film released at all was a historic event. Having both versions of Justice League available to compare and contrast finally made clear how drastically the film had been changed and that doing so hadn't been for the better. With Zack Snyder's Justice League having taken home a win from the first Oscars Cheer Moment, Warner Bros.' mistake was shown for the bad call that it was on the grandest scale yet…

https://screenrant.com/justice-league-snyder-flash-speedforce-oscars-wb-mistake/

What should David Zaslav do with these WB execs after the merger with Discovery? They’re clueless, they turned valuable IPs into an embarrassing joke and their decisions lost WB a lot of money.

@Sue-Yin said:

Screenrant

Justice League: Snyder's Flash Time Travel Proves How Badly WB Messed Up

Warner Bros. responded to The Flash's time-travel with perplexity, stating, "They were just like 'I don't understand this.' Des Jardin also stated that Barry's time-travel "was one of the first things they threw out" after Snyder's departure from the film (via YouTube). Snyder himself also stated during the Snyder Cut press tour that Warner Bros. didn't like Barry's time-travel powers.

WB didn’t like and didn’t understand Flash’s time-travel ability, but now they’re … desperate to use it to clean up their mess. Now they understand it … enough to use it to reboot the DCEU.

Media Play News

More Executive Departures at WarnerMedia: Ann Sarnoff, Andy Forssell

Two more key WarnerMedia executives are leaving the company in the wake of the sudden departure this morning of CEO Jason Kilar – and word that the company’s merger with Discovery Inc. could close as early as Friday.

Ann Sarnoff, group chair and CEO of WarnerMedia Studios and Networks, is exiting in the wake of her position being eliminated, sources have told Media Play News.

As group chair and CEO of WarnerMedia Studios and Networks, Sarnoff led all of WarnerMedia’s entertainment-focused teams charged with producing content for the Warner Bros. Pictures Group, HBO and HBO Max, the Warner Bros. Television Group, DC, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, TCM, Cartoon Network Studios, WB Animation, TBS, TNT, truTV, Wizarding World and Consumer Products and Experiences.

Also said to be leaving is HBO Max EVP and general manager Andy Forssell, according to Variety, which reported his departure in an exclusive story earlier today. He took charge of the streaming service in May 2019, exactly a year before its launch. Forssell’s exit is no surprise, observers say, due to his close relationship with Kilar. The two worked together at Hulu for six years after its 2007 launch, and when Kilar left the Disney-owned streamer in March 2013, Forssell briefly replaced him as acting CEO.

As head of HBO Max, Forssell reported directly to Kilar and was responsible for the product, marketing, consumer engagement, and operations of HBO Max. 

https://www.mediaplaynews.com/more-executive-departures-at-warnermedia-ann-sarnoff-andy-forssell/

Is Toby Emmerich and Walter Hamada next?

The hierarchy of power has changed.

Variety

David Zaslav Takes Reins of Warner Bros. Discovery, Leadership Team Revealed

David Zaslav will have a tight grip on the operations of Warner Bros. Discovery under the management structure unveiled for the new company that is set to emerge on Monday, Variety has learned.

Zaslav, as longtime observers predicted, has opted to have a direct-report relationship with the leaders of the businesses he doesn’t know as well as he does cable channels and advertising sales, per individuals close to the situation. 

Direct-reports to Zaslav:

1. Casey Bloys, chief content officer of HBO/HBO Max (who will be adding Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Network to his responsibilities)
2. Toby Emmerich, Warner Bros. Pictures chairman
3. Channing Dungey, Warner Bros. TV Group chief
   [??? searching], Chair and CEO for Warner Bros. Discovery Sports
   

• ------- Lenny Daniels, President, Turner Sports
  
• ------- Patrick Crumb, President, Regional Sports Networks, will report into this position.”
  

Manage direct reports:

1. Bruce Campbell (employee Discovery), chief revenue and strategy officer, overseeing all sales and revenue-generating operations for the company
   Savalle Sims, Discovery exec will continue as general counsel
   
2. JB Perrette (employee Discovery), CEO and president of Warner Bros. Discovery Global Streaming and Interactive Entertainment, overseeing all streaming business operations, including HBO/HBO Max and Discovery Plus and will also guide direct-to-consumer and gaming
   David Haddad, president of Warner Bros. Games
   Gerhard Zeiler, president of WarnerMedia International will head International channels for Warner Bros. Discovery, adding responsibility for Discovery’s significant international footprint with respect to direct-to-consumer and international content distribution strategy
   
3. Kathleen Finch (employee Discovery), chairman and chief content officer of U.S. Networks Group, retaining oversight of Discovery Lifestyle Networks and adding all of Warner Bros. Discovery’s linear cable programming operations — with the exception of HBO, CNN and Magnolia Network — including TNT, TBS, TCM, truTV, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim to her purview.
   Nancy Daniels, chief content officer of Discovery Factual Networks
   Brett Weitz, general manager of TBS, TNT and truTV
   Tom Ascheim, president of Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics, on the network side of his responsibilities
   
