Patton Oswalt shot Discovery of Warner Bros. chief David Zaslav during his opening monologue as host of the 71st Film sound editors Gold Coil Price.
Oswalt launched the MPSE ceremony Sunday in Los Angeles while lamenting the challenges Hollywood has faced in 2023. Oswalt, who also hosted the event last year, then addressed the work stoppages for both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA.
“What better choice to entertain a room full of post-production workers than a guy who belongs to both SAG and WGA,” said the Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire » the actor joked. “That’s right. I’m the asshole who made you take out a second mortgage on your house.
Oswalt continued: “But despite the nightmare from hell that we all went through last year, you guys, as always, did an incredible job. And I'm just talking about the movies that were locked away in a vault for a tax break. Get it?”
The comedian then specifically called out Zaslav, whose company has scrapped several completed films as part of cost-cutting measures, including Bat girl And Scoob! vacation den in 2022 and Coyote vs. Acme Last year. “I'm kidding, but it's exciting to see our industry thriving again,” Oswalt said. “I heard David Zaslav just offered a three-movie deal to H&R Block. Long live cinema!
Oswalt's mention of the tax preparation company follows Warner Bros.' disclosure. Discovery in a tax return last month that it took a $115 million tax deduction for dropping unspecified films in the third quarter of 2023, stimulate speculation that Coyote vs. Acme will in fact never be released. The Hollywood Reporter previously reported that Warner Bros. I agreed to go shopping the film – a hybrid of live-action and CG animation featuring classic Looney Tunes characters – to interested parties, leading several distributors to unsuccessfully bid on the title.
Previously, THR reported that Zaslav chose to set aside Bat girl has take a note on the film that was set to debut on streaming. At the time, the CEO explained that the company would focus its cinematic efforts on larger theatrical moments.
Among the winners of the 2024 Golden Reel Awards was Oppenheimerwhich won two prizes. Maestro, Spider-Man: Through the Spider-Verse And Snow Society were also honored during the ceremony celebrating sound design.