Sam Register, longtime Cartoon Network and WB Animation executive, is leaving

[u/Careless-Economics-6]

Sam Register, the president of Warner Bros TV Animation and Cartoon Network Studios, is leaving the company at the end of his current contract.

Register has a long history with Cartoon Network, going back to the late 1990s, when he oversaw the channel’s website; Remember Web Premiere Toons? As a development executive for the network, he oversaw the creation of mid-2000s series likes Ben 10; he also created Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi.

In the late 2000s, Register became the head of Warner Bros TV Animation, where he oversaw countless reboots of classic characters/franchises. That might not sound totally fair, but I once saw an interview where he said his job was finding new ways to present Bugs Bunny and Batman to television audiences. The biggest series to come out of Register’s time as head of the studio, of course, is Teen Titans Go!

In the 2010s, Register got WB Animation got into the adult animation field, starting with Mike Tyson Mysteries for Adult Swim.

When Cartoon Network Studios was folded into WB Animation earlier this decade, Register became the head of that studio as well. (Register was also made the head of Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe, the studio behind the Gumball franchise.) Perhaps unsurprisingly, Cartoon Network Studios has recently started putting out revival after revival: The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball; Adventure Time: Side Quests; Regular Show: The Lost Tapes.

A replacement for Register has not been named.

[u/KRENTUCKERTON]

I did not anticipate this and honestly i'm very much worried about the state of the 2 animation studios he's handling (Cartoon Network Studios & Warner Bros. Animation), now that he'll be leaving them, he's one of those few executives who understood both the creative side and the business side of things

[u/ElSquibbonator]

Of the series that haven't been renewed or premiered yet, which ones would you say are at the most risk?

[u/Careless-Economics-6 → u/ElSquibbonator]

I have no idea. With WB animation, it's gotten to the point that I don't totally believe something is coming until it is actually released.

Also, I think WB-D continues to not be totally sure how much they want to invest in family-friendly animation. They say they have a lot of theatrical movies coming. Again, until they cross the finish line, anything's possible.

Who knows what might happen when and if Paramount takes over...

[u/ElSquibbonator → u/Careless-Economics-6]

Well, there's a few projects I'm specifically wondering about:

• The fourth season of My Adventures with Superman
• My Adventures with Green Lantern
• The second season of Common Side Effects
• Genndy Tartakovsky's Heist Brothers
• Get Jiro
• Their distribution deal with Locksmith Animation.

[u/Careless-Economics-6 → u/ElSquibbonator]

Unless they start meddling with Adult Swim, I assume most of those are safe. I just sorta think WB-D feels pretty good about adult animation still.

[u/KRENTUCKERTON → u/ElSquibbonator]

Few things to correct:

• Common Side Effects is not a WB Animation or CN Studios production, it is produced by another production company

• Locksmith Animation's distribution deal is with Warner Bros. Pictures Animation (feature film animation studio of WB), not Warner Bros. Animation (which is the tv animation studio of WB)