Warner Bros. Japan Criticizes U.S. Studio’s “Extremely Regrettable” Barbenheimer Tweets

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Warner Bros. Discovery streaming comms senior vice president Chris Willard is exiting the company to pursue other interests after 14 years working with the HBO team, Variety has learned.

Warner Bros. Film Group is apologizing for their support of some insensitive “Barbenheimer” content.

The U.S. branch of Warner Bros. issued an apology after being called out by the Japan division for engaging with “insensitive” Barbenheimer tweets.

reports the South China Morning Post.The fan-made poster, which was originally uploaded last month by the account DiscussingFilms on X (formerly Twitter), showed Cillian Murphy’s J. Robert Oppenheimer holding Margot Robbie’s Barbie in front of a mushroom cloud. Japanese users were further aggravated when the official US account for the Barbie film commented on the post, writing that “it’s gonna be a summer to remember.” Since the comment controversy, the hashtag “#NoBarbenheimer” has been trending on social media.

No one asked for “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” to share this ridiculous connection they have forged, as the two films were released on the same day. We’ve seen plenty of major films get the same release dates.

Naman Ramachandran Warner Bros.’ “Barbie” and Universal’s “Oppenheimer” continued their domination of the U.K. and Ireland box office with a combined £21.4 million ($27.3 million) after their second weekend, per numbers from Comscore. Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” topped the charts for the second week in a row with £13.2 million, and now has a total of £47.9 million.

Warner Bros. U.S. has deleted “Barbenheimer” tweets after being criticized by Warner Bros. Japan.

Barbenheimer memes that feature atom bomb images.The apology follows Warner Bros. Japan calling its US counterpart’s behaviour “extremely regrettable”, and also said sorry to fans on its behalf.The Barbenheimer craze, which has resulted in millions around the world watching the two blockbusters Barbie and Oppenheimer back-to-back in an ironic double bill dubbed “Barbenheimer”, has drawn criticism in Japan for making light of the mass destruction caused by the atomic Bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.The Barbie US Twitter account (@barbiethemovie) responded to one Barbenheimer fan art poster that depicts Margot Robbie’s Barbie sitting on the shoulders of Cillian Murphy’s J.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Not this again. After the two years of havoc that COVID inflicted on their business, movie theater owners thought they were past the days of blank marquees. Studios, miraculously, have been releasing films at a regular rate.

The Barbenheimer hype is drawing moviegoers into theaters in droves, but it is not without controversy.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Warner Bros. Japan released a statement on the country’s official “Barbie” Twitter account criticizing the studio’s U.S. branch for feeding into the “Barbenheimer” craze on social media.

Warner Bros. Discovery, today announced a new strategy and structure for its advertising sales organization and leadership team under Jon Steinlauf, chief U.S. advertising sales officer.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Warner Bros. Discovery is the latest traditional media company to reorganize its advertising-sales team to meet the demands of a rapidly shifting market. The media conglomerate said it would rework its ad sales staff, overseen by Chief U.

Hugh Grant Being Cast as Oompa Loompa in New ‘Wonka’ Film Criticized by Actor with Dwarfism

Hugh Grant's casting in the upcoming prequel,, is being criticized by actors with dwarfism.In the trailer for the film, which was released earlier this month, Grant is seen as an Oompa Loompa, the name Roald Dahl used for the group of diminutive factory workers in his 1964 novel .While it's not clear if any actors with dwarfism are featured in the upcoming film, Oompa Loompas were played by actors with dwarfism in two previous films based on Roald Dahl's book.In a new interview from the BBC, George Coppen, an actor with dwarfism, said he believes the role should have been given to an actor with the condition. «A lot of actors [with dwarfism] feel like we are being pushed out of the industry we love,» Coppen told the outlet.He continued, «A lot of people, myself included, argue that dwarfs should be offered everyday roles in dramas and soaps, but we aren't getting offered those roles.

The Barbenheimer hype continues.

EXCLUSIVE: Veteran communications executive Kim Page has departed Warner Bros. Discovery where she served as SVP Internal Communications and was a member of WBD Chief Corporate Communications Officer Nathaniel Brown’s senior executive team.

Risks in Hollywood pay off. “Barbie” has already grossed half a billion dollars after nine days in theaters, with no signs of slowing down as the film heads into its second box office weekend.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director When Warner Bros. contacted “Charm City Kings” filmmaker Angel Manuel Soto about potentially directing a DC comic book tentpole, he geared up to pitch the studio on a much different movie. “I wanted to pitch ideas, and one of them was the Bane origin story,” Soto recently told Den of Geek magazine.

Jordan Moreau “Barbenheimer” fever shows no signs of slowing down. The combined forces of Warner Bros.’ “Barbie” and Universal’s “Oppenheimer” are setting up another huge weekend at the box office, but Disney’s new release “The Haunted Mansion” will have to settle for third place. The kid-friendly horror film made $3.1 million in Thursday previews at the box office.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor For cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, the challenge with Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” was about capturing what was going on inside the head of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the A-bomb — what he’s thinking and what we can read in his eyes. For costume designer Ellen Mirojnick, whether it was a two-piece suit or three-piece suit, it was his silhouette.

It’s still hot out there in much of the country, and SAG-AFTRA told its members today that picket lines in New York City have been canceled for the next two days.

Warner Bros. Discovery is searching for start-up media companies to invest in after launching a new accelerator program.

