It’s been clear for some time now that the entire Warner Bros landscape will be changing following its merger with Discovery. Now, however, it’s been revealed that Cartoon Network will be impacted in a rather surprising way. The fan-favorite cable channel and animation studio is going to be merged with Warner Bros Animation.
This new merger was revealed in a memo obtained by both Variety and Cartoon Brew. It appears that the decision to merge Cartoon Network with Warner Bros Animation will be the first step in a “strategic realignment.” As such, there were new layoffs of 82 scripted, unscripted, and animation employees of WB Television Group last month. It was also revealed that 43 open positions at the company will not be filled, with as much as 26% of the WBTV workforce having been removed.
Furthermore, however, it’s started that CNS, WBA, and Hanna-Barbera Europe will all continue as labels. The former two though will still lose their autonomy as a result of the new strategy. As such, development and production at Warner Bros Animation and Cartoon Network Studios will be combined. This means Cartoon Network will lose their prior creative and operational control.
Cartoon Brew illustrates the differences between Cartoon Network Studios and Warner Bros Animation by saying “WBA has traditionally been a much more catalog/IP-driven studio.” Meanwhile, they insist that “CNS has been the studio that puts out original series and specials that occasionally become touchstones for generations of viewers.” By merging the two, however, it seems more than likely that there will be a much bigger emphasis on existing IPs than ever before.
As further noted, with David Zaslav in charge of Warner Bros Discovery, “Cartoon Network Studios is likely to shift more strongly towards reboots of its existing catalog, as it is currently doing with The Powerpuff Girls, than launching new IP.” Many have been disappointed by this news as a result. In fact, former general manager of CNS Brian Miller had the following to say on the matter:
VARIETY:
“Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe. Those three LABELS will continue to exist, but development and main production teams for Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios will now merge.”
RIP CNS— Brian A. Miller (@bfredmuggs) October 12, 2022
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