Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav has just celebrated in an internal email to staff that Warner Bros Motion Picture Chairs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy have re-upped their deals. Read his note below. Zaslav’s note comes in the wake of Warner Bros clicking past $4 billion at the global box office, the first studio to do so this year, as we first told you.
“I am excited to share with you that we have re-upped their deal to enable them to continue the stellar work they and this team will do over the next several years bringing the very best movies to cinemas around the world,” wrote Zaslav today.
De Luca and Abdy wrote to staff in response, “We knew from our first meeting with David that his unwavering vision, leadership and resolve to be a destination for filmmakers with singular visions would lead Warner Bros. back to its founding principles of making fearless, entertaining and cinema worthy films for audiences of all ages.”
The studio thanks to the success of A Minecraft Movie, Superman, Conjuring: Last Rites and original bets Sinners and Weapons is in the black for the year. Any naysay about the $130M-$140M risk of Paul Thomas Anderson’s critically acclaimed and A CinemaScore Leonardo DiCaprio movie One Battle After Another underperforming can be disregarded, as Warners was able to afford that audacious auteur swing. The movie remains to be buzzed to the high heavens this awards seasons, and it recently crossed $100M at the global box office and looks to certainly overtake DiCaprio’s previous multi-Oscar nominated $215M production, Killers of the Flower Moon, which ended its run at $158.7M. By all accounts, One Battle After Another was cheaper.
It was also reported some time ago that when Warner Bros Discovery splits up in the spring, De Luca and Abdy would continue to lead the motion picture side.
Before the opening of A Minecraft Movie, which became a near $1 billion grossing success, Bloomberg had reported that Zaslav was looking to replace De Luca and Abdy. We didn’t follow, nor believed that news, which was unverified.
Among the Warner Bros big releases next year are the Margot Robbie-Jacob Elordi naughty version of Wuthering Heights (Feb. 13), Lee Cronin’s The Mummy (April 17), Mortal Kombat II (May 15; the pic making a splash at NY Comic-Con this weekend), DC’s Supergirl (June 26), Evil Dead sequel (July 24), DC’s Clayface (Sept. 11), A Practical Magic (Sept 18), the untitled Tom Cruise movie directed by Alejandro Inarriti (Oct. 2) and The Cat in the Hat (Nov. 6).
Here’s Zas’ note.
To All Motion Picture Group Team Members-
As we approach the end of 2025, I wanted to take a moment to congratulate the entire Motion Picture Group for a truly incredible year. Thanks to your talent, dedication and teamwork, our studio has achieved a milestone that hasn’t been achieved since 2019 – surpassing $4 billion at the global box office with just 11 films. Together, we’ve delivered 15 weeks at #1, seen nine films debut in the top global spot, and proudly hold three of the top ten highest grossing films worldwide. These achievements are not just numbers, but they are a testament to the creativity, passion and relentless drive that each of you brings to this work every day. The results have been nothing short of remarkable, and I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve accomplished together.
When I first arrived at the studio, recommitting this storied company to its theatrical roots, renewing Warner Bros. longstanding role as a home for the world’s best storytellers, and reestablishing this iconic studio to its position as an industry leader in terms of quality and box office success were among my key objectives. Bringing Mike & Pam on to lead this team was an important step to achieve those goals, and I am excited to share with you that we have re-upped their deal to enable them to continue the stellar work they and this team will do over the next several years bringing the very best movies to cinemas around the world.
Mike & Pam’s unwavering leadership and commitment to this business has been critical to our success this year, with countless box office records broken across Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema, where Jesse Ehrman, Richard Brenner and their teams have been flawless. Among our greatest achievements is our balanced slate featuring global tentpoles, strategically leveraged IP from among Warner Bros. storied past, including those from DC Studios, led by Peter Safran and James Gunn, and our world-class collection of horror films, while adding new and groundbreaking original works. Next year, we will take another important step as we re-introduce new animated titles to that strategy.
We have a lot to be grateful for and much to celebrate including several of this year’s best reviewed movies, many of which have pierced the culture zeitgeist in profound ways while also delighting moviegoers around the world.
With thanks,
David
Here’s De Luca and Abdy’s note to staff:
Team!
What a year we have had! We are grateful to all of you for your hard work and to David for his steadfast belief in in both of us and this team. We are so proud to stand on the shoulders of the incredible leaders who have steered Warner Bros. over its 100-year history.
We knew from our first meeting with David that his unwavering vision, leadership and resolve to be a destination for filmmakers with singular visions would lead Warner Bros. back to its founding principles of making fearless, entertaining and cinema worthy films for audiences of all ages.
We have the privilege to do this job because of the support and trust he has put in us, and in all of you. We could not be more excited to be leading this team as we introduce an exciting slate of films in the coming years and continue making every film experience an event worthy of the Warner Bros. shield.
Pam & Mike
