‘The Batman’ Director Matt Reeves Sets Multi-Year First Look Film Deal At Warner Bros. & Re-Ups With Warner Bros Television

Warner Bros. Discovery‘s surprising decision to shelve “Batgirl” early last month sparked controversy around the industry.

The surprising decision last month to shelve completed DC movie Batgirl was “blown out of proportion” by the press, according to Warner Bros Discovery CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels.

Warner Bros., I feel extraordinary pride in what my colleagues and I have contributed to the studio andto the big screen. And tremendous gratitude for the time spent with them and some of the most dynamic and creative icons of cinema.

Ethan Shanfeld Courtenay Valenti, president of production and development for Warner Bros. Pictures, will depart from the studio after 33 years. Valenti will carry out her role until the end of October. “We’ve known Courtenay and been admirers of her work for many years,” said Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy, co-chairs and CEOs of Warner Bros. Pictures Group, in a joint statement provided to Variety. “She’s been an integral part of Warner Bros. Pictures’ success for over three decades and has had a hand in guiding some of the studio’s most popular and successful films. She’s well-respected across the creative community, she’s beloved here on the lot, and she will be greatly missed. We know that she’ll be hugely successful in her next endeavor and join all of her colleagues in wishing her the very best.”  

canceling the HBO Max premiere of a Matt Reeves/J.J. Abrams “Batman” animated series (it is still in production but is being shopped to other networks and streaming services).In the past, DC FanDome was the first place that the trailer for Robert Pattinson’s “The Batman” was revealed, where stars like Dwayne Johnson would show up to talk about “Black Adam” and where comic book news is frequently broken.

With all the drama surrounding Warner Bros. Discovery in recent months, particularly after CEO David Zaslav took over the company after its recent merger, it’s easy to forget that it wasn’t that long ago WarnerMedia (without Discovery) was battling plenty of controversy all on its own.

shelved a slew of animated projects amid steep cost-cutting at the company. Media giants like Netflix, Apple and Hulu are looking to scoop up the Bruce Timm and JJ Abrams-directed flick, which draws inspiration from DC Comic’s Batman franchise, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Entertainment site the Direct floated Disney as a possible bidder, too.

actress Ivory Aquino isn't giving up on the DC Comics hero. Following a  article that revealed Warner Bros.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter “Batgirl” actor Ivory Aquino is speaking out about Warner Bros.’ decision to indefinitely shelve the DC film. In an emotional letter addressed to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslov, Aquino — who played the best friend of Barbara Gordon (a.k.a. Batgirl) — pleaded for the studio executive to rethink the alleged plan to permanently destroy the movie’s footage. “As one of many who poured our hearts into the making of this movie, I ask that this measure be reconsidered,” Aquino wrote Wednesday night on Twitter. “As much as I’ve tried my best to be strong these past few weeks, I’d find myself crying, for lack of a better term, from grief, and tonight was one of those nights.”

While a majority of people will never get a chance to see the  movie Warner Bros shelved earlier this month, multiple sources confirmed to Deadline that screenings are being held on the Warners lot this week for a select few. It is believed that cast and crew who worked on the film along with reps and studio execs were given invites to the screenings that began Wednesday and will go throughout the week.

Warner Bros. also announced that “House Party” and “Evil Dead Rise,” initially greenlit as HBO Max releases, will now be theatrical releases that hits the big screen in December 9, 2022 and April 21, 2023 respectively.

The Batman 2 is officially in development, with Matt Reeves at Mattson Tomlin writing the script.Reeves wrote the script for and directed the first DC film in this new era, casting Robert Pattinson as the caped crusader in a new version of Gotham.The filmmaker has since signed a first-look deal with Warner Bros over several years, giving the distributor rights to look at all of Reeves’ projects first.“Making this legendary studio my home is a dream,” said Reeves in a statement obtained by Deadline.“I am so excited to be working with Mike, Pam, and Channing and our teams to bring captivating stories I am truly passionate about to the big and small screen.”The deal revealed that Reeves is already writing the second film, in which Pattinson will return as the title character.

Did you hear the news? Matt Reeves and Robert Pattinson aren’t going to return for a new ‘Batman’ sequel! At least, that’s exactly what you’d think if you take a look at all the headlines on YouTube and less-than-reputable fandom blogs. Why would anyone think that especially after “The Batman” earned nearly $800 million worldwide earlier this year? Well, you see, there hasn’t been a greenlight given to a sequel, and to those who aren’t familiar with how studios operate, this means the film is deader than a doornail.

Selome Hailu Warner Bros. Discovery has laid off Nicole Nichols, Karen Grant-Selma, Jennifer Giddens and MaryBeth Cunin from their executive positions at the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), Variety has learned exclusively.Nichols is OWN’s executive vice president of communications.

David Zaslav, president and chief executive officer of the newly-merged Warner Bros. Discovery, has high hopes for “House of the Dragon,” and touted the series in an email to staffers Friday.In his message to the team, obtained by TheWrap, Zaslav praised HBO boss Casey Bloys, and the premium cable network’s team that are behind “HOTD,” which premieres this Sunday night on HBO.“[They] have shepherded what looks to be the next big cultural moment,” Zaslav wrote.

Kevin Smith has weighed in on Warner Bros. Discovery scrapping the  movie starring Leslie Grace. The move made by the conglomerate has caused shockwaves in the industry and Smith, who is a comic book aficionado and writer, shared his thoughts on his YouTube series Hollywood Babble-On.

If there was one thing that the turbulent week at Warner Bros. Discovery displayed, it’s just how quickly conventional wisdom can change from one regime to the next, when each is trying to gin up the stock price for Wall Street.

Cynthia Littleton Business EditorWarner Bros. Discovery shares were battered Friday on the heels of its after-market second-quarter earnings report on Thursday that revealed the depth of the financial and operational pressures that the newly enlarged conglomerate is facing.WB Discovery shares were down more than 17% at midday to the $14.50 range.

killing a nearly completed “Batgirl” film, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav discussed his overall plan for DC films going forward on Thursday’s earnings call.“You look at Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, these are brands that are known everywhere in the world,” Zaslav said. “And the ability to drive those all over the world with great story is a big opportunity for us.