Ep. 476 – What’s Up with the HBO Max / Discovery Plus Merger? + Trainwreck: Woodstock ’99 Mini Review

·1 hr·5 clips

Warner Brothers canceled the nearly finished $90 million Batgirl movie, sparking confusion about their entire DC strategy.

The episode opens with hosts John and Chris introducing the Warner Brothers Discovery merger, focusing on the recent cancellation of the Batgirl movie, which was 70% finished and cost $90 million. They debate the business rationale behind shelving projects versus fixing them, comparing DC's inconsistent film quality to Marvel's more reliable output. The hosts mention Michael Keaton's planned role as a Nick Fury-like figure in Batgirl and the broader DC plan leading to a 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' crossover. John shares his experience playing the video game Stray, praising its narrative depth despite a missable collectible, and recommends MultiVersus, a free-to-play Smash Bros-like game from WB Games. Chris discusses playing WWE 2K22 and watching the Woodstock '99 documentary on Netflix, detailing how promoter decisions created dangerous conditions. The news segment covers Disney's price hike for Disney Plus and the introduction of an ad-supported tier. The main discussion returns to the Warner merger, citing articles from IGN and People.com about CEO David Zaslav's strategy to combine HBO Max and Discovery Plus. They read quotes from Zaslav about focusing on quality and a 10-year plan for DC, similar to Marvel's Kevin Feige model. The hosts note Christopher Nolan's criticism of Warner's streaming shift and his departure to Universal. They analyze the clash between HBO's prestige TV philosophy and Discovery's unscripted content, expressing concern over cancellations of HBO Max originals and animation. The episode concludes with worries about the future of DC shows and the broader trend of streaming service consolidation.

As heard by us

A loose merger discussion finds its edge in Batgirl and Woodstock '99, where entertainment decisions turn visibly human.

Stay on Target frames the HBO Max, Discovery, and Warner Brothers merger through the uncomfortable afterlife of projects that are finished, or close enough to make cancellation feel personal.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Want a Batgirl cancellation that slides into a Woodstock '99 descent into crowd chaos?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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