The clearest signal from Warner Bros. TV Group right now may be volume: new orders, renewals, major talent deals and ongoing development, all while questions continue to hang over Warner Bros. Discovery and the uncertain timeline of a Paramount Skydance acquisition.
Chairman Channing Dungey says the corporate noise has not meaningfully slowed the studio’s daily business. “Certainly when I look up toward my boss and everything that’s happening on the corporate level, it’s a complicated time,” Dungey said. “But it is not impacting our day-to-day business in any real way.”
Her priority, she added, remains “continuing to work with the best creatives, develop the best shows, find the best homes for them.” By the studio’s recent activity, that mandate is very much in motion.
Deals, Orders and Renewals Keep Coming
Warner Bros. TV Group has renewed its major deal with John Wells, whose HBO Max drama “The Pitt” won four Emmys last weekend and is expected to be a major presence in the drama race at Monday night’s main ceremony.
The studio has also renewed its overall deal with Matt Reeves and his 6th & Idaho production company. Reeves first signed with Warner Bros. TV in 2020 to produce all television projects with the studio. Dungey praised Reeves’ work, saying he has “a true knack for getting into the psyche of his characters” and that he and his team have delivered “compelling, thought-provoking stories.”
Other overall deals at the company include Greg Berlanti, Bill Lawrence, Chuck Lorre, Mindy Kaling, Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky.
Since January, the studio has landed 12 new series orders. The latest is Netflix’s “Arrivals: A New Manifest Mystery,” a revival of the “Manifest” franchise. Other recent scripted pickups include HBO Max’s DC-themed true-crime mockumentary “The People v. Gorilla Grodd,” Prime Video’s Brett Goldstein romantic comedy “Escorted” and horror drama “Stillwater,” Disney+’s reimagined comic “Afterlife With Archie,” and Netflix sitcom “I Suck at Girls.”
The renewal list has been similarly active. Recent renewals include “The Pitt,” “It: Welcome to Derry,” “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe” and “Rooster” at HBO Max; “Leanne,” “Untamed” and “Running Point” at Netflix; “Shrinking” and “Bad Monkey” at Apple TV; Fox’s “Memories of a Killer”; and CBS’ “Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage.” At ABC, “Abbott Elementary,” identified as the No. 1 broadcast comedy in multiplatform among adults 18-49, returns for Season 6 next month.
Warner Bros. TV is also producing the upcoming “Harry Potter” series for HBO Max and is behind Netflix’s forthcoming “Scooby-Doo: Origins.” Dungey described “Harry Potter” as unlike anything she has worked on in scale, saying the series has given the team the chance to bring the books to life without the same running-time limits. She also said the project is “probably another decade from here.”
Dungey’s Wider Portfolio
Dungey’s role extends beyond scripted television. Her Warner Bros. TV Group oversight includes unscripted programming such as new seasons of “The Real Housewives: New York City,” “The Real Housewives: Salt Lake City” and Season 30 of “The Voice”; syndication titles including “Extra” and “The Jennifer Hudson Show”; and animation, including recent orders for Genndy Tartakovsky’s “Heist Brothers” and Tubi’s “Yokoso Scooby-Doo.”
As head of WBD’s U.S. networks, Dungey also oversees TBS, TNT, TLC and Food Network, described in the source material as top 10 networks. TLC launched the No. 1 new unscripted series with “Suddenly Amish.” Discovery’s “Shark Week” delivered its best ratings since 2019, while “Puppy Bowl” drew its best audience in eight years across multiple platforms.
Dungey said linear cable still has “a very loyal dedicated audience,” noting ratings growth at Food Network and the launches of “24 in 24” and “100 Cooks.” At the same time, she said the networks must also be treated as brands with broader consumer connections, pointing to HGTV and Food Network as examples.
What’s Moving, What’s Waiting
Dungey pointed to “The Pitt” as a model for how weekly releases and annual cadence can help keep viewers engaged. She said audiences “really love the weekly drop,” and argued that long gaps between seasons can make it harder for shows to remain part of the conversation.
That thinking has influenced other projects. “American Blue,” a police drama passed on by HBO Max, is still being shopped. Dungey said the studio has a finished pilot and five additional scripts ready. “How to Survive Without Me,” another pilot still in contention at Max, follows what Dungey called the “Pitt” model in relationship-drama form. The project involves Greg Berlanti, Ray Romano, Josh Jackson and Kaley Cuoco, and Dungey said word was expected imminently after another script goes to Max.
On “Arrivals: A New Manifest Mystery,” Dungey said the original “Manifest” performed well on Netflix and there was interest in continuing to explore that world. The new show is designed so newcomers can watch independently, while longtime fans will find mythology, connective tissue and Easter eggs. Asked about cameos from the original cast, Dungey said they are possible, but there are currently no major plans.
Warner Bros. TV is also looking for a new home for Mindy Kaling’s “Not Suitable for Work” after Hulu canceled it after one season. Dungey called it “a tremendous show” and said she remains hopeful it can land a second season elsewhere, while acknowledging that comedy can take time for audiences to build relationships with characters.
On “Ted Lasso,” Dungey said the team has not heard creative plans beyond the season now being finished editorially. She said the ending could function either as a conclusion or as a path forward, and that any decision about a potential Season 5 would involve “a little bit of everybody.”
As for “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe,” Dungey said she is excited for a second season and would be eager to hear any further idea Chuck Lorre may have for extending that universe.
Corporate Uncertainty Has Limits
Dungey said the unresolved ownership picture has not changed greenlight decisions so far. Warner Bros. TV continues buying projects and selling to multiple platforms, and she said she has not seen an impact on decisions at HBO Max. For the U.S. networks, she said buying is already underway for 2027 and 2028.
Still, she acknowledged that if the deal process continues, longer-term overall deals may require conversations with partners. More broadly, Dungey said buyers across the industry are being more deliberate, often asking for multiple scripts and a season pitch before committing, rather than ordering straight to series off a pitch.
Dungey also said budgets are being handled more responsibly than during what she described as a previous “boom” period, with the studio spending what is needed across different price points.
One leadership change ahead is at Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe, where Sam Register is leaving. Dungey said the company will look to fill the role and that there is “no impediment” to doing so. She said Paramount was informed of Register’s departure.
Asked whether she wants to remain with the company after a merger, Dungey said she loves her Warner Bros. Television Group team, shows and talent, and has become happy in her U.S. networks role. Her preferred outcome, she said, would allow her to keep working in both areas.