No, Cartoon Network Isn't Dead: Latest Warner Bros Cuts Explained
Warner Bros Discovery boss David Zaslav has become something of a bogeyman for animation fans over the past few months. Since taking charge of the newly merged company he has made cut after cut in the name of cost-cutting. And it seems like the animation side of the business has been particularly badly affected.
The latest round of cuts have primarily hit the Warner Bros Television Group, which includes scripted, unscripted and animation. All in all 82 employees across the Group have lost their jobs. The lay-offs are said to be evenly divided by the three departments.
The big news is the 'streamlining' of the animation arm. Sam Register is currently in charge of Warner Bros Animation, Cartoon Network Studios and Hanna Barbera Studios Europe. He will remain in his position, and all three brands will remain, but the development and production teams of Warner Bros Animation and Cartoon Network Studios will now merge. Hanna Barbera, which is based in Europe, will remain as a separate team.
Audrey Diehl will lead kids and family development, with adult animation development led by Peter Girardi. Animated longform series development will be led by Sammy Perlmutter, with Bobbie Page leading main production.
This isn't the end of Cartoon Network Studio or Cartoon Network itself, despite what you may have read elsewhere. Redundacies are never a good thing but this isn't quite the apocalyptic news some have feared.
Cartoon Network will reportedly continue to produce new content for WBD outlets including Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and HBO Max. As HBO Max moves away from adult animation, there will also be a move into producing more for external outlets. Warner Bros Animation will concentrate on existing and legacy IP.
So what does this mean for the future of animation at Warner Bros Discovery? It's too early to say, but it does seem likely that there will be a decrease in the amount produced. And there may well be other cuts and "streamlining" still to come. But there is no reason to think that any of the company's animation brands are on the chopping block. Cartoon Network- which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary- isn't going anywhere... for the time being at least.
