During his speech at Warner Bros.’ CinemaCon presentation, Warner Motion Picture Group Chairman Toby Emmerich acknowledged the absence of ousted CEO Kevin Tsujihara, who stepped down two weeks ago.
“There is someone who isn’t here but has left his mark in Warner Bros. history, responsible for one of the greatest periods in financial growth in our company, and leading us to be a more diverse and inclusive studio in our executive ranks,” Emmerich said to movie theater executives in Las Vegas. “A big thank you from all of us at Warner Bros., and a special wish from me for godspeed to Kevin Tsujihara.”
Tsujihara stepped down after The Hollywood Reporter published a story that revealed text messages between the executive and actress Charlotte Kirk that suggested that Tsujihara tried to get Kirk roles while the two were in a sexual relationship. The story prompted a new investigation into Tsujihara’s and led to his departure announcement on March 18.
Tsujihara had been at Warner Bros for 25 years, and served as CEO since 2013. He departed after a 2018 that saw WB gross a studio-record $5.6 billion worldwide.