Warner Bros. Discovery has followed Paramount's lead, becoming the second major Hollywood studio to reject a boycott of Israeli film companies, a move endorsed by a galaxy of A-list stars and filmmakers. "Warner Bros. Discovery is dedicated to nurturing an environment that is inclusive and respectful for our employees, collaborators, and other stakeholders," a spokesperson for the company stated in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. "Our policies prohibit any form of discrimination, including discrimination based on race, religion, national origin, or ancestry. We believe that a boycott of Israeli film institutions violates these policies."
The boycott, spearheaded by Film Workers for Palestine last month, initially garnered over 1,300 signatures from filmmakers, actors, creatives, and other industry professionals, including Olivia Colman, Ayo Edebiri, Mark Ruffalo, Riz Ahmed, Tilda Swinton, Javier Bardem, Yorgos Lanthimos, Josh O’Connor, Emma Stone, Ava DuVernay, Asif Kapadia, Emma Seligman, Boots Riley, Hannah Einbinder, Cynthia Nixon, Adam McKay, Joshua Oppenheimer, and many others. Since then, the number of signatures has surpassed 4,000.
The pledge reads: "As filmmakers, actors, film industry workers and institutions, we recognize the power of cinema to shape perceptions. In this urgent moment of crisis, where many of our governments are enabling the carnage in Gaza, we must do everything we can to address complicity in that unrelenting horror. The world's highest court, the International Court of Justice, has ruled that there is a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza, and that Israel's occupation and apartheid against Palestinians are unlawful. Standing for equality, justice, and freedom for all is a profound moral duty that none of us can ignore."
The boycott was flatly rejected by Paramount, which became the first Hollywood studio to denounce it when it was released. "At Paramount, we believe in the power of storytelling to connect and inspire people, promote mutual understanding, and preserve the moments, ideas, and events that shape the world we share," reads the statement. "We do not agree with recent efforts to boycott Israeli filmmakers. Silencing individual creative artists based on their nationality does not promote better understanding or advance the cause of peace."
Film Workers for Palestine reached out to THR following Paramount's statement to correct what the organization claims are "inaccuracies." According to its FAQ page, the pledge does not target Israeli individuals but instead "calls for film workers to refuse to work with Israeli institutions that are complicit in Israel's human rights abuses against the Palestinian people. This refusal takes aim at institutional complicity, not identity."
Joining the studios in rejecting the boycott is a joint effort from the Creative Community for Peace and the Brigade. Their letter, signed by Liev Schrieber, Mayim Bialik, Debra Messing, and over 1,200 others, rejects the boycott as "not an act of conscience" but rather "a document of misinformation." The news of WBD's statement follows Hamas' release of all living hostages as part of the ceasefire deal in Gaza and widespread industry speculation as to whether newly-installed Paramount owner David Ellison will continue with his father Larry Ellison's bid to acquire WBD.
