Warner Bros. shuts Warner Premiere as DVD sequels fade
Warner Bros. has announced the closure of its Warner Premiere division, responsible for straight-to-DVD sequels, citing a decline in the direct-to-video film market and shifting business models. Animated titles will continue under Warner Home Video, and online series will be handled by Warner Digital. Production and distribution will proceed for remaining Warner Premiere titles.
Key Takeaways
- Warner Premiere is being shut down after a run built around straight-to-DVD sequels tied to Warner Bros. properties.
- Warner Bros. cited the continuing decline in the direct-to-video film market and shifting business models for digital series.
- Animated titles will continue under the Warner Home Video name, not Warner Premiere.
- Warner Digital will take over online series, including Bryan Singer’s H+.
- Production and distribution will continue for remaining Warner Premiere titles, including A Christmas Story 2.
Why It Matters
Warner Bros. is formally pulling back from a direct-to-video label that existed to monetize older franchises through cheap sequel releases. The split of remaining work between Warner Home Video and Warner Digital shows how the studio is reorganizing around animated titles and online series instead of a single DVD-focused unit. For StreamingMeme readers, the signal is the market’s own shrinkage: the company explicitly blamed the decline in direct-to-video film demand and changing digital series models. Watch whether A Christmas Story 2 still ships under the old Warner Premiere pipeline or gets fully absorbed elsewhere.
Read full article at avclub.com
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