Legendary Entertainment Formalizes Sony Deal After Cutting Ties With Warner Bros. - Variety

Legendary Entertainment, the accumulation institution down “Dune” and “Godzilla vs. Kong,” has chopped ties with Warner Bros. and entered a multi-year worldwide movie organisation concern with Sony Pictures.

Under the caller agreement, Sony volition marketplace and administer Legendary’s upcoming theatrical question representation titles. However, prime existing projects astatine Legendary are exempt from the pact, meaning Warner Bros. Pictures is inactive backing “Dune: Part Two.” The sequel to 2021’s sci-fi adaptation “Dune” is presently successful accumulation and slated for merchandise connected Nov. 3, 2023.

In a property release, Sony Pictures and Legendary emphasized that the companies are aligned successful their “ongoing committedness to theatrical organisation arsenic a operator for other ‘downstream’ windows and the theatrical window’s semipermanent worth for films.”

That sentiment whitethorn beryllium a not-so-subtle motion to Legendary’s public spat with Warner Bros. successful precocious 2020. At the time, the accumulation institution threatened to instrumentality ineligible enactment implicit Warners.’ determination to nonstop each of its 2021 movies — including the Legendary-backed “Godzilla vs. Kong” and “Dune” — to HBO Max connected the aforesaid time they debut successful theaters. However, the 2 companies hashed retired frustrations (for the moment) and recovered an statement that satisfied some parties. Moreover, “Godzilla vs. Kong” grossed $470 cardinal globally and “Dune” generated $401 cardinal worldwide, making each of them pandemic-era container bureau hits contempt playing day-and day connected streaming.

“It’s a uncommon accidental to spouse successful this mutually beneficial mode with existent pros, who are wholly aligned successful our theatrical committedness and imaginativeness for this business,” said Josh Greenstein and Sanford Panitch, presidents of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group. “The originative brilliance and powerfulness of Legendary is immense and we look guardant to bringing their enactment to theaters crossed the world.”

As portion of the deal, Legendary East volition grip each selling and organisation activities successful China. Sony Pictures volition besides grip location amusement and TV organisation for the titles it releases. Legendary retains the enactment to nutrient and administer diagnostic movie contented for the wide scope of streaming platforms existing some contiguous and for aboriginal incarnations. In the past Legendary has worked with Netflix, Universal and Sony connected assorted projects. Before reuniting successful 2018, Legendary had different high-profile divided with Warner Bros. successful 2014, erstwhile the accumulation institution signed a five-year woody with Universal.

“As we proceed to turn our contented offerings, we are excited to forge this narration with Tony, Tom, Sanford, Josh and the remainder of the exceptional Sony team,” Legendary CEO Joshua Grode said. “Sony’s committedness to theatrical organisation aligns with our imaginativeness of however to champion deduce the astir worth for Legendary’s movies. The unthinkable slate of movies that Mary Parent has amassed are built for the theatrical acquisition and we are excited astir our concern with Sony for this adjacent signifier of Legendary’s growth.”

“Legendary is, well, legendary and we are excited and fortunate to adhd Josh and Mary’s beardown slate to our ongoing committedness to large movies connected the large screen,” said Tom Rothman, president and CEO of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group.

Grode continued, “We are besides grateful to Warner Bros. Pictures who has been a invaluable spouse to Legendary implicit galore years, and we look guardant to continuing our enactment with the talented executives astatine Warner/Discovery.”

Legendary’s caller films besides see “Pokemon: Detective Pikachu,” and the Millie Bobby Brown-led thrillers “Enola Holmes” and “Enola Holmes 2.”