Warner Bros. Discovery Is Breaking Up — Here’s What’s Next

Warner Bros. Discovery is set to split into two separate companies by mid-2026, and the company just announced the new names and leadership teams for both.

The part focused on movies, TV shows, and streaming services will be called Warner Bros. This group will include Warner Bros. Television, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, DC Studios, HBO, HBO Max, and Warner Bros. Gaming Studios, along with all their film and TV libraries. According to Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), the name honors more than 100 years of storytelling history.

The other side, which will handle entertainment, sports, and news TV channels worldwide, will be called Discovery Global. This will cover CNN, TNT Sports in the U.S., Discovery’s free-to-air channels in Europe, the Discovery+ streaming service, and Bleacher Report. WBD says the name was chosen because of the strong recognition it has worldwide in entertainment, news, and sports.

David Zaslav, the current CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, will lead the new Warner Bros. company as president and CEO. Meanwhile, Gunnar Wiedenfels, who is now the company’s CFO, will become the president and CEO of Discovery Global.

Warner Bros. has already started looking for a new CFO and head of HR, while Discovery Global is searching for a chief communications and public affairs officer.

Zaslav shared his thoughts on the split, saying, “We will proudly continue the more than century-long legacy of Warner Bros. through our commitment to bringing culture-defining stories, characters and entertainment to audiences around the world. Over the past several years, we have made important strides across the business, launching and investing in a profitable, global streaming service and reinvigorating our studios to return them again to an industry leading position. With our unmatched portfolio of storytelling IP coupled with our incredible creative partners, and now an executive team of proven, bold, and committed creative and corporate leaders, we are in a strong position to launch and continue to meaningfully grow a company worthy of our storied past.”

The Warner Bros. leadership will include familiar names like Pam Abdy as Co-Chair and CEO of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, Casey Bloys as Chairman and CEO of HBO and HBO Max, James Gunn and Peter Safran as Co-Chairmen and CEOs of DC Studios, and several others responsible for running different parts of the company.

On the Discovery Global side, key leaders include Mark Thompson as Chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide, Luis Silberwasser leading TNT Sports, Kasia Kieli running TVN in Poland, and Gerhard Zeiler overseeing Discovery+ in the US, UK, and Germany.

Gunnar Wiedenfels expressed his excitement about the future, saying, “As we prepare for the launch of Discovery Global, our enthusiasm for the opportunities ahead only grows thanks to our leading portfolio of beloved brands and programming, our worldwide footprint for adults, kids, and families, and now the experienced and talented leadership team who will ensure strong operational execution to drive strategic investments and deliver compelling content to global audiences.”

This information was shared by Warner Bros. Discovery as part of their announcement about the upcoming split and future plans for the two new companies.

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