The trio help curate films on TCM

Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Paul Thomas Anderson to help curate films on TCM

After recent layoffs, three filmmaking giants are stepping in to help out the beloved network.

The trio, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson, placed an “emergency” call to Warner Bros， who are stepping up to help curate programming for Turner Classic Movies, amid a tumultuous week of layoffs and leadership changes that had fans worried about the future of the channel.There may be a light at the end of the tunnel for Turner Classic Movies (TCM).

Tabesh, however, will return to TCM with Scorsese, Spielberg, and Anderson acting as unpaid volunteers who will help guide and curate the network’s programming, even including host intros and outros. TCM’s Classic Film Festival will also continue.

“We have already begun working on ideas with [Warner Bros. executives Michael de Luca and Pamela Abdy], both true film enthusiasts who share a passion and reverence for classic cinema that is the hallmark of the TCM community,” the directors said in a joint statement.

“This unique arrangement, initiated by David Zaslav, reflects his commitment to honoring the TCM legacy while also involving us on curation and programming,” the statement continued. “We are thrilled that longtime programmer Charlie Tabesh will be staying with TCM and gratified to know that the team is focused on preserving TCM’s mission of celebrating our rich movie history while at the same time ensuring that future generations of filmmakers and film lovers have TCM as a valuable resource.”

Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group issued a statement of its own, saying, “TCM is a cultural treasure, and we are honored to help steer the future direction of this beloved brand with the partnership of three of the most iconic filmmakers of our time, Steven, Marty, and Paul.”

TCM’s on-air hosts, like Ben Mankiewicz, Dave Karger and Alicia Malone are expected to stay on too and plans are still in motion for the annual film festival in Los Angeles to continue as well.

Mankiewicz earlier this year spoke to The AP about the channel’s passionate fanbase, from civilians to celebrities like Tom Hanks, who mentioned TCM frequently in his recent memoir. Scorsese also famously keeps it on in his editing suite.

“There’s no channel like us where people’s identification is with the channel,” Mankiewicz said. “When you look at people’s social media pages, they’ll be like ‘lawyer, mother, wife, TCM fan.’ No one says that about Showtime. No one says ‘I’ll watch anything on ABC.’ It’s an absurd thing to say but they say it about us.”