This whole thing with Warner Bros. Discovery is a gigantic mess, isn’t it? This media and entertainment company puts out a lot of crap every year because it controls so much, but it has become abundantly clear that there is no real plan for its assets (yuck, I hate that word). Solution? I just throw gigantic name properties at the wall to see what sticks, and right now we’re at the desperation stage where things like Gremlins and Goonies are being dusted off.
While Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, arguably the company’s most notable division, is bracing for an uncertain 2025 that could be saved or doomed by blockbusters like DC Studios’ Superman and the long-in-the-making (and already divisive) Minecraft movie, is starting to look for more properties intellectual that could encourage people to visit the nearest cinema. Remember, their original output looks great this year, but that alone doesn’t mean the numbers are up enough!
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By Deadlinewe learned that president of global marketing Josh Goldstine and president of international theatrical distribution Andrew Cripps left the company last week, which caused some confusion in Hollywood circles. Meanwhile, film group co-chairmen and CEOs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy are trying to “bring Warner Bros. back.” as a trusted home for distinctive filmmakers.” Don’t forget that Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which was a huge success, was the result of Warner’s confusion over the 2020 release of Tenet and the writer-director leaving his previous longtime partner at Universal.
Regardless, as previously mentioned, Warner’s 2025 theatrical schedule is captivating in this respect: we have Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17, Barry Levinson’s The Alto Knights, Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, and Paul Thomas Anderson’s next film coming soon daylight and which will premiere together with the audience. -Enjoyable movies like the two aforementioned behemoths, the novel Final Destination, The Conjuring: Last Rites, and Mortal Kombat 2, among others. It’s a plan that looks vigorous, but the current powers that be are struggling to keep things captivating in 2026 and beyond, on top of DC Studios’ ambitious plans (which depend on this year’s Superman financial results).
Yes, there is a Lord of the Rings movie focusing on Gollum and perhaps more will come later, but chances are it won’t be able to be released in slow 2026 at this rate. While competitors like Universal and Disney seem to be slowly but surely returning to their pre-pandemic levels of theatrical success, Warner Bros. he needs a few more heavyweight wins a year and it seems executives are moving heaven and earth to make that happen. The Deadline article states that “franchise hopes” are also pinned on things like “Drew Goddard’s upcoming script for a new Matrix, a new Gremlins from Christopher Columbus and a Goonies treatment.”
“The Matrix Resurrections” wasn’t entirely a success, even though it gained an instant cult following; general audiences largely rejected it, and worldwide box office receipts totaled just $157 million (although the film was released day after day on the streaming service). Meanwhile, ’80s properties like Gremlins and The Goonies remained irrelevant for a very long time outside of boomers, Gen Xers, and millennials referencing and mentioning them, which has permeated much of recent warm entertainment. (just look at The latest Star Wars series). The first one was made into an animated series in 2023, but almost no one talked about it (more episodes are planned for 2025).
Sorry, but I just don’t see it as a gigantic hit convincing teenage people to put down their phones and go to the movies, and it’s been proven time and time again that people over 50 can’t carry a dormant IP address outside the home. grave. They may have a chance if budgeted wisely, but in today’s Hollywood climate this is a occasional occurrence, so it makes me skeptical.
