Updated
Updated · Variety · Aug 10
John Oliver Mocks Warner Bros. DC Flops After Citing $100 Million Supergirl Loss
Updated
Updated · Variety · Aug 10

John Oliver Mocks Warner Bros. DC Flops After Citing $100 Million Supergirl Loss

2 articles · Updated · Variety · Aug 10

Summary

  • On HBO’s “Last Week Tonight,” John Oliver used Warner Bros.’ DC films as a punchline after blasting Trump’s Justice Department for a string of failed prosecutions and investigations.
  • NBC’s Laura Jarrett pressed Todd Blanche on dismissed or stalled cases involving James Comey, Letitia James, Adam Schiff, six Democratic lawmakers and a subpoena for Fed Chair Jerome Powell; Blanche said the department was “working hard.”
  • Oliver replied that critics were accusing the department of losing, not retreating, then joked that repeated failure being “good news” would also vindicate DC movies.
  • He singled out “Supergirl,” which grossed $126 million worldwide against a $170 million-plus budget and roughly $120 million in marketing, putting Warner Bros. on track to lose up to $100 million.
  • The jab landed awkwardly because Warner Bros. is HBO’s corporate sibling, and Oliver noted the company could eventually fall under the pro-Trump Ellison family if the Paramount-Skydance deal proceeds.

Insights

Could late-night mockery of Warner Bros' box-office flops unexpectedly complicate the media giant's highly scrutinized mega-merger?
How will a string of high-profile courtroom dismissals reshape the Justice Department's strategy for tackling complex administrative cases?