Due to the merger, Cartoon Network’s future now lies in the hands of Warner Bros Animation (WBA).
The development and production teams for WBA and Cartoon Network Studios (CNS) will be combined into one division. Still, the three brand names, WBA, CNS, and Hanna-Barbera Studios (HBS) Europe, will remain distinct.
Cartoon Network, Warner Bros Animation merger: Here’s what we know
As per Deadline, Warner Bros TV Group laid off 82 staffers across scripted, unscripted, and animation divisions on Wednesday, 12 October 2022.
Furthermore, it has chosen not to fill 43 additional open positions, bringing the total number of jobs lost to 125.
The announcement is the most recent in a series of changes made to Warner Bros Discovery, which was forced to make savings of at least $3 billion (est. R54 billion) as a result of the merger handled by CEO David Zaslav in April 2022.
In addition, Warner Bros has also changed its mind about shutting down the Television Workshop, which was created to develop new talent and serve as a pipeline.
Many in the animation industry have praised the Workshop for being instrumental in assisting underrepresented creators with breaking into a highly competitive industry.
Consequently, the Workshop will be transferred to Discovery’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion division.
Additionally, the cuts follow AT&T’s sale of Warner Media to Discovery. Moreover, HBO Max and Discovery Plus will merge to form a single streaming service in 2023.
Here’s how animation fans reacted
Many fans who were unhappy with the merger took to social media to share their thoughts. Here’s what they had to say: