As expected, the layoffs hit Casey Bloys’ HBO Max and HBO teams.

An estimated 14 percent of Bloys’ teams – about 70 people – were laid off as part of the workforce reduction following WarnerMedia’s merger with Discovery.  The moves are the latest step in cost-cutting for the combined Warner Bros.  Discovery under CEO David Zaslav.

As part of the layoffs, Sarah Aubrey will continue to oversee HBO Max’s original drama slate and add international programming alongside the international WBD division headed by Gerhard Zeiler.  The HBO Max comedy, however, will now be overseen by HBO’s head of comedy Amy Gravitt, with Max’s Susannah McCos reporting directly to the former.  Gravitt, a well-known HBO veteran with a strong track record, will now oversee the syndicated comedy division.  Joey Chavez, exec vp programming, will continue to report to Aubrey as lead for Max dramas.

International co-productions — such as I May Destroy You — will now be undertaken by the drama and comedy teams.  With Warners titles already destined for HBO Max, there was less need for an acquisitions team, especially given the reduced need for third-party titles.

Following the reduction of HBO Max’s family of nonfiction and live-action originals, both divisions have been hit hard by layoffs.  HBO Max original reality — led by Jennifer O’Connell — as well as casting, international and acquisitions are the four most affected departments, along with business affairs and production.  The latter two divisions are being cut to eliminate layoffs, part of Zaslav’s plan to find $3 billion in cost savings after the merger.  The rest of Bloys’ direct programming references remain unchanged.

With the influx of unscripted programming from Discovery, HBO Max has had little to no need to continue to focus on originals.  HBO Max’s current unscripted originals will remain on the platform, with renewal decisions based on performance.  Their oversight will shift to Discovery executives going forward.  

Additional layoffs are expected in other WBD divisions, but that’s it for the Bloys team.  The cuts end weeks of wild speculation about how deep they would be, including suggestions that most HBO Max originals would be dropped.  That’s not the case, however, as Bloys and Aubrey continue to develop a slate that includes hits And Just Like That, The Sex Lives of College Girls and Gossip Girl.

HBO Max and Discovery+ will merge into one service next year.  Executives are currently discussing a new name for the service, with sources saying much of the discussion is whether the HBO name remains part of it or whether a broader name for the service would work better.  There are no cancellations under Monday’s layoffs.  HBO also won’t be a tile on whatever the new combined platform is.  Budgets are also unaffected, with sources saying they will only increase to meet rising prices for content and top talent.