John Oliver Goes After His New Parent Company as Mass Layoffs Loom: ‘You’re Burning Down My Network for the Insurance Money’

Last Week Tonight host John Oliver went after Warner Bros. Discovery during his Sunday broadcast, in which he said it appears his new “business daddy” is burning down HBO.

During a segment on monkeypox vaccines expiring, Oliver turned briefly to Warner Bros. Discovery, which has made some massive moves since the merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery, including nixing CNN+ after a matter of weeks, as well as canceling in-production films including DC’s Batgirl to get future tax write-offs.

“We let the vaccine sit unused on a shelf in our reserves like an expired Chobani or a $90 million movie on HBO Max,” Oliver said, then showing an image from the canceled Batgirl. “By the way, hi there, new business daddy! Seems like you’re doing a really great job. I do get the vague sense that you’re burning down my network for the insurance money, but I’m sure that will all pass.”

Batgirl was well into production when Warner Bros. Discovery canceled it. By using the production as a tax write-off, the company is prevented from profiting off of the project in the future, meaning it is likely to not be finished and it can’t be sold off to another studio. The incomplete film starred Leslie Grace, Michael Keaton, and Brendan Fraser.

Zaslav implied that the Batgirl movie was specifically scrubbed because it may not have been good enough in the eyes of new management.

Another movie, Scoob! Holiday Hunt, was also shelved. Both were set to debut on HBO Max.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has been in cost cutting mode since the Warner Bros. merger in an effort to eliminate $3 billion in synergies. Puck reported Monday that mass layoffs are on the horizon.

“We’re not going to launch a movie until it’s ready,” he said during an earnings call last week. “We’re not going to launch a movie to make a quarter, and we’re not going to put a movie out unless we believe in it.”

Watch above via HBO