4. Chris Licht, chairman and CEO of CNN Global (a role he was appointed to by Zaslav after the abrupt recent exit of Jeff Zucker)
   
5. Gunnar Wiedenfels, Discovery CFO will add oversight of global enterprise technical operations, as well as real estate and facilities to his role.
   Lori Locke, continuing on from the Discovery side as chief accounting officer, reporting to Wiedenfels
   
6. Adria Alpert Romm, continuing on from the Discovery side as chief people and culture officer
   [??? searching], Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer
   
7. David Leavy, continuing on from the Discovery side as chief corporate affairs officer, overseeing key business functions and groups
   

“We are so excited to bring the heritage and legacies of these two great companies together by creating Warner Bros. Discovery, and I am proud that our new executive management team blends world-class leaders from both organizations as we take our first step toward one single cohesive, collaborative culture,” Zaslav said upon officially announcing his new team shortly before 8:30 a.m. PT Thursday. “Today’s announcement combines a strong team of professional managers in a simpler organizational structure, with fewer layers, more accountability and a singular strategic focus as a global pure-play content company. I look forward to rolling up my sleeves with this team so that, together, we can write this next exciting chapter. These accomplished leaders will create a place where creatives, talent and all of our people in every corner of the globe can do their best work and inspire audiences everywhere with the magic, joy and wonder of world-class storytelling, news and sports.”

https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/david-zaslav-warner-bros-discovery-campbell-perrette-1235227250/

Is anybody's head spinning?

@HCFan said:

Is Toby Emmerich and Walter Hamada next?

TE is fine, for now. Apparently, his contract ends in Nov. this year. No mention of WH.

Between regulatory concerns and pandemic concerns, the leadership regime from Discovery has not yet met many key senior management executives beyond top division leaders.

Media Play News

More Executive Departures at WarnerMedia: Ann Sarnoff, Andy Forssell

On Wednesday, six executive suite members were ousted: Jennifer Biry, chief financial officer; Jim Cummings, exec VP, chief human resources officer; Tony Goncalves, exec VP, chief revenue officer; Christy Haubegger, exec VP, communications and chief inclusion officer; Jim Meza, exec VP, general counsel, WarnerMedia; and Richard Tom, chief technology officer. In some cases, executives declined offers to stay in different capacities.

Cosmicbook

'THE BATMAN' DESTROYS 'ZACK SNYDER'S JUSTICE LEAGUE' ON HBO MAX

Samba TV reveals that almost double the number of households tuned in for Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson's Dark Knight compared to the four-hour Snyder Cut.

It hasn't been a good couple of weeks for Zack Snyder's Justice League as now it is learned it got absolutely destroyed by The Batman on the HBO Max streaming service.

Samba TV

720k US households watched Robert Pattinson suit up in #TheBatman on the day of its #HBOMax release, while 389k watched Ben Affleck don the cowl in Zack Snyder’s #JusticeLeague on the first day of its premiere last March.

Which begs the question – Battinson or Batfleck?

Randolph also claims the recent fan awards won by Zack Snyder's Justice League at the Oscars are a complete embarrassment to Hollywood, and she told the rabid Snyder Cult fans on Twitter to tone it down as they are doing more harm than good.

https://cosmicbook.news/batman-destroys-zack-snyder-justice-league-hbo-max

It looks like the rumors that ZS kicked Grace Randolph out of the threesome are true. Grace is seriously butthurt. Read the blue links. Is the Taiki-Waititi-Rita-Ora-Tessa-Thompsom threesome still on? Threesoms are trending in Hollywierd.

@Blue-Rose said:

[??? searching], Chair and CEO for Warner Bros. Discovery Sports
Lenny Daniels, President, Turner Sports
Patrick Crumb, President, Regional Sports Networks, will report into this position.”

Are the arrows right? In the article, it reads like Lenny and Patrick will report to ??? searching.

@HCFan said:

It looks like the rumors that ZS kicked Grace Randolph out of the threesome are true. Grace is seriously butthurt. Read the blue links. Is the Taiki-Waititi-Rita-Ora-Tessa-Thompsom threesome still on? Threesoms are trending in Hollywierd.

Poor Chris Hemsworth. Maybe they put him between Tessa and Taika so no hanky-panky would happen between the two.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb7u1tqp8DR/

I wonder if that other trio also needed a chaperon in public places.

@Blue-Rose said:

[??? searching], Chair and CEO for Warner Bros. Discovery Sports
Lenny Daniels, President, Turner Sports
Patrick Crumb, President, Regional Sports Networks, will report into this position.”

Are the arrows right? In the article, it reads like Lenny and Patrick will report to ??? searching.

I wasn't sure. I'll change it.

