Warner Bros, the Snyder Cut, and the Importance of Internal Communication

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Warner Bros. Pictures is one of the juggernauts of their industry. Not only do they have a rich history that stretches back to the beginning of American cinema, but they also regularly employ the most remarkable talent in the field. Their cultivation of and collaboration with high-profile creators fuels the public image of Warner Bros as a prestigious studio that puts out high-quality entertainment. While they have maintained positive public communication, Warner Bros. Studios have recently failed at internal communication with their employees, to the point where it has marred their public image.

A recent example of this internal disconnect is their initial announcement to release all their features on digital. In December of 2020, in response to growing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, Warner Bros announced that 17 films that would premier in theatres in 2021 would simultaneously launch on the streaming service HBO Max (Clark In a major...). From a business perspective, this move made sense. Theatre attendance reached an all-time low in 2020 to the point where several major theatre chains declared bankruptcy. AOL-Time Warner was also concerned with boosting subscriptions for HBO Max. At first, the announcement created positive feedback from the public (Clark 'It's very...). It allowed people concerned about going out in public to view new releases from their homes' safety.

Despite the positive response to Warner Bros' message, their internal communication was almost nonexistent. Warner Bros failed to inform any of the filmmakers affected by this decision. A New York Times article revealed the studio "kept the major agencies and talent management companies in the dark until roughly 90 minutes before issuing a news release. Even some Warner Bros. executives had little warning."(Clark 'It's very...) The decision also angered many of the studio's talent because it could potentially affect their salary. n the film industry, actors or directors often take smaller upfront payment in exchange for a cut of the box office. Streaming a movie while it is still in theatres could undermine that (Clark 'It's very...). WarnerMedia failed to establish a reliable chain of information within their company, and as a result, its talent lost any sense of ownership or agency within the organization. Warner Bros tried to offer compensation to talent for any monetary loss, but only after the fact. James Gunn, director of the upcoming The Suicide Squad, publicly stated his displeasure with Warner Bros' "lackluster formula" to compensate talent (Clark 'It's very...). To make things worse, Warner Bros only offered reparations to a select few creators, which led to representatives of actors such as Will Smith, Margot Robbie, and Keanu Reeves publicly state their clients received unfair treatment (Clark 'It's very...). Finally, Warner Media neglected to inform Legendary Pictures, who financed three-fourths of Godzilla vs. Kong, that the film moved to streaming. As a result, Legendary lost out on a lucrative streaming deal it was negotiating with Netflix. This led to Legendary threatening legal action against Warner Bros, and the distribution of Dune, another film co-produced by both studios, remains unclear (Schaefer) . 

By neglecting internal communication, Warner Bros created a public controversy that jeopardized its image and disrupted one of its most anticipated blockbusters' distribution. Warner Bros should have contacted their talent sooner before announcing the decision publicly. While the news might have still upset talent, it would make everyone feel like they were in the loop. It also would have given talent more time to consider the situation. Warner Bros could have assured talent by giving them more context. Part of Warner's plan was to only have the films stream on HBO Max for one month but remain in theatres long after. Also, HBO Max is currently only available in the U.S., and would not affect a film's performances internationally, where markets are recovering from the pandemic. Talent was also unaware of the plan to have Max pay a licensing fee that would compensate talent. Along with a willingness to negotiate with talent and treat them equally, this information would have minimized any negative P.R. that might have resulted. Warner Bros should also have waited to announce their decision on Godzilla vs. Kong and Dune until after reaching out to Legendary.

