Fans Try To Get Warner Bros. CEO Fired As Company Makes Big Moves To Shut Down Diversity

in Entertainment, Movies & TV

Posted on by Averyl Fong 9 Comments

Fans are extremely pissed off at the newly-merged conglomerate Warner Bros. Discovery, and its current President and CEO, David Zaslav.

Zack Snyder with Henry Cavill as Superman (right)
Credit: Warner Bros.

It hasn’t been a secret that Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is making big (and according to fans, dangerous) changes and cuts over at the studio — all in the name of avoiding taxes.

Ever since the merger, big changes have occurred within Warner Bros., and with its associated intellectual properties and franchises. Over at the DC Films section of Warner Bros., big and confusing shake-ups have been felt, from the cancelation of near-complete films like Batgirl, reformulating their entire DC Universe/DC Extended Universe (DCEU) to look like Marvel Studios’ Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), getting rid of their DC Films President, and the cherry on top of the cake — getting rid of 36 shows on HBO Max as their own staff revolt.

Now, it seems like this might be the last straw for many when it comes to Warner Bros.

harry potter playing quidditch
Credit: Warner Bros.

Related: Warner Bros. Stands By J.K. Rowling After ‘Harry Potter’ Author Receives Threats

The kicker for many? The more-or-less quiet shutdown of Warner Bros.’ Writers and Directors Workshop, and Stage 13.

Matthew Belloni on Twitter shared the news, and gave a bit more context about the importance of these paths for “underrepresented voices” in the industry:

BIG news: Warner Bros. is shutting down its Writers/Directors Workshop and Stage 13 unit. Both are major paths for underrepresented voices in television. Big setback for Hollywood’s diversity movement.

The action taken here by Warner Bros. Discovery is a huge setback with regards to diversity and representation, as these avenues have been key pathways for developing writers and directors’ works for TV.

The end of this approximately 40-year program therefore has angered many, as it’s another signifier from the company (and by extension new President/CEO David Zaslav) that representation and nurturing potential is not a priority with the new WBD.

Ezra Miller as the Flash
Credit: Warner Bros. / DC

The reaction online has been almost entirely negative.

Replies to Matthew Belloni’s tweet have largely been in favor of ousting CEO Zaslav and saving much-loved streaming platform HBO Max.

User @ChumchumHd replied with a simple image, promoting the hashtags #LeaveHBOMaxAlone and #FireDavidZaslav:

Related: Warner Bros. Discovery Pulls Another 36 Titles Including James Wan-Produced ‘Aquaman’ Series

Others are absolutely adding to those hashtags and to the growing discussion, like @trevontrent:

Everybody, meet the great killer of Warner Bros./animators/animation: David Zaslav.

Hate this guy so damn much… what an absolute idiot! Fire him NOW! #FireDavidZaslav

People have even begun to get creative with things, as @NerdWolfy tweets this hilarious LEGO diorama featuring famed Warner Bros. characters like Batman getting ready to take on the LEGO-fied WBD CEO:

David Zaslav In Real Life: Gets Away With Every Horrible Decisions.

David Zaslav In Lego:

(This is a comic version I wanted to make lmao, your welcome!)

#FireDavidZaslav #LeaveHBOMaxAlone #SaveHBOMax #LEGO #Legos #Batman #NewDeal4Animation #BoycottDiscovery

While @ProudNerd2022 said the following, adding a GIF that with the caption “there’s the door”:

Please, for the love of God, #FireDavidZaslav He’s sinking WB’s reputation at record speed.

@dragonjay06 reminds others that the “people at Disney” also “fought against Chapek” once, and that Warner Bros. staff could do the same:

Remember when the people at Disney fought against Chapek for his queer-phobic actions? I hope EVERYONE at WB, DC, Cartoon Network, [adult swim], HBO, and etc do something about this!

#NewDeal4Animation
#AnimationDeservesBetter
#LeaveHBOMaxAlone
#FireDavidZaslav

Others, on the other hand, like @Marshy_Swtr saw this as a politically motivated move from the company higher ups to hurt “marginalized communities”:

I’m not surprised in the slightest. David Zaslav was a trump supporter in 2016 and 2020 and he clearly does not want marginalized communities to be represented in his company’s media. His ass needs to be fired NOW. #FireDavidZaslav

And @TonyHighwind concurred, adding:

David Zaslav’s mission is literally to destroy all avenues of advancement for queer and/or nonwhite creators in the entertainment industry. This is his objective. This is the goal that his every move is in service of. There is no doubt or equivocation to be had. #FireDavidZaslav

@Peyton02460675 posts this image of Superman punching a Nazi soldier, saying that Zaslav “needs to be given the boot to save the studio”:

This is what needs to happen to Zaslav to save Warner Bros. He needs to be given the boot to save the studio! #FireDavidZaslav #SaveWarnerBros !!

Overall, it appears that as the hatred mounts, the movement against President and CEO David Zaslav of Warner Bros. Discovery grows with it. With multiple hashtags surrounding the topic, and so many upset at the removal, cancelation and significant changes to their beloved franchises, it will certainly be interesting to see Warner Bros. try to turn public perception around.

What do you think of Warner Bros. Discovery cutting corners? Do you support this movement? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Warner Bros. Discovery owns the wildly popular DC Extended Universe (DCEU) and the DC superhero film Justice League, which consists of Superman/Clark Kent (Henry Cavill), Wonder Woman/Diana Prince (Gal Gadot), Batman/Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck), Aquaman/Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa), The Flash/ (Ezra Miller) and Cyborg/Victor Stone (Ray Fisher).

Warner Bros. also own the rights to nostalgic franchises like Harry Potter and its attached Wizarding World, as well as Hanna Barbera’s Scooby-Doo.

Averyl Fong

Averyl is a freelance writer and general nerd about entertainment, food, theatre, D&D - and of course, theme parks. Based in Singapore, she could wax poetic about the immersive genius of the Haunted Mansion, or regale you with her undying love for the campy beauty of Sindbad's Storybook Voyage - but she won't, because she has some compassion.

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