Warner Bros. Animation chief Sam Register exits as contract ends
Sam Register will leave his role as president of Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe after his contract expires next week.
Channing Dungey, chair of Warner Bros. TV Group, informed staff that Sam Register’s contract will not be renewed, leading to his exit from the presidency of Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe next week.
Register, who has overseen the studios for 18 years, issued a statement saying he is grateful for the support and looks forward to new possibilities. Dungey acknowledged the surprise of the news and confirmed that a replacement search is underway. In the interim, Matt Matzkin will keep overseeing business operations, while creative department heads—Jay Bastian, Jason DeMarco, Audrey Diehl, Sarah Fell, Peter Girardi and Sammy Perlmutter—will continue to run their respective areas.
Register’s tenure included overseeing series such as “Looney Tunes Cartoons,” “Animaniacs” revival, “Harley Quinn,” and films like the live-action “Tom and Jerry.” The transition aims to maintain the studios’ momentum during the leadership change.
Why it matters
The departure of a long-standing animation leader could affect the direction of major Warner Bros. and Cartoon Network projects.
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