Recent layoffs at Turner Classic Movies have made filmmakers Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Paul Thomas Anderson so concerned about the network’s future that they recently decided to hold an emergency meeting with Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, according to Deadline.
In a joint statement released Wednesday night, the filmmakers “have been comforted and encouraged by the conversations we’ve had thus far, and we’re committed to working together to ensure this cultural touchstone we all cherish continues to grow.”
Earlier this week, TCM laid off a significant portion of its leadership, including Executive Vice President and General Manager Paula Changnon, Senior Vice President of Programming and Content Strategy Charles Tabish, Executive Vice President of Brand Creative and Marketing Dexter Vidor, Vice President of Corporate and Strategic Partnerships Genevieve McGillicuddy, Vice President of Studio Production Anne Wilson. The news doesn’t bode particularly well for the future of the channel, which for decades has played an important role in keeping movie history accessible to new generations.
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Scorsese, Spielberg, and Anderson are, of course, some of the great directors of our time, and Spielberg and Anderson sit on the board of Scorsese’s film restoration and preservation organization The Film Foundation. Their fear that Zaslav might hinder their efforts to keep the movie’s history on record makes especially sense when you remember that he didn’t lead Warner Bros. Discovery in a content-friendly direction: Since last year, the company has been protecting already-completed projects, removing hundreds of episodes of classic TV series from streaming services, and canceling beloved contemporary shows.
Hopefully here, with their powers combined, the director trio can talk to the CEO to some degree.
