Big changes are coming to Warner Bros. Discovery, and the company just made it official. In a major corporate shakeup, WBD revealed the names of its two post-split companies and the executives who will lead them when the separation takes effect in mid-2026.
The Streaming & Studios side of the business will operate as Warner Bros., keeping the iconic name tied to HBO, Max, DC Studios, Warner Bros. Television, Motion Pictures, and gaming. The Global Networks division will go by Discovery Global, housing properties like CNN, TNT Sports, Discovery, and the Discovery+ streaming service. The split aims to preserve and build upon the value of two distinct media empires under new leadership. WBD confirmed:
Streaming & Studios, which will be home to Warner Bros. Television, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, DC Studios, HBO, HBO Max and Warner Bros. Gaming Studios will be called Warner Bros. Global Networks, will be called Discovery Global, in recognition of the affinity and value this name has around the world in entertainment, news and sports.
Current Warner Bros. Discovery President and CEO David Zaslav will lead Warner Bros. moving forward. He said the new structure is built on decades of success and positioned to grow even stronger:
Zaslav will be joined by a stacked executive team including Casey Bloys (HBO and HBO Max), James Gunn and Peter Safran (DC Studios), Pam Abdy and Mike De Luca (Motion Pictures), and Channing Dungey (TV Group). JB Perrette will oversee streaming and gaming, while Priya Aiyar handles legal matters and Robert Gibbs leads communications.
Meanwhile, the Discovery Global unit will be helmed by current WBD CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels. His new title will be President and CEO of the networks company. Wiedenfels will work alongside leaders like Mark Thompson (CNN), Luis Silberwasser (TNT Sports), David Duvall (CTO), Sue Underwald (Chief Legal Officer), and Fraser Woodford (CFO). Wiedenfels emphasized the scale and vision for Discovery Global:
Warner Bros. is still searching for its Chief Financial Officer and Chief People & Culture Officer, while Discovery Global is looking to fill its Chief Communications & Public Affairs role.
AEW finds itself at a unique intersection of both new WBD branches. AEW programming airs weekly on TNT under Discovery Global, while also streaming live and on-demand via Max, which falls under the Warner Bros. Streaming & Studios umbrella. That puts AEW in a rare position to span both arms of the post-split company.
With Luis Silberwasser remaining in charge of TNT Sports and Casey Bloys overseeing Max, AEW could benefitor be challengedby differing leadership priorities depending on platform. The dual presence adds strategic value to AEW, especially as WBD doubles down on building streaming and sports ecosystems separately.
This cross-divisional exposure means AEW may be seen as an important asset in uniting live sports, weekly episodic television, and premium streaming content. But it also raises questions about how each division will manage or promote wrestling content as their strategies evolve.
This is a seismic reorganization with ripple effects across the entertainment, streaming, and sports media industriesespecially considering AEWs dual role across Discovery Global and Warner Bros. platforms.
Are these leadership moves the right call for Warner Bros. Discoverys future? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
