Longtime Warner Bros. Animation President Sam Register Departing

Sam Register, the long-serving head of Warner Bros. Animation, is leaving the studio in a move that even his boss, Channing Dungey, acknowledged was unexpected.

In a memo to staff Tuesday afternoon (read it below), Dungey — chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Television Group and WBD U.S. Networks — wrote that “I know this comes as a surprise and you have a lot to digest.” The memo says that Dungey and Register “mutually agreed” not to renew Register’s contract as president of WB Animation, Cartoon Network Studios and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe. Register’s current contract ends next week.

“It’s time for me to move onto the next chapter in my life, and I’m grateful to have Channing’s support as I exit Warner Bros Animation,” Register said. “It’s been an amazing ride and I want to extend my sincere thanks to all the great people I’ve worked with — we’ve built some incredible things together. I wish you all the best moving forward, and I’m excited to explore all the possibilities in my future.”

Register has headed Warner Bros. Animation for the past 18 years, adding Cartoon Network Studios to his portfolio in 2020 and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe the following year. He began his animation career at Cartoon Network, helping launch the network’s website in the late 1990s and executive produced series including Ben 10, The Looney Tunes Show, Teen Titans and Teen Titans Go!, and Scooby-Doo: Mystery Incorporated, among many others. (A character in the Teen Titans comics is also named after him.)

Variety first reported the news. Dungey’s memo to WB Animation staffers is below.

Dear WBA Team,

It’s with mixed emotions that I announce the studio and our head of animation, Sam Register, have mutually agreed not to renew his contract. Sam, our President of Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe, is a great talent and we thank him for all the enormous contributions he’s made over his 18 years heading up our animation efforts. We wish him the best in all future endeavors.

Sam asked me to share this with you:

“It’s time for me to move onto the next chapter in my life, and I’m grateful to have Channing’s support as I exit Warner Bros Animation. It’s been an amazing ride and I want to extend my sincere thanks to all the great people I’ve worked with — we’ve built some incredible things together. I wish you all the best moving forward, and I’m excited to explore all the possibilities in my future.”

While we search for Sam’s replacement, Matt Matzkin will continue to lead Business Operations, and the current creative department heads — Jay Bastian (Current Series), Jason DeMarco (Anime & Action Series), Audrey Diehl (Kids & Family), Sarah Fell (Hanna-Barbera Studios, UK), Peter Girardi (Alternative Programming/Adult), and Sammy Perlmutter (Long Form & Specials) — will lead their respective departments.

Needless to say, this will be a time when we’ll need everyone to step up, stay focused and keep delivering the excellence for which our animation studios are so justifiably revered. I have every confidence our superb team will emerge from this transition stronger than ever.

I know this comes as a surprise and you have a lot to digest. Please reach out to your supervisor with any concerns, and remember my door is always open.