John Oliver Skewers Warner Bros.' DC Superhero Movie Woes on 'Last Week Tonight'

On the latest episode of "Last Week Tonight," comedian John Oliver took aim at President Trump's Department of Justice, which under former Attorney General Pam Bondi has seemingly morphed into a legal enforcer for the president. Oliver presented a damning clip from an interview between NBC News' Laura Jarrett and Trump's personal lawyer Todd Blanche, who was appointed Attorney General for the District of Columbia. "Many of the cases and investigations I've mentioned so far have since fallen apart," said Oliver, before airing the tense exchange between Jarrett and Blanche. In the interview, Blanche seemed to struggle with the department's poor record, with Jarrett pointing out multiple dismissed indictments, unsuccessful probes, and a tossed-out subpoena. Blanche responded by claiming that they were "working hard" and weren't afraid of "hard cases." Oliver chimed in, "No one's accusing you of running away; they're accusing you of losing. Rest assured, everyone believes you ran headlong into a brick wall." He went on to joke that the repeated failures could be good news for DC movies if it were true. Oliver then showcased a montage of disappointing DC superhero movie posters, including "Birds of Prey," "The Flash," "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," "Shazam! Fury of the Gods," "Black Adam," and "Supergirl." The latter film, produced by Warner Bros. – the same parent company as Oliver's HBO show – is expected to lose up to $100 million due to its dismal worldwide gross of $126 million against a budget of over $170 million and additional marketing expenses of $120 million. The potential takeover of Warner Bros. by the pro-Trump Ellison family through Paramount Skydance's acquisition adds an extra layer of irony to Oliver's critique, as he pokes fun at the company's struggles while working for a rival division under the same corporate umbrella. It remains to be seen how the intertwining of politics and entertainment will unfold in the future.