Barbie director Greta Gerwig has a graceful approach when it comes to handling the blockbuster’s biggest critics.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Max is getting into the NFL Sunday Ticket huddle. Google’s YouTube TV will offer a special bundle combining Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max with the NFL Sunday Ticket out-of-market football package, Alphabet and Google chief business officer Philipp Schindler told analysts on the internet company’s Q2 earnings call.

“Barbie” continues to heat up the box office after a blockbuster opening weekend that soared far beyond initial predictions.

Everyone didn’t stop going to the movies on Monday with Barbenheimer in full force: Warner Bros posted the best Monday at the domestic box office with Barbie grossing $26.1M while Universal’s Christopher Nolan pic Oppenheimer wasn’t shabby with $12.6M.

EXCLUSIVE: Lisa Collins is Warner Bros. Discovery’s new Group Vice President, overseeing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion employee initiatives across North America. She will report to Chief DEI Officer Asif Sadiq.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Warner Bros. Discovery has appointed Lisa Collins as vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion, overseeing employee-initiatives across North America. She will report to chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer Asif Sadiq.

Mattel is renewed its licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products, continuing as the studio’s toy licensee in preschool, plush, dolls, vehicles, games, and novelty toy categories.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Come on, Barbie, let’s go make (more) box office history. Greta Gerwig’s plastic, fantastic “Barbie” added $26 million on Monday, resulting in the best Monday gross in Warner Bros. history.

Naman Ramachandran Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” were the dominant forces at the U.K. and Ireland box office this weekend, with a combined debut take of £29.4 million ($37.6 million), per numbers from Comscore. Warner Bros.’ “Barbie” led the way with a mighty £18.5 million, while Universal’s “Oppenheimer” collected £10.8 million.

decision to change Twitter’s blue bird logo to “X.”The Tesla founder echoed the words of conservative commentator Ben Shapiro, who likewise took issue with the frequent use of the word “patriarchy” in “Barbie.” Shapiro first complained last week about the number of times “patriarchy” was uttered in the film.It you take a shot every time Barbie says the word "patriarchy", you will pass out before the movie ends“All you need to know about #BarbieTheMovie is that it unironically uses the word ‘patriarchy’ more than 10 times,” Shapiro whined on Twitter last week.The right-wing columnist also shared a video of himself throwing Barbie dolls on a grill and setting them on fire. Republican Florida Rep.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor “Barbie” is a box office smash, along with its acclaim from critics and audiences alike. If you follow the social media chatter and the general feeling from most pundits, it could be a viable awards contender for Warner Bros. One category being debated is where the screenplay by Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach would be able to compete — whether in original or adapted screenplay. The answer lies in how the WGA classifies it and whether the Academy could or would overrule that choice. Variety confirms there are ongoing conversations with strategists and Warner Bros regarding where “Barbie” would compete at next year’s ceremony. On the title cards, it reads “Based on ‘Barbie’ by Mattel,” which is, of course, a toy company. At the same time, there have been multiple CGI films and TV series featuring the fashion doll since its debut in the late 1980s (42 to be precise). This would point to an “adapted” run. However, take the case of Pixar’s inaugural feature “Toy Story” (1995), which picked up an original screenplay nom (Joss Whedon, Andrew Stanton, Joel Cohen, Alec Sokolow, John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Joe Ranft). In that case, it offers a pathway for original. The CGI classic features characters such as Mr. Potato Head, a Hasbro product, and other toys such as Etch A Sketch, Magic 8 Ball and even parts of Barbie herself. Part of the Mutant Toys, which are creations of Andy’s sadistic kid neighbor Sid, he has one called “Legs” — which are a pair of Barbie doll legs attached to a green toy fishing rod.

the social media nickname given to the one-two punch of Warner Bros’ “Barbie” and Universal’s “Oppenheimer” — did boffo business at the domestic box office, grossing a combined $235 million. “Barbie,” at $155 million alone, had the biggest three-day opening of the year so far. And right on cue, the usual pronouncements are being made:Audiences love originality! (Everyone has seemingly forgotten that Barbie is a super-famous doll and not from director Greta Gerwig’s imagination.) Stories about women sell! (Just as with men’s stories, like floperoo “Indiana Jones,” sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t. “Oppenheimer,” which many online are calling sexist toward women, sold tremendously well at $80 million.) It’s quality, stupid! (Tell that to “The Banshees of Inisherin,” “Women Talking,” “The Fabelmans” and most of the other Best Picture Oscar nominees released last year.) However, the real takeaway of #Barbenheimer — a cinematic Brigadoon that will soon disappear into the fog — is one that is becoming increasingly obvious in the entertainment world at large: Ticket-buyers want Events. It’s not enough for consumers to regularly attend good movies or nice Broadway shows or average concerts and then head home and go to bed.

Jennifer Maas TV Business Writer Discovery’s Shark Week has been a TV institution for 35 years, a summertime staple that has never changed its core purpose: Celebrating the great white and its brethren. But a lot has changed around Shark Week in the decades since, including an explosion of popularity (as “30 Rock” once put it, we all now strive to “live every week like it’s Shark Week”), more competition, a few controversies and one giant corporate acquisition. In 2023, the Warner Bros. Discovery-produced TV event now has a few more boxes to check: From keeping its linear ratings (which grew 10% year-over-year in 2022) up to driving customers to two streaming platforms, Max and Discovery+. Shark Week has also been enlisted to help promote other TV shows and movies in the WBD family. But it also faces lingering concerns over the makeup of its programming (often criticized for lacking enough scientific research or proper experts), while simultaneously competing with younger copycat programming from rival companies Nat Geo’s Sharkfest.