Legendary Entertainmentis looking to extinguish its partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery after the expiration of the most recent deal between the two parties. Warner Bros. Discovery and Legendary Entertainment have been in a somewhat delicate partnership for the past three years, which has ruffled feathers in their long-standing relationship. Now, the production company is looking for a new home for its upcoming cinematic catalog.
As reported byThe Ankler, the production company is eyeing a move to Sony or Paramount, but nothing in the realm of certainty has officially surfaced. However, discussions with Warner Bros. Discovery are still ongoing, but it is highly unlikely thatLegendary Entertainmentwill enter into a new partnership with the studio. The separation would be the second time the production company has cut ties with the studio, having first done so after their initial eight-year relationship ended in 2013.
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The move by Legendary Entertainment should not be much of a surprise, especially after it surfaced in 2020 that the well-known production company had considered suing Warner Bros. Discovery for its contentious “Project Popcorn” cinematic release strategy. The studio decided to release its entire 2021 cinematic slate simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max, which included films financed by Legendary Entertainment, such asDenis Villeneuve’sDuneandGodzilla vs. Kong. The decision was far from popular with certain filmmakers, including long-time Warner Bros. collaborator Christopher Nolan.
Losing their partnership with Legendary Entertainment would be a significant blow to Warner Bros. Discovery, which would be another added stain on the currently restructuring studio.DuneandGodzilla vs. Kongwere the highest-grossing movies worldwide for the studio during their “Project Popcorn” experiment. Both projects collectively accumulated over $780 million at the box office, whileDunewent on to impressively earn ten Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture.
While CEO David Zaslav has voiced commitment for theatrical releases moving forward, the current upheaval at the studio has several creators and partners concerned. Afterthe sudden cancelation ofBatgirland other projects beneath the studio’s banner, it is understandable that some would be hesitant to work with Warner Bros. Discovery, wearying that their projects may meet a similar fate no matter where they are in production. It is unclear what is drivingLegendary Entertainment’s decision to move on from the studio, but it is hard to ignore recent events that have put Warner Bros. Discovery in an unfavorable light.
