DC Comics, DC Entertainment See BIG Layoffs As Part Of Warner Bros. Restructuring, But Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee Sees Role Expand?!
Variety reports:
DC Universe, DC Comics Staff See Layoffs Amid WarnerMedia Restructure
DC Comics and streaming service DC Universe have been impacted by parent company WarnerMedia’s corporate realignment, with layoffs at both units. But a source tells Variety that through WarnerMedia’s streamlining efforts, the DC brand will actually be expanding, with DC chief creative officer Jim Lee overseeing creative of all DC-related growth in the company.
At DC Comics, editor-in-chief Bob Harras, editors Brian Cunningham and Mark Doyle, senior VP of publishing strategy and support services Hank Kanalz, VP of marketing Jonah Weiland, and VP of global publishing initiatives and digital strategy Bobbie Chase have all exited as part of the restructuring. DC Universe employees have also been significantly impacted by the personnel reduction.
A DC spokesperson declined to comment on the layoffs.
As part of the DC layoffs, WarnerMedia’s hundreds of layoffs included several senior level executives at Warner Bros., including Jeffrey Schlesinger, the president of Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Distribution. Ron Sanders, who served as president of Warner Bros.’ worldwide theatrical distribution and home entertainment and executive vice president of international business operations, as well as Kim Williams, EVP and CFO of Warner Bros. Entertainment, are also exiting.
THR expanded the news.
“…Insiders also say the majority of the staff of the streaming service DC Universe has been laid off, a move that had been widely expected as WarnerMedia shifts its focus to new streaming service HBO Max.
“DC Universe was DOA as soon as the AT&T merger happened,” said one source.
DC Universe launched in May 2018, and is home to live-action series such as Doom Patrol, Titans and Stargirl, as well as animated offerings including Young Justice and Harley Quinn. Some of those shows have now started to stream on HBO Max.
Also a victim of the layoffs: DC Direct, the company’s in-house merchandise and collectibles manufacturer. The division has been shuttered after 22 years, another move that was rumored when Warner Bros. Consumer Products began taking a more active role in DC merchandising…”
This bloodletting comes two weeks before DC’s 24-hour FanDome online event with big announcements expected for film, TV, comics and beyond.
Here’s text of the participants.
Abigail Shapiro • Adam Brody • Adam Lagattuta • Adam Wylie • Adriana Melo • Adriano Di Benedetto • Alan Ritchson • Alan Tudyk • Alex Sanchez • Alfre Woodward • Alice Braga • Aline Bonetto • Allison Klein • Amanda Conner • Amara La Negra • Amy Louise Pemberton • Amy Smart • Andrew Petrotta • Andy Milder • Andy Muschietti • Andy Siegel • Anjelika Washington • Anna Diop • Anna Lynch-Robinson • Anthony Carrigan • Anthony Rapp • Armen Kevorkian • April Bowlby • Asher Angel • Barbara Muschietti • Ben Aldridge • Beth Mickle • Bill Brzeski • Brandon McKnight • Brandon Vietti • Brec Bassinger • Brenton Thwaites • Brett Dalton • Brian Michael Bendis • Briony Scarlett • Bronte Lavine • Bruno Heller • Butch Lukic • Caity Lotz • Cameron Gellman • Camrus Johnson • Candice Patton • Cari Thomas • Carlo Barbieri • Carlos Valdes • Caroline Dries • Caterina Scorsone • CCH Pounder • Cecil Castellucci • Chantal Thuy • Chella Man • China Anne McClain • Chris Daughtry • Chris Dingess • Chris Jai Alex • Chris Palmer • Chris Pine • Christiaan Bettridge • Christina Hodson • Christine Adams • Christopher Priest • Clancy Brown • Clara Amfo • Clay Enos • Colleen Atwood • Connie Nielsen • Conor Leslie • Constance Zimmer • Cully Hamner • Cress Williams • Crispin Freeman • Curran Walters • D-Nice • Damián Mollá • Dan Jurgens • Danica McKellar • Daniel Dae Kim • Daniel HDR • Daniela Melchior • Danielle Nicolet • Danielle Panabaker • Danny Cannon • Danny Le Boyer • Darren Criss • Damaris Lewis • Damon Lindelof • Dave McCaig • David Baron • David Dastmalchian • David Harewood • David F. Sandberg • Dayna Grant • Dean Hale • Dean Lorey • Dean Norris • Denise Boutte • Diane Guerrero • Diedrich Bader • Dirk Maggs • Dominik Porschen • Dou Hong • Doug Mahnke • Dustin Nguyen • Dwayne Johnson • Ed Boon • Eduardo Pansica • Eduardo Risso • Elizabeth Tulloch • Emanuela Lupacchino • Emma Paetz • Eric McCormack • Eric Wallace • Erich Bergen • Érico Borgo • Erin Benach • Estelle • Eunice Huthart • Ezra Miller • Faithe Herman • Fleur Marty • Flula Borg • Francis Manapul • Franco • G. Willow Wilson • Gabriel Picolo • Gabriela Downie • Gabe Eltaeb • Gaby Cam • Gael Monfils • Gal Gadot • Gene Luen Yang • Geoff Johns • Geoff Keighley • Giancarlo Esposito • Gina Gershon • Gino Quillamor • Grainne Godfree • Greg Berlanti • Greg Cipes • Greg Walker • Greg Weisman • Giuseppe Camuncoli • Grant Gustin • Grant Morrison • Gretel Lusky • Griffin Puatu • Gwendolyn Osborne • H.E.R. • Heidi Falconer • Henry Winkler • Hi-Fi Colors • Hilton George – BlerDCon • Idris Elba • Ike Amadi • Ildy Modrovich • Ileana González • Isaac Goodhart • Ivan Reis • J. Scott Campbell • Jack Bannon • Jack Dylan Grazer • Jade Johnson • Jai Courtney • Jamal Campbell • Jamal Igle • James Gunn • James Remar • James Tucker • James Tynion IV • James Wan • Jason Alexander • Jason Fabok • Jason Isaacs • Jason Masters • Jason Spisak • Javicia Leslie • Jayden Rodrigues • Jennifer Clarke • Jennifer Coyle • Jennifer Holland • Jennifer Spence • Jenny Pacey • Jeremy Carver • Jes Macallan • Jessica Miglio • Jessie Graff • Jesse Warn • Jim Krieg • Jim Lee • Joaquin Cosio • Joe Henderson • Joel Kinnaman • Joëlle Jones • John Cena • John Dimaggio • John Dolmayan • John Glover • John Ridley • John Timms • Joivan Wade • Jonas Trindade • Jonathan Ajayi • Jordan Calloway • Jorge Fornés • Jorge Jiménez • Joshua Orpin • Joshua Williamson • Josie Campbell • Juan Diego Botto • Juan Ferreyra • Júlio Ferreira • Justin Halpern • Kaley Cuoco • Karama Horne aka The BlerdGurl • Kami Garcia • Karen Obilom • Kari Wahlgren • Karl Mostert • Katie Yu • Kayla Compton • Kelvin Yu • Keto Shimizu • Khary Payton • Khary Randolph • Kirk Scroggs • Kode “BossLogic” Abdo • Kristen Wiig • Klaus Janson • L. L. McKinney • Lake Bell • Larnell Stovall • Laurie Halse Anderson • Lea DeLaria • LiLiCo • Lilly Aspell • Lindy Hemming • Lynda Carter • Lynda Chapple • Mairghread Scott • Marc Guggenheim • Margot Robbie • Marieke Nijkamp • Mark Strong • Mark Waid • Marvin “Krondon” Jones III • Matthew Wilson • Matthew Zuk • Matt Bomer • Matt Oberg • Matt Reeves • Matt Ryan • Maya Mani • Mayling Ng • Meagan Good • Meagan Tandy • Michael Rooker • Michael Sheen • Mike Wassel • Mikel Janín • Minka Kelly • Miranda Chambers • Mirka Andolfo • Moe Sasegbon • Monica Kubina • Nafessa Williams • Nathan Kane • Nathan Fillion • Nathan Sawaya • Neil Gaiman • Nicholas Gonzalez • Nick Zano • Nicola Scott • Nicole Kang • Nicole Maines • Nolan North • Norm Rapmund • Nyambi Nyambi • Olivia Swann • Paloma Faith • Patrick Redding • Patrick Schumacker • Patrick Tatopoulos • Patrick Wilson • Patty Jenkins • Paul Levitz • Pedro Pascal • Pete Davidson • Pete Michail • Peter Capaldi • Phil Klemmer • Philip Chipera • Phony Ppl • Rachel Skarsten • Ravi Patel • René Ruiz • Rian Hughes • Richard Kind • Riley Rossmo • Riley Shanahan • Rob Inch • Robert Pattinson • Robin Wright • Robyn Smith • Ron Funches • Ryan Benjamin • Ryan Potter • Sam Daly • Sam Wright • Sarah Kuhn • Sarah Schechter • Sasha Alexander • Scott Menville • Scott Snyder • Sean Giambrone • Sean Gunn • Sefton Hill • Simon Burnett • Shannon Hale • Shawn Harrison • Shayan Sobhian • Stanley “Artgerm” Lau • Stéphane Roux • Stephanie Lemelin • Steve Agee • Steve Wilkie • Storm Reid • Sung Jin Ahn • Tala Ashe • Tamara Becher-Wilkinson • Tamara Tunie • Tara Strong • Teagan Croft • Temuera Morrison • Terry Crews • Terry LTAM • Tiffany Smith • Tim Daly • Tim Sheridan • Timothy Dalton • Todd Helbing • Tom King • Tom Taylor • Tony Shalhoub • Trevor Hairsine • Troian Bellisario • Troy Baker • Tyler Hoechlin • Tyrone Edwards • Val Kilmer • Venus Williams • Victoria Ying • Vincent Martella • Viola Davis • Vita Ayala • Walter Garcia • Warren Louw • Wesley Barker • Will Arnett • Yancey Labat • Yolanda Ross • Yuri Lowenthal • Yvette Monreal • Yvette Nicole Brown • Zachary Levi • Zack Snyder • Ziggy Marley
…and so many more!
With all this news I am thinking of that famous quote from Charles Dickens’ A Tale Of Two Cities from 1859.
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”
Wishing the best to departed DC and Warner Bros. staff and success to those that stayed behind.
