Warner Bros Discovery says ongoing Hollywood strikes could cost it £398 million

Law & Order actress Jill Hennessy on the picket line outside Warner Bros Discovery’s headquarters in New York City in July (Alamy/PA)

Warner Bros Discovery has cut its profit expectations for the year, saying it will likely incur costs as high as 500 million US dollars (£398 million) tied to the ongoing Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strike.

The American film and television industries remain paralysed by the dual strikes.

The writers’ strike began in May and the actors joined them on July 14.

With both guilds still on strike today, the company now assumes the financial impact to (Warner Bros Discovery) of these strikes will persist through the end of 2023

Warner Bros Discovery owns HBO and Max, CNN, TNT and a host of other entertainment outlets, including DC Comics.

The company said in a regulatory filing that it now expects 2023 adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation to be between 10.5 billion (£8.36 billion) to 11 billion dollars (£8.75 billion), down from 11 billion to 11.5 billion (£9.15 billion).

“While (Warner Bros Discovery) is hopeful that these strikes will be resolved soon, it cannot predict when the strikes will ultimately end. With both guilds still on strike today, the company now assumes the financial impact to (Warner Bros Discovery) of these strikes will persist through the end of 2023,” the company said.

Shares of Warner Bros, based in New York City, rose by about 2% on Tuesday.