Movies

With studio chiefs in the hot seat, Warner Bros. bets on an ambitious film lineup

BBG News

LAS VEGAS – With a sense of assurance, Warner Bros.’ executives Pam Abdy and Mike De Luca presented their future film projects to cinema proprietors within the grand Caesars Palace Colosseum on Tuesday night. The display gave off few indications that the studio was in distress.

At CinemaCon, the movie industry’s annual gathering in Las Vegas, they received applause when they introduced Leonardo DiCaprio, Regina Hall, and Teyana Taylor during their presentation. These stars were there to hype up their forthcoming film titled “One Battle After Another.

The crowd collectively let out a shudder of disgust when a gruesome scene from “Final Destination: Bloodlines” was shown, featuring an MRI machine, body piercings, and a vending machine spring.

They also brought out the lead actor from “The Bride!” along with David Corenswet, who is none other than Superman, as he strolled onto the stage accompanied by Rachel Brosnahan and Nicholas Hoult to the iconic “Superman” theme music.

As a passionate cinephile, I feel incredibly humbled and privileged to bring to life a character that’s deeply etched in the minds of many, an experience I gratefully received with thunderous applause on stage.

Despite their current position, it’s not a given that Abdy and De Luca’s tenure at Warner Bros., or the studio’s film ventures, will thrive. Following a series of financial flops and complaints over extravagant budgets, speculations have been circulating about the potential end of their leadership at this 102-year-old institution. However, these rumors have been refuted by the studio itself.

In October, the movie “Joker: Folie à Deux,” eagerly awaited from Burbank studios, unfortunately failed to live up to expectations, despite an estimated budget of over $190 million (before marketing costs). Director Todd Phillips was granted considerable creative leeway for his controversial musical follow-up starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga. Regrettably, this risk didn’t pay off.

In March, Bong Joon Ho’s science fiction thriller “Mickey 17” faced difficulties at the box office, managing to earn just $121 million worldwide against a reported production cost of $118 million. Similarly, the Robert De Niro-led mob film “The Alto Knights” flopped with earnings of only $9 million.

The studio is banking on the upcoming family-friendly and video game-themed film “A Minecraft Movie” to revitalize its financial position. Predictions suggest it will generate approximately $60 million in domestic box office sales during its opening weekend. (As Jeff Goldstein, Warner Bros.’ president of global theatrical distribution, stated at the Colosseum on Tuesday, advance ticket sales have been “notable”.)

The presentation featured some high-stakes gambles.

De Luca and Abdy are backing high-priced ventures from renowned director auteurs, who aren’t relying on established intellectual properties – the type of films that give studio executives nightmares due to their perceived risk. They recently exhibited a sneak peek of “One Battle After Another,” a $130-million crime thriller penned and helmed by esteemed filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson.

“It’s an incredibly epic movie,” DiCaprio said onstage.

Additionally, they exhibited clips from Maggie Gyllenhaal’s upcoming movie titled “The Bride,” set to hit cinemas next year. This production is rumored to have an $80 million budget. During the event held on Tuesday night, Abdy shared his excitement with the audience about Gyllenhaal’s portrayal of the classic Mary Shelley character from “Frankenstein.” He emphasized that her interpretation will captivate viewers, as it presents a world birthed from Maggie’s extraordinary imagination.

“It will rock your world,” De Luca added.

Additionally, there were clips from Zach Cregger’s “Weapons,” a summer horror movie centering around a whole school class that mysteriously vanishes. Plus, there was a promotional video from Ryan Coogler for his forthcoming film titled “Sinners.”

Or:

Moreover, footage from Zach Cregger’s “Weapons” – a summer horror flick where an entire classroom of kids goes missing – and a video pitch from Ryan Coogler for his upcoming movie “Sinners,” were also included.

“There’s a lot to look forward to over the next year,” Abdy said.

On Tuesday evening, people departing from the Colosseum were overheard expressing their newfound assurance about the movie lineup of the studio.

According to Shawn Robbins, founder of Box Office Theory, Warner Bros.’ upcoming movie lineup looks quite promising as their CinemaCon presentation featured several highly anticipated, varied, and financially appealing films set to be released later this year and in the future.

Some of the studio’s financial difficulties at the box office began before the arrival of Abdy and De Luca, and these were films that had been approved by a different leadership team.

In 2022, De Luca and Abdy were appointed as the new leaders for the renowned studio, taking over from Toby Emmerich. Prior to this, they had been in charge of MGM’s film production, where they advocated for director-led movies like “Licorice Pizza” by Anderson and “House of Gucci” by Ridley Scott. Amazon completed a $8.5-billion acquisition of MGM, a studio known for hit franchises like “Creed” and the James Bond series.

Despite a series of failures, their leadership has come under scrutiny and caused doubt within the studio, which has recently undergone significant changes. In January, marketing chief Josh Goldstine and international film distribution head Andrew Cripps both decided to leave the company.

The film division at Warner Bros. is experiencing increased scrutiny since David Zaslav, the CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, has shown significant concern for its functioning. The company, burdened by billions of dollars in debt, has had to reduce its workforce significantly in an effort to reduce expenses.

As a movie enthusiast, I’ve heard whispers about the apparent uncertainty surrounding the management at Warner Bros., which has given me pause when considering new film ventures – particularly those requiring extensive development. A trusted source in Tinseltown, wanting to preserve their connections, shared this sentiment with me anonymously.

Warner Bros has dismissed suggestions that the positions of Abdy and De Luca could be under threat. According to Robert Gibbs, a representative for the company, “reports of an upcoming management shift at the studio are false.

Under the supervision of De Luca and Abdy, the studio revived its animation department, currently working on five films such as “The Cat in the Hat.” Their subsidiary, New Line Cinema, is developing franchise installments like “The Conjuring: Last Rites” and a new “Mortal Kombat” movie. (Following a brief clip of “Final Destination: Bloodlines,” Brenner quipped humorously, “I’ll see you at the Oscars.”)

For De Luca, returning to Warner Bros felt like coming back home. Earlier, he had held the position of President of Production at New Line, but was dismissed in 2001 following a series of movies that didn’t perform well at the box office. The person who replaced him was Emmerich.

De Luca found joining Warner Bros similar to returning home, as he had previously served as President of Production at New Line until his termination in 2001 due to a string of unsuccessful films. Emmerich took over after that.

De Luca and Abdy have earned a reputation as both skilled tastemakers and collaborative filmmakers. While De Luca contributed to the production of “The Social Network,” Abdy has worked on films such as “Garden State” and “Queen & Slim.

During the CinemaCon presentation, fellow Warner Bros. executives publicly expressed appreciation and confidence in Abdy and De Luca’s management, as well as the studio’s upcoming direction.

Bill Damaschke, President of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, expressed gratitude towards the duo on stage, stating that it was a privilege to be part of their team. He found their collective vision incredibly motivating.

According to Damaschke, the key to developing successful international franchise brands lies in crafting unique narratives and being willing to take chances.

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2025-04-02 23:01

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