These internal communication problems go back further than this single example. If one needs further proof, look at the behind-the-scenes drama of their D.C. Comics franchise. Chris Terrio, the writer of Batman v. Superman and Justice League, gave a candid interview about his experience with Warner Bros. Despite the studio's ambitious goal to create an interconnected franchise, Warner Bros did not facilitate any communication between writers of these movies. In Terrio's words, "they just determined that it was going to be Batman/Superman, and then Wonder Woman, then Justice League, and then Aquaman. So there was never any thought to how the world was constructed before they issued this edict. They said, 'Conform to this schedule.' " (Breznican 'Justice League' Screenwriter) This left Terrio without any idea of how to write his script while keeping characterization and world-building consistent with the other films. When Terrio met with Time Warner's investors, it was clear from their body language and tone of their message that there was a sense of hostility. "One guy (...) pulled me aside and started telling me how to write Batman." (Breznican 'Justice League' Screenwriter) The studio also took a more authoritarian approach toward the production, to the point of requiring representatives to be on set every day to oversee filming and calling in a new director to reshoot scenes (Breznican 'Justice League': The Shocking). Warner Bros, which did little to foster an atmosphere of open communication with its employees, and lacked any communication that wasn't simply top to bottom, projected a lack of confidence and an atmosphere of unease that its employees picked up on. "There was a mood of fear at the studio. No doubt. My impression was that people in boardrooms started making the decisions." (Breznican 'Justice League' Screenwriter) 

Ironically, the person who provided a sense of leadership during production and facilitated communication was the person the studio had lost faith in, Zach Snyder. While his filmography can be controversial, cast and crew members' testimonies all confirm his willingness to take feedback and listen to coworkers (Breznican 'Justice League': The Shocking). With Snyder directing, there was a constant open dialogue between the director, Terrio, and the actors about telling the story. Snyder displayed positive body language and active listening during these talks. According to Terrio, "he has a contagious excitement—that when you describe a scene, he almost can't contain himself and he just wants to go draw it or paint it. Zack never for a second turned his back on me or doubted my work." (Breznican 'Justice League' Screenwriter) Snyder's leadership fostered a sense of loyalty among the cast. When Snyder left production midway because of a family tragedy, a new incoming director neglected to establish the same positive environment, which led to pushback from the cast and a possible P.R. disaster (Breznican 'Justice League': The Shocking). 

If Warner Bros leadership wishes to avoid similar failures in the future, they desperately need to overhaul their internal communication approach. It is a business that relies on high-profile directors and actors to attract audiences. Thus, it needs to inform artists of plans that might affect them, allow open communication between relevant parties on the same project, and be aware of the tone their message implies. When these things are done well, it fosters an environment where every level of the company can participate in a shared mission (Rabinowitz).

References

Breznican, Anthony. “'Justice League' Screenwriter Chris Terrio Is Super Pissed Off.” Vanity Fair, Vanity Fair, 8 Apr. 2021, www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/04/chris-terrio-justice-league-batman-v-superman.

Breznican, Anthony. “'Justice League': The Shocking, Exhilarating, Heartbreaking True Story of #TheSnyderCut.” Vanity Fair, Vanity Fair, 22 Feb. 2021, www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/02/the-true-story-of-justice-league-snyder-cut.

Clark, Travis. “In a Major Blow to US Theaters, Warner Bros. Announces That All of Its Movies in 2021 Will Debut on HBO Max the Same Day They Arrive in Cinemas.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 3 Dec. 2020, www.businessinsider.com/warner-bros-movie-2021-debut-hbo-max-theaters-same-day-2020-12.

Clark, Travis. “'It's Very, Very, Very, Very Messy': Why Warner Bros. Faces Major Hollywood Backlash over Its Plan to Release Its 2021 Movies on HBO Max the Same Day They Hit Theaters.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 8 Dec. 2020, www.businessinsider.com/the-backlash-against-warner-bros-hbo-max-plan-explained-2020-12.

Rabinowitz, Phil. “Section 4. Promoting Internal Communication.” Chapter 15. Becoming an Effective Manager | Section 4. Promoting Internal Communication | Main Section | Community Tool Box, The University of Kansas, ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/leadership/effective-manager/internal-communication/main.

Schaefer, Sandy. “Dune's HBO Max Fate Remains Unclear.” CBR, 5 Apr. 2021, www.cbr.com/dune-hbo-max-unclear/.