@HCFan said:

Cosmicbook

'THE BATMAN' DESTROYS 'ZACK SNYDER'S JUSTICE LEAGUE' ON HBO MAX

Samba TV

720k US households watched Robert Pattinson suit up in #TheBatman on the day of its #HBOMax release, while 389k watched Ben Affleck don the cowl in Zack Snyder’s #JusticeLeague on the first day of its premiere last March.

The Snyderverse fans are a small but very loud group. That said, HBOM must have more subs now than it did in March 2021. Mention the amount of subs when ZSJL and TBM were released or shut the heck up.

Heroic Hollywood

Oscars: New Report Points To Twitter Bots Being Used For Zack Snyder Votes

Earlier this year the Oscars aired on ABC to a flood of controversy. The most obvious was Will Smith slapping host Chris Rock for his comments about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. The other controversial though less talked about aspect was the results of a Twitter poll from the Academy Awards for Most Cheer Worthy Moment and Fan Favorite Film of 2021. In both instances, a Zack Snyder film won.

For the Cheer Worthy Moment, Zack Snyder’s Justice League won the online Twitter poll for when The Flash entered The Speed Force. His Netflix film, Army of The Dead won the Fan Favorite Film of 2021. Now, however, it appears both of these Oscar polls were rigged.

According to a report from The Wrap, the majority of those who voted in the two Oscar categories were autonomous web programs. Reports from Tweetbinder, a hashtag analytics tracking tool, reveal that the most active contributors to both polls were made up of these programs that cast thousands of fake votes for Army of the Dead and Zack Snyder’s Justice League. In addition, David Kirsch, a University of Maryland professor who has studied fanbots, agreed that the majority of the pro-Zack Snyder accounts didn’t appear to be made by a human user but stopped short of declaring them bots.

https://heroichollywood.com/oscars-report-twitter-bots-used-zack-snyder-votes/

Inside The Magic

“Disney Restored the Snyderverse,” Batman Officially Joins Disney

DC’s Batman is now a part of the Disney family in the new and jaw-dropping Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers (2022) movie.

In a twist of events, Ben Affleck’s Batman from director Zack Snyder’s Batman v. Superman (2016) and Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021) made a significant and game-changing appearance in the film…

…it’s shocking to see Ben Affleck and Zack Snyder’s interpretation of Batman, not Robert Pattinson’s most recent portrayal of Gotham City’s Bruce Wayne/Dark Knight/Caped Crusader in The Batman (2022) by director Matt Reeves. This isn’t Christian Bale and Michael Keaton in Rescue Rangers; it’s Ben Affleck’s character.

Batman and the DC Universe of superheroes are officially a part of the Disney canon, crossing over crazy theories that one day The Walt Disney Company might purchase the rights to Superman (Henry Cavill), Batman, Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), and more.

https://insidethemagic.net/2022/05/batman-joins-disney-chip-dale-al1/

Deadline

Toby Emmerich On Stepping Down As Warner Bros Chairman After “Soul-Searching” Convo With David Zaslav

Below is Toby Emmerich’s departure note to staff at Warner Bros on Wednesday. As we reported this morning, the chairman of Warner Bros. Pictures Group is segueing to a lucrative five-year production deal on the lot, so he’s not going far.

Here’s Emmerich’s gracious note to his team:

After 21 years at New Line and Warner Bros., and a lot of long walks and soul-searching conversations with Zas, I’ve decided to step down from my role as Chairman at the end of the summer.  Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy will be coming in to take the reins at the WB Pictures Group.  In the interim, Walter, Carolyn, Courtenay and Richard will continue to report me.

Throughout these 21 years – from New Line on Robertson through 2.0 in Burbank to the amazing Warner Bros. Pictures Group I’m so privileged to work with now – we as a team have dreamed big, achieved bigger, and managed to stay true to each other and to the art form that draws all of us to this company and this business.  Most of all, we’ve made some beautiful, challenging, bar-raising, paradigm-shifting movies that have left the world a little richer, a little scarier, and a lot more fun – from ELF to Wedding Crashers, from The Notebook to IT, six movies from Middle Earth and of course, The Batman.

I’ve been given a lot of credit for our successes, but on each and every film there have been talented executives and team members from development, deal making, physical production, marketing and distribution that have over delivered and made magic happen.  These are your successes as much as they are mine and I am forever grateful for all of your creative vision, passion and tireless devotion to your projects and filmmaking teams.

I’ll always love this Studio and will be here to guide the motion picture group through the summer as Mike and Pam transition to their leadership roles at its end.  Mike and I worked together at New Line, and he’s a super talented and creative executive.

Carolyn, Courtenay, Richard and Walter will still lead this group as fearlessly as they always have.  I’ll be cheering them and all of you on from a production company office on this beautiful lot.  I’m proud of all of it and can only say thanks.  I’ll see you on the other side.

Toby

https://deadline.com/2022/06/toby-emmerich-warner-bros-note-to-staff-1235036792/