Warner Bros. Discovery has filed a lawsuit against Amazon, accusing it of poaching employees, including former senior VP for originals marketing Pia Barlow. The suit claims that 'Amazon has chosen to ride on the coattails of other well-established Hollywood mainstays' and engaged in a 'lawless employee shopping spree.'

Barlow will take up her new position as Amazon’s head of original series marketing on August 3rd, despite being under contract until October 2027. Warner's lawsuit alleges that Amazon knowingly ‘induced’ Barlow to breach her agreement by offering a higher pay package and legal support if Warner sought legal action for breach of contract.

This is not the first time such disputes have occurred in the entertainment industry. YouTube settled with Disney over its hiring of Justin Connolly, while 20th Century Fox won a lawsuit against Netflix when it poached two of its executives. Term employment agreements are common in the entertainment industry but less so in others, leading to friction with tech companies attempting to break into the industry.

Francesca Orsi, HBO’s head of drama series and films, is also believed to be among Amazon's targets. The suit indicates that Warner Bros.'s concerns extend beyond Barlow, suggesting ongoing poaching attempts.