Warner Bros. In Europe, Discovery will lay off 29 employees over the next 15 month as it changes its original model for HBO Max. VarietyThis has been confirmed.
Variety was first to report in July of HBO Max’s decision to retreat from original programming in a number of European markets, and warn of layoffs within the programming team.
Warner Bros. will be operating under the new model. Warner Bros. will continue to invest in European acquisitions or commissions. Original programming will be handled locally by streaming and linear teams. Shows will not be ordered for streaming only.
Jonathan Young, EMEA VP Original Programming and Production; Christian Wikander VP and Commissioning Editor of Original Programming, Nordics; Annelies Sitvast Head of Unscripted Original Produc.
Mia Edde has left as the executive director for content acquisitions in Turkey.
Those who are set to remain at the company are Antony Root, head of original programming for EMEA; Hanka Kastelicová, VP of documentaries; Steve Matthews, VP of scripted development; Miguel Salvat VP and commissioning editor for Iberia; and Vera Peltekian, VP and commissioning editor for France.
Warner Bros. shares the news. Discovery plans to combine HBO Max with Discovery+ internationally, but the combined service will not launch in major European markets for a while.
JB Perrette is the CEO and President of global streaming and games, Warner Bros. He spoke to investors in an earnings conference earlier this month. Discovery confirmed the timeline of the merged streamer abroad. It noted that European markets with HBO Max will get the service in the early 2024. Additional launches in key Asia Pacific territories, and new European markets, will be made later in the 2024. Markets such as the U.K. and Italy aren’t expected to get the new streamer until 2025 and beyond.
Deadline first reported the news about the layoffs.