To say Warner Bros. has been in the firing line for a number of reasons recently is both entirely accurate and understating things dramatically, with the company now in the midst of irritating a number of Hollywood heavy hitters.
The latest stage of the company’s massive cost-cutting drive has seen Turner Classic Movies whittled down to almost nothing, with a core staff of around 20 employees surviving the freshest batch of layoffs. Michael de Luca and Pamela Abdy may have been placed in charge, but that hasn’t done enough to quell the discontent emerging from the highest reaches of the industry.
Superstar trio Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, and Paul Thomas Anderson penned an open letter demanding clarity on the situation, with Ryan Reynolds quick to throw his weight behind the acclaimed trio. Another high-profile supporter has emerged, too, with Stephen King underlining in no uncertain terms how much personal importance TCM holds for him.
The legendary author is no stranger to sharing his opinions on social media, and that extends into his regular recommendations for what his followers should be watching, a lot of which can be found on TCM. Based on the backlash to follow the announcement, there’s a chance WB didn’t quite anticipate how popular the brand truly was.
After all, no Hollywood outfit in its right mind would dare alienate Spielberg, Scorsese, and PTA, while it goes without saying that Stephen King adaptations are one of the industry’s most favored fountains of content, with Warner Bros. dipping into that particular well more than once over the years.