Following the end of both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO and president David Zaslav has admitted that writers were actually right in many of their demands.
Speaking to The New York Times in a recent profile, Zaslav was asked about the strike between the studios and the Writers Guild of America, which ended on September 24, 2023. Zaslav acknowledged that the writers were right in their demands, but still seems to consider the deal they reached a bit of an overpay.
“They are right about almost everything,” Zaslav said. “So what if we overpay? I’ve never regretted overpaying for great talent or a great asset.”
Zaslav’s comments are sure to rub some people the wrong way, especially considering the context of the strike. Prior to their agreement, the WGA had been on strike for a whopping 148 days, during which many studio executives, including Disney’s Bob Iger, called the demands and expectations of the writers unrealistic.
Warner Bros. Discovery dealing with canceled Coyote vs. Acme movie
Outside of Zaslav’s comments, Warner Bros. Discovery has been in the news for canceling the live-action Coyote vs. Acme film. However, recent news suggests that the company is actually allowing the movie to shop around for another distributor.
On November 9, 2023, Warner Bros. officially pulled the plug on Coyote vs. Acme, a Wile E. Coyote-starring movie that the studio decided to shelve for a $30 million tax write-off despite the fact that principal photography was completed last year.
With a budget of approximately $70 million, Coyote vs. Acme was originally scheduled to be released theatrically on July 21, 2023, but was taken off Warner Bros.’ release schedule in April 2022. John Cena, Will Forte, and Lana Condor star in the film.
