With Skydance officially acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery, CEO David Zaslav has made one last statement to the workers of Warner Bros. Discovery. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Zaslav sent out a company-wide email that contained a three-minute video that functioned as his farewell address.
Zaslav filmed the video from a director’s chair from the Loft warehouse at Warner Bros. Studios’ ranch facility in Burbank, California. Zaslav praised the creative class while decades’ worth of movie clips played. “You start with an idea, and through talent, expertise, and an enormous amount of hard work, turn it into something real,” Zaslav narrates. “Something that connects with people, stays with them and becomes part of their lives. Over the years, you’ve created countless moments just like that. Stories and characters, games and experiences, that became part of our culture.”
Zaslav concludes the video by saying, “I can’t wait to see what you do in the years ahead. I’m so grateful for all these years at Warner Bros. Discovery, for the wonderful experiences creating content, telling stories and getting to know so many of you. Thank you so much.” Reportedly, however, the general response to Zaslav’s video is anything but gratitude. One executive is reported as saying the video is “so tone deaf”.
As Zaslav prepares to walk away with a payday of up to $800 million, the acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery threatens to lay off thousands of workers. The attitude around the studio is reportedly one of worry, fear, and anger. Zaslav has long been a controversial figure during his tenure as CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery. In addition to receiving a massive pay bump earlier this year and having sold off $59 million in Warner Bros. Discovery stock as the merger loomed, Zaslav has been criticized for his meddling in the creative side of Warner Bros. Discovery. Zaslav also cut 26% of Warner Bros. Discovery’s workforce in his early years as CEO.
Zaslav is known for having shelved multiple projects as a cost-cutting measure. Batgirl, for example, was completely shelved despite being nearly complete. Other projects were luckier, however, with Coyote vs. Acme scoring release despite previously being shelved. Zaslav’s tenure will likely be remembered for controversial layoffs, uncertain futures, and questionable financial decisions.