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Steven Spielberg attends the 55th Annual Cinema Audio Society Awards at the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown on February 16, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.
Matt Winkelmayer | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images
Warner Bros. Discovery A casting director is calling on directors to help direct the staging and programming of his Turner Classic Movies cable television channel, after a change in management has left fans worried about the network’s future.
The company and the filmmakers said Wednesday that director Steven Spielberg, “Goodfellas” director Martin Scorsese and “Boogie Nights” director Paul Thomas Anderson have formally signed on to provide contributions to TCM. The filmmakers will work closely with the Warner Bros. group executives. Motion Picture Group Mike De Luca and Pam Abdi, who oversee organization and programming after a series of layoffs and administrative reorganizations at TCM, according to the company.
“We have already begun working on ideas with Mike and Pam, both true movie fans who share a passion and appreciation for the classic cinema that is a hallmark of the TCM community,” the three filmmakers said in a joint statement on Wednesday. “This unique arrangement, started by David Zaslav, reflects his commitment to honoring the heritage of traditional Chinese medicine while also involving us in the organization and programming.”
The filmmakers’ inclusion came after Warner Bros. employees were confronted with the film. Discovery last week launched another round of layoffs, particularly across its portfolio of cable TV networks.
Part of that was a big shake-up for TCM, recognized as a place to keep classic movies and a carefully curated ensemble bolstered by guest star introductions. The changes alarmed movie buffs and those dedicated to preserving films, who expressed their distress on social media.
The filmmakers also applauded that longtime programming chief Charles Tabish, who was initially slated to leave as part of the shake-up, would remain with the network.
David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery.
Anjali Sundaram | CNBC
Last week, the filmmakers said in a statement that Zaslav had contacted them and reassured them, and that they were committed to working with the company for TCM’s future.
Since the merger in 2022 between Warner Bros. and Discovery, the company has undergone a number of cost-cutting initiatives, including layoffs and cutting back on content spending.
In the months leading up to job cuts and changes at networks, including TCM, Zaslav and Spielberg had talks about the future of TCM, according to a person familiar with the matter. Zaslav also started the conversation with Spielberg, Scorsese, and Anderson last week.
Spielberg and Anderson joined Zaslav at a panel during the TCM Classic Film Festival in April about the film’s preservation efforts, according to media reports.
Warner Bros. Discovery and its film heads have promoted the company’s increased investment in traditional Chinese medicine recently.
A company spokesperson said: “TCM is a cultural treasure that WBD is fully committed to protecting, supporting and investing in for the future. This year, TCM content investment grew by 30% and we plan to build on that in the coming years.” in the current situation. “However, TCM is not immune to very real pressure on the entire linear ecosystem, but we have taken steps to ensure we stick to the network’s mission – bringing more titles to the air, driving investment in content, and preserving and protecting cinema culture.”
The increased investment will go toward licensing new films and bringing a broader slate to the network, according to the person familiar with the matter.
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