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WarnerDiscovery’s anti-woke new CEO David Zaslav plans to ‘un-cancel’ JK Rowling by asking her to help produce new Harry Potter shows for HBO Max after saying he’ll ax biased CNN shows
- David Zaslav is said to be wooing Rowling to produce new Harry Potter shows
- He is said to favor them over original movies made by HBO Max
- Also said to have been angered by cash wasted on a Clint Eastwood movie
- Already said he hopes to return CNN its roots as a breaking news leader
The CEO of newly merged Warner Bros. Discovery will meet with JK Rowling to discuss new Harry Potter content, as the no-nonsense chief issues a slew of rapid fire changes meant to cut costs and gin up revenue.
David Zaslav, 62, took over the combined company last month and has already ruffled fathers.
He quickly forced out top executives and axed projects he didn’t consider worthy, like the streaming service CNN+ and a DC Comics movie still in development, the Wall Street Journal reports.
He now plans to sit down with Rowling to discuss new Harry Potter-related content for his HBO Max streamer, which falls under the Warner Brothers Discovery banner.
That comes despite HBO Max facing criticism for ‘canceling’ Rowling from a Harry Potter reunion special it broadcast on New Year’s Day.
Warner Brothers Discover’s new CEO David Zaslav is ruffling feathers with his plans for the conglomerate
Zaslav is said to be wooing JK Rowling to produce new Harry Potter-themed shows for his HBO Max streamer, despite the author infuriating progressives over her views on trans issues
She has faced condemnation for her alleged transphobia for claiming that transgender women should be banned from some women-only spaces, and that children are being encouraged to transition without proper evidence they’re suffering from gender dysphoria.
Any rapprochement with the billionaire British author is likely to infuriate progressive staff at HBO Max. Netflix faced a mutiny from some of its staffers over its broadcast of comedian Dave Chappelle’s controversial show The Closer, which saw him defend Rowling over her transgender comments.
Zaslav also made waves after blasting his colleagues for making Clint Eastwood movie Cry Macho despite fears it wouldn’t turn a profit, which ultimately proved true.
On being told by underlings that Eastwood had provided Warner Brothers with multiple hits, and never turned in a movie late or over budget, he is said to have answered: ‘It’s not show friends, it’s show business.’
Zaslav also scrapped plans for HBO Max to spend $75 million on a movie adaptation of DC Comics superhero adventure The Wonder Heroes, deeming it a waste of money.
He has nudged HBO Max away from plans to make original movies, as rivals including Netflix see shares tank amid claims they’re pumping out poor-quality shows that viewers don’t want to watch.
HBO Max has a strong reputation for exceptional TV shows, including Sex and the City and Chernobyl, and will likely continue to focus on producing such watercooler hits.
On Wednesday, Zaslav took to CNBC to share some of his colleague Chris Licht’s plans for news network CNN.
Zaslav appeared to confirm the network would move away from opinion-focused primetime shows, and instead return to its roots as a breaking news broadcaster with an extremely strong reputation for covering big stories.
CNN has won plaudits for its coverage of the Ukraine war, and the network’s new bosses are believed to be trying to focus on rebuilding its reputation as one of the world’s top newsgatherers, instead of a home for cheap to produce ‘infotainment’ shows featuring soapboxing hosts and guests.
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