Warner Bros. Pictures co-chair Michael De Luca cautioned against slashing spending on original film development during a Q&A at the Produced By conference on May 30.
De Luca stressed that cutting development funds too deeply risks drying up a studio's pipeline of movies. He said the relentless pursuit of new talent remains essential to keep innovation alive within organizations.
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Universal Pictures has announced it will extend the exclusive theatrical run for its films to a minimum of five weekends in 2026, up from 17 days during the pandemic era. The studio plans to increase this to seven weekends in 2027. This shift aims to support cinema operators amid ongoing debates over streaming versus theatrical releases.
Movie theater owners through Cinema United have sent letters to state attorneys general associations, calling for an investigation and block of the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros merger. The group warns that the deal could reduce competition, raise ticket prices, and harm local communities. Cinema United's leader Michael O’Leary highlighted risks to Main Street businesses and smaller theaters.
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Several developers from Warner Bros. Montréal have announced on LinkedIn that they have been laid off, with most finishing on Friday, 13th March. No formal confirmation from the company has been issued yet. The reports come amid ongoing struggles in Warner Bros.' games division.
David Ellison, chairman and CEO of Paramount Skydance, reaffirmed plans to release 30 films theatrically each year following the merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. The company anticipates significantly lower theatrical revenue in 2026 despite nearly doubling its film slate. Ellison described the pending acquisition as a 'powerful accelerant' to the company's strategy.
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Jordan Peele's Monkeypaw Productions has let go of three staffers in its development department. The cuts come about a year after a previous round of layoffs at the company. Monkeypaw's deal with Universal is expected to run through mid-2026.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos has dismissed rumors that President Trump influenced the collapse of the company's bid to acquire Warner Bros. In his first interview since the deal fell through, Sarandos attributed the outcome to being outbid by a rival offer from Paramount, describing it as an irrational move.