Warner Bros. Discovery sued Amazon in the California Superior Court in Los Angeles, seeking unspecified damages and injunctive relief.

The media company said Amazon induced executives under contract to leave before their deals expired, including HBO Max marketing executive Pia Barlow.

Barlow, a 17-year HBO veteran, led originals marketing campaigns for titles including “House of the Dragon,” “Hacks,” and “The Pitt.”

She is set to join Amazon MGM Studios as vice president and head of original series marketing, a newly created role overseeing Prime Video’s US and global original series marketing.

The complaint said Amazon tried to recruit another Warner Bros. Discovery executive whose contract runs through December 2027, and tried to interfere with at least one other Warner Bros. Discovery executive’s contract.

Amazon MGM Studios declined to comment.

The case could test California employment rules, which are generally at-will unless a contract says otherwise.

In entertainment industry, however, California courts have given mixed treatment to fixed-term contracts and in-term exclusivity clauses.

🔗 Source: TechCrunch