David Zaslav believes that Warner Bros. needs to “deliver more consistency” following the Joker 2 box office flop.
Joker 2, also known as Joker: Folie á Deux, was released in United States theaters last month. The controversial sequel directed by Todd Phillips made approximately $204.7 million at the global box office off an estimated $190-200 million budget.
The first Joker movie, in comparison, grossed over a billion dollars at the box office following its October 2019 release by the time it completed its theatrical run.
What did David Zaslav say about Warner Bros. needing more consistency and Joker 2?
During a Thursday morning analyst call, per The Hollywood Reporter, Zaslav addressed the current state of Warner Bros. Discovery. He noted there have been “some real bright spots” in the studio’s business, as he specifically praised HBO and DC’s The Penguin, and noted the recent box office success of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
Regarding some of the more recent “misses” like Joker: Folie á Deux, Zaslav said, “We must acknowledge that our studios’ business must deliver more consistency.”
He continued, “For the past two years, we’ve been driving changes within our motion picture studio to improve green light governance and franchise management, which remain focal points going forward. This is a business where translating operational changes into results takes time, but I believe we’ll see those strategic shifts deliver improved outcomes in the coming years.”
Warner Bros. Discovery CFO Gunnar Wiednefels said there was a “very sustainable, long term growth story ahead here” for the company. He continued, “That’s especially when it comes to content. This is an area where we see the benefits of running this company on an integrated basis every day… We’ve made a ton of progress. We’re also still in the early innings, so we are definitely getting a return here from running WBD as one integrated company.”
