Warner’s success could be a turning point for Hollywood
In an era where the major studios mostly release sequels, reboots, and superhero movies, Warner Bros. took a more diversified approach this year. Half of its 2025 slate came from original screenplays without connections to popular intellectual property, roughly double the rate of its competitors. Unlike original films from Sony, Universal, or Disney, most of WB’s were R rated, high budget, and gave filmmakers wide creative control.
WB’s approach has proven lucrative and consistent. They are the first studio to surpass four billion in revenue this year, with fifteen number one weekends, and nine movies with opening weekends over $40 million. I predict WB’s success will push majors and mini-majors like Amazon MGM to expand their high budget lineups beyond franchises. It’s a smart financial movie that also helps keep movies culturally relevant.
It may seem odd to anchor such cultural weight to massive studio conglomerates. But these companies produce most of what mainstream audiences watch. Disney, Universal, Sony, Paramount, and WB bankroll films with broad genre appeal, recognizable stars, and huge marketing campaigns. For casual moviegoers who only see a few movies a year, there’s a good chance at least one of them came out of the studio system, whether in theaters or on streaming platforms.
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