The first of these two companies is tentatively dubbed "Streaming & Studios," though it will almost certainly maintain the Warner Bros. name. This company will comprise Warner Bros. Television, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, DC Studios, HBO and the streaming service HBO Max, along with these brands' existing film and television libraries.

Warner Bros. Discovery's upcoming split will impact investors, and there are three key risks that could hinder stock growth. Read more on the overview of WBD's breakup.

Four years ago, David Zaslav clinched a debt-heavy deal to merge cable mainstay Discovery Inc. — which he’d run since 2006 — with what was then called WarnerMedia. The story he told investors was that the two entities’ diverse array of media assets “are better and more valuable together.” He doesn’t believe that anymore.