Warner Bros Discovery lays off staff in film group overhaul

Anabelle Colaco
03 Aug 2025, 08:57 GMT+10

Warner Bros Discovery will cut around 10 percent of staff from its motion picture group as part of a broader restructuring effort ahead of its planned corporate split, a source familiar with the matter said
The layoffs will affect employees across departments, including marketing, distribution, and production, though the total number of affected workers was not disclosed
In a memo to employees, Motion Picture Group Co-Chairs Pamela Abdy and Michael De Luca said leadership began reviewing the division’s structure earlier this year

LOS ANGELES, California: Warner Bros Discovery will cut around 10 percent of staff from its motion picture group as part of a broader restructuring effort ahead of its planned corporate split, a source familiar with the matter said.

The layoffs will affect employees across departments, including marketing, distribution, and production, though the total number of affected workers was not disclosed.

In a memo to employees, Motion Picture Group Co-Chairs Pamela Abdy and Michael De Luca said leadership began reviewing the division's structure earlier this year. The decision was made to "transform our business as we transition from a US Home Office/International model to a fully global structure," the memo stated.

The move comes as Warner Bros Discovery prepares to separate into two publicly traded entities. One, retaining the Warner Bros name, will include the film studio and HBO Max streaming service. The second, to be called Discovery Global, will oversee cable networks such as CNN and TNT, as well as the Discovery+ streaming platform.

Media companies are undergoing major realignments to stay competitive in the evolving streaming landscape. Warner Bros Discovery's restructuring aims to improve efficiency and focus content strategy within each business unit.

The studio's film division struggled in 2024 with several box office disappointments, including "Joker: Folie à Deux" and "Furiosa." However, it has seen a turnaround in 2025 with strong performances from releases like "A Minecraft Movie," "Sinners," and "Superman."