Cautious brand managers are sometimes reluctant to have a live-action TV show on the air when producing live-action films such as Warner Bros. putting the kibosh on any Batman TV projects while making Christopher Nolan's trilogy.

CNN: ABC to look at 'Star Wars' live-action TV series

Ms. Whitman was named CEO of the struggling computer and printer giant in September and so far has aimed to undo the damage created by her predecessor, Leo Apotheker, including putting the kibosh on a proposed split-off of the company's PC business.

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