While nobody was watching, David Zaslav has come up with another money-saving ruse

Mickey 17
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Has anyone noticed that three of Warner Brosā€™ next four releases have something in common? David Zaslav surely has!

NB: Mild spoilers if youā€™ve not seen the promos for Mickey 17, Sinners and The Alto Knights.


Much has been written about the boss of Warner Bros Discovery, David Zaslav. He’s surely a pussy cat at heart, and it’s mere coincidence that he’s ordered the deletion of completed films in order to get a tax write off and save a bit of short term cash. We bet he sends lovely Christmas presents, and fosters rescue puppies when he’s not in the office.

However, have we been blind to a different kind of frugality that Mr Zaslav has uncovered, hoping that none of us would spot it? Appreciating that it involves two films who’ve had their release dates moved around a fair bit, it’s surely – surely! – no coincidence that the next three of the next four Warner Bros cinema releases will involve actors pulling double duty.

Why pay for two actors, then, when you can get one to play two roles? Genius, Zaslav! Genius!

First up then is Bong Joon-ho’s long-delayed Mickey 17. In this one, going very spoiler light, you’re getting an awful lot of Robert Pattinson for your money. That turns up in the UK on 7th March, and then two weeks later? It’s Barry Levinson’s The Alto Knights, starring – yep! – Robert De Niro and Robert De Niro!

A brief break for The Minecraft Movie follows, which stars Jack Black who to our knowledge only, disappointingly, plays one role. But Zaslav’s Master Plan (TM) is back in action on 18th April when Michael B Jordan and Michael B Jordan take the lead in Sinners, from Ryan Coogler.

Irrespective of the pedigree of each of these films, Zaslav can’t greenlight them fast enough it seems. You’ll be telling us that the upcoming Superman movie will have someone playing the title role and their alter ego next. Has any Hollywood studio ever had a run quite like it?

We’re looking forward to future movies including Batman & Batman, The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Jesse James and Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Harry Potter being announced in due course.

Champagne all round, Mr Zaslav!

Thanks to Maria for spotting this.

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