Warner Bros Discovery readapting classic movies with more diverse shorts

[BluBonnet]

Warner Bros. Studios Celebrates 100th Anniversary With Diverse Shorts Recreating Warner Bros. Classics (Exclusive)

As part of its ongoing celebration of the 100th anniversary of Warner Bros. Studios, parent company Warner Bros. Discovery has commissioned short film adaptations of six classic movies from its vault.

These 20-minute shorts, which will be available to stream on Max later this year, will update the films through today’s more diverse and inclusive understanding of the world, with what WBD’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team calls “representative casting, storytelling and narrative.”

Six filmmakers have already been chosen by a committee that includes WBD senior vice president of DEI in North America Karen Horne alongside individuals from Warner Bros. Pictures, Visual Communications, Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival, Urban World, Sundance Indigenous Lab, Outfest and ReelAbilities Film Fest. The filmmakers, who will receive a budget through which they can derive their own compensation, will begin production this summer and be mentored by a group of established producers and directors, including Greg Berlanti (The CW’s Arrowverse), Angel Manuel Soto (Blue Beetle), Blitz Bazawale (The Color Purple), Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians), Danis Goulet (Night Raiders) and James Lebrecht (Crip Camp). Ali Afshar (American Wrestler: The Wizard, Holiday Harmony, A Christmas Mystery) will serve as a consulting producer on all of the projects.

[mwynn]

Incoming complaints.

[Walter Kafka]

Hang on to your discs.

[Moviefan2k4]

"representative casting, storytelling and narrative."

Translated: Politically Correct Trash.

[s2mikey]

Originally Posted by Moviefan2k4

"representative casting, storytelling and narrative."

Translated: Politically Correct Trash.

Rehpreezuntation izz ahll thit matturs.

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by mwynn

Incoming complaints.

As sure as the sun will rise....

Originally Posted by Walter Kafka

Hang on to your discs.

They aren't doing anything to the original movies...

[charliepanayi]

The Adventures of Robin Hood? Too late WB, BBC children's series Maid Marian and Her Merry Men did that years ago!

[Moviefan2k4]

Originally Posted by charliepanayi

The Adventures of Robin Hood? Too late WB, BBC children's series Maid Marian and Her Merry Men did that years ago!

I still like Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Its my favorite adaptation of the story.

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by Moviefan2k4

I still like Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Its my favorite adaptation of the story.

Doesn't hold a candle to:

[Chedwiggen]

Could be interesting.

[steve_dave]

Originally Posted by Walter Kafka

Hang on to your discs.

These are streaming exclusives and the original films are not being replaced.

Geez. The first thing posted needs to be:

Read the article first.

Before jumping to conclusions. I like this approach which gives modern filmmakers a chance to see how the film could be different.

It would be awesome if the filmmakers could make them with the same look and language as the original films but I doubt that will happen. I’m betting modern looks and modern language to go with current modern cultural sensitivities.

[Walter Kafka]

Originally Posted by steve_dave

These are streaming exclusives and the original films are not being replaced.

Geez. The first thing posted needs to be:

Read the article first.

Before jumping to conclusions. I like this approach which gives modern filmmakers a chance to see how the film could be different.

It would be awesome if the filmmakers could make them with the same look and language as the original films but I doubt that will happen. I’m betting modern looks and modern language to go with current modern cultural sensitivities.

I never said the films were being replaced. However, I do think that over time the dilution of the classic film product through gradual historical revisionism will mean fewer and fewer physical media releases, as it continues to shrink and streaming increases. So. As I said. Hang on to your discs.

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by Walter Kafka

I never said the films were being replaced. However, I do think that over time the dilution of the classic film product through gradual historical revisionism will mean fewer and fewer physical media releases, as it continues to shrink and streaming increases. So. As I said. Hang on to your discs.

Discs can deteriorate as well

[Moviefan2k4]

Originally Posted by BluBonnet

Discs can deteriorate as well

I've had most of my earliest Blu-Rays since 2010, and they still play just fine. I think it depends on how well you take care of them.

[steve_dave]

Originally Posted by Walter Kafka

I never said the films were being replaced. However, I do think that over time the dilution of the classic film product through gradual historical revisionism will mean fewer and fewer physical media releases, as it continues to shrink and streaming increases. So. As I said. Hang on to your discs.

This is a really complicated way to say you just hate streaming. Your reasoning also makes no sense whatsoever.

Warner has been selling classic films steadily enough on their respective anniversary dates to keep pressing the same discs with new art. You can own Singing in the Rain Ultimate Collector’s Edition on Blu-ray with the premium umbrella. Then spring for the 4K disc when it came out.

I got the UCE Blu-ray for The Wizard of Oz with premium watch at Ross. Then I got the 3D Target Exclusive with lunchbag. Now I have the 4K release.

A Christmas Story plays multiple times on TV and many here paid for the 4K disc to get the newest restoration. I’m betting Warner will repromote it again this Christmas because it is a guaranteed seller.

[unberechenbar]

Why not just remake the movies at that point? Why would anyone want to watch a 20-minute version of a classic?

[Walter Kafka]

Originally Posted by steve_dave

This is a really complicated way to say you just hate streaming. Your reasoning also makes no sense whatsoever.

Warner has been selling classic films steadily enough on their respective anniversary dates to keep pressing the same discs with new art. You can own Singing in the Rain Ultimate Collector’s Edition on Blu-ray with the premium umbrella. Then spring for the 4K disc when it came out.

I got the UCE Blu-ray for The Wizard of Oz with premium watch at Ross. Then I got the 3D Target Exclusive with lunchbag. Now I have the 4K release.

A Christmas Story plays multiple times on TV and many here paid for the 4K disc to get the newest restoration. I’m betting Warner will repromote it again this Christmas because it is a guaranteed seller.

Those are the outliers that are incredible best sellers. A Christmas Story is 40 years old and it's in color, so it hardly qualifies for a film that needs extensive revising. Although an African-American Christmas Story is a bangup idea.

Put it this way:
95% of the people who are interested in Citizen Kane will die within the next 10 years. Studios are making a hard pivot to get young people toward this legacy catalog product. There has to be some appeal to something fresh. "Social justice" is just that marketing trend. I didn't say I thought it would work. In the end, the initial thing they have will be less valuable, and young people probably won't care either. This is the Disney model, although Disney is doing it with films that are only 30-35 years old. Also it's even better for temporary profit if there's some outrage. But, as I say, that outrage will dilute the product in the end.

[Walter Kafka]

Originally Posted by unberechenbar

Why not just remake the movies at that point? Why would anyone want to watch a 20-minute version of a classic?

Even 20 minutes is pushing the attention span of the Tik-Tok addled brain. I work with young people every day. They can take or leave full-length movies. It's not where their culture is.

[Areyakiddin]

Jack and the Beanstalk is an odd choice. The only WB associated version I know of is the Abbott and Costello movie and they had zero control of that movie after it's theatrical run.

[Monterey Jack]

When...will...it...end...?