Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav Foresees the Benefits of Donald Trump’s Reign for Hollywood

Published 11/08/2024, 12:02 AM EST

America may be done with the ballot day, having found a new president in its old leader, Donald Trump. But those who assumed the days leading up to the US elections were a big political storm are yet to witness the real conversations take over the Trump headquarters now. With the political cloud overbearing the heads of the US citizens as much as its exclusive A-listers, the pre-polling cinematic terrain was divided into Republican and Democratic endorsers. However, with the results out in the open, Trump’s impact on Tinseltown is the hot topic, and pulling the strings of the conversation is none other than Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav.

Weighing in on Hollywood’s future, Zaslav recently outlined the upsides of Trump’s association.

David Zaslav sheds light on the brighter side of Hollywood under Donald Trump

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With the US elections done for this lap, Hollywood bigwigs are already calculating the positive influence Donald Trump may bring on his second term. During the company’s third-quarter earnings conference call on Thursday, The Hollywood Reporter reports that Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav chalked out how the new administration could offer “an opportunity for consolidation” in ways that could benefit Hollywood. Zaslav’s comments draw on a C-suite narrative that Trump’s term may bring more deregulation, freeing "dealmakers."

via Imago

Sinclair CEO Chris Ripley also recently engaged in a similar conversation, saying Trump’s reign brings a glimmer of hope with opportunities to modernize the regulations. Ripley further laid bare their intentions of participating in that, whether as a seller, a buyer, or a merger partner. Likewise, Zaslav hoped this expected consolidation could bring a two-fold impact, routing the businesses to grow stronger while aiming at a better consumer experience. 

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Zaslav’s remarks and foresight do not only follow the ongoing narrative but also the third-quarter studio revenue outcome that saw quite a dip this time around.

What fuels David Zaslav’s trust on Donald Trump’s impact on Hollywood?

David Zaslav’s hopes for Hollywood’s future may have seen a boost with the present political atmosphere but more by Warner Bros. Discovery’s third-quarter performance. The studios’ unit revenue reportedly dipped 17% to $2.68 billion as theatrical revenue plummeted 40%. The primary factor contributing to the contrast is primarily the box office revenue generated by movies like Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Twisters, as opposed to the cinematic achievements made by the Oscar-nominated Barbie last year. 

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According to official reports, the studios’ adjusted EBITDA dropped by 59% to $308 million, and to worsen it, the game's revenue also witnessed a 31% decline. While TV revenues saw a 30% increase, with Zaslav’s hope for Donald Trump’s administration to bring more positive change than negative, it remains to be seen if the prediction falls in or out of favor for the studio.

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What do you think of David Zaslav's expectations from Donald Trump's term in Hollywood? Let us know in the comments below!

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Anushka Bhattacharya

1484 articles

I'm Anushka Bhattacharya, an entertainment journalist at Netflix Junkie. Armed with a degree in literature, I once wielded my words to catalyze change within society through my work with NGOs. However, as I stumbled into the exuberant hole of crime thrillers and documentaries on Netflix, it was love at first sight and pushed me into entertainment journalism.

Edited By: Aliza Siddiqui

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