Warner Bros. Discovery will split into two separate companies next year as David Zaslav looks to separate the studios and streaming from traditional TV. More on the split below.
Warner Bros. Discovery is dominating the news once again. It was announced today that the company, home to the DC movies, HBO, HBO Max and so on, is to split into two separate companies.
As of 2026, Warner Bros. Discovery will be divided into Streaming & Studios and Global Networks.
Zaslav will remain in charge for the Streaming and Studios side of things, which will look after Warner Bros Television, Warner Bros Motion Picture Group, DC Studios, HBO and HBO Max. It will also have its TV and film libraries under the same banner. The gaming and experiences arm will also belong to Streaming and Studios.
Meanwhile, Global Networks, headlined by CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels, will be home to the company’s traditional television products, such as CNN, TNT, Discovery, as well as Discovery+.
News of the split arrives a shade over three years after Warner Bros merged with Discovery in 2022, signalling a new era of job losses, financial losses, film deletions, and Zaslav paydays that even Warner’s shareholders thought were a bit much.
“The cultural significance of this great company and the impactful stories it has brought to life for more than a century have touched countless people all over the world. It’s a treasured legacy we will proudly continue in this next chapter of our celebrated history,” Zaslav said of the separation, via Deadline. “By operating as two distinct and optimized companies in the future, we are empowering these iconic brands with the sharper focus and strategic flexibility they need to compete most effectively in today’s evolving media landscape.”
The film division of Warner Bros. has recently been in some trouble after several of its big, expensive projects underperformed at the box office. The company sent Bong Joon-Ho’s Mickey 17 to streaming just 18 days after the film premiered in cinemas and we reported in March that a lot was riding on James Gunn’s Superman, which hits cinemas in July. The studio has, however, enjoyed success with Ryan Coogler’s Sinners.
Whether the new move will help the film division, which will still be under Zaslav’s care, remains to be seen. We’ll keep you updated on that.
