Legendary Splits from WB

[-JKR-]

Yeah, this won't be a catastrophe for films like the writers strike was. This will go unnoticed pretty much.

Business and geek forums don't mesh well together. There's news about how Sony was thinking about selling their film branch off, which owns franchises such as Spider-man, and nerds somehow came to the conclusion that this would somehow mean that the rights would revert back to Marvel, when that didn't have anything to do with that, whatsoever. Here, Legendary departs Warners, and having seen the Legendary logos in front of the many DC movies lately, they think that will somehow compromise them, or other movies where they were involved.

 

[DorneyDave]

Wow, seeing the WB Logo and the Legendary logo before the Nolan Batfilms will always be engrained in my memory as the best times I've had in cinemas.

 

[Marvolo]

Tell me about it. Seeing WB, DC, and Legendary logos together always promised a great time.

 

[mclay18]

Wow, seeing the WB Logo and the Legendary logo before the Nolan Batfilms will always be engrained in my memory as the best times I've had in cinemas.

Legendary's logo didn't appear at all in Batman Begins, nor mentioned in the end credits. The only way we found about Legendary's involvement on BB was the home video release. (And it was only until Superman Returns came out that it started getting proper screen credit.)

And Legendary didn't have much say in story development and production of any of the Batman films -- aside from getting a share of the profits. Just because WB and Legendary made over two dozen films together doesn't mean every film they made was gold. Remember The Ant Bully, Beerfest or Ninja Assassin? I thought not.

 

[Marvolo]

Legendary's logo didn't appear at all in Batman Begins, nor mentioned in the end credits. The only way we found about Legendary's involvement on BB was the home video release. (And it was only until Superman Returns came out that it started getting proper screen credit.)

And Legendary didn't have much say in story development and production of any of the Batman films -- aside from getting a share of the profits. Just because WB and Legendary made over two dozen films together doesn't mean every film they made was gold. Remember The Ant Bully, Beerfest or Ninja Assassin? I thought not.

Whay does all this have to do with his post? He said the Legendary/WB logo combo is engrained in his memory because of the Nolan Batman films. Its a legitimate statement.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

Haters gonna hate.

 

[Octoberist]

I have to admit that McClay's post was strangely inappropriate. It's like a 'F*** your memories' moment for no reason.

 

[Smallville13]

Tell me about it. Seeing WB, DC, and Legendary logos together always promised a great time.

Always...

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

I have to admit that McClay's post was strangely inappropriate. It's like a 'F*** your memories' moment for no reason.

Always...

We don't talk about that.

 

[Brother Jack]

Kind of sad that they're parting ways. They made some monumental films together.

 

[Mrs. Sawyer]

Legendary's logo didn't appear at all in Batman Begins, nor mentioned in the end credits. The only way we found about Legendary's involvement on BB was the home video release. (And it was only until Superman Returns came out that it started getting proper screen credit.)

And Legendary didn't have much say in story development and production of any of the Batman films -- aside from getting a share of the profits. Just because WB and Legendary made over two dozen films together doesn't mean every film they made was gold. Remember The Ant Bully, Beerfest or Ninja Assassin? I thought not.

No studio ever gets it 100% right, especially with the volume of movies they've released together over the years.

You know what we will remember? Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, Watchmen, The Hangover, Where the Wild Things Are, Inception, The Town, 300, and Man of Steel.

 

[kalhawj]

This split up is a good thing for both. As for WB they can finally take all the profit from their movie... They a Big company that with this split helps them... It will open the door to establishing the rumor DC Studio to do what Marvel Studio is doing for Disney.

 

[MrMaooz]

For their big tentpole movies now, it would be weird not seeing a Legendary logo right after WB one. Its like I expect it during the opening.

Same.

 

[MrMaooz]

I'm surprised Paramount is being considered. Any reason for that?

Because they have Skydance.

Edit: Whoops, misread it as why isn't Paramount being considered.

 

[mclay18]

I'm surprised Paramount is being considered. Any reason for that?

Paramount and Disney were the ones who "respectfully" declined to meet with Legendary. I thought for sure that Legendary would talk with Disney since Alan Horn was on good terms with Thomas Tull while Horn was at WB, but I guess the higher-ups vetoed it.

And besides, Paramount has three companies that regularly share co-financing with them: Skydance, Hemisphere Media Capital, and MGM.

 

[BeserkerHilf]

Just because WB and Legendary made over two dozen films together doesn't mean every film they made was gold. Remember Beerfest or Ninja Assassin? I thought not.

Excuse me, yes I do. And very well, indeed.

 

[mclay18]

WB has found a successor: Dune Entertainment. Dune co-financed several big Fox properties, like Avatar, during their stay at the studio. After Fox declined to renew their pact, Dune sought another studio.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/warner-bros-closing-massive-financing-582274

The $400M deal would run 3-4 years, and would cover all of WB's movie slate -- including a Man of Steel sequel.

 

[Octoberist]

I also read that WB gets to keep some of the properties that were tied to Legendary, like Godzilla for example.

 

[Poni_Boy]

Well they don't really "get" to as much as they're stuck with them. Those marketing/distribution deals were in place long ago and Legendary won't give WB a free pass. Pacific Rim, Seventh Son and Godzilla are Legendary movies first and foremost (they put in about 75% of the production costs).

 

[Octoberist]

So what does that mean for potential sequels? Studio jumping or obligations to do them with WB? Either way, Variety reports that Godzila is staying with WB, with or without Legendary.

 

[Poni_Boy]

Godzilla will stay with WB because WB bought the film rights. Legendary just footed a bigger portion of the bill. Regarding sequels, I very much doubt they have to worry about Pacific Rim and Seventh Son becoming franchises.

 

[:eek:]

Legendary Goes To Uni, Warners Nabs Dune

By Garth Franklin Wednesday July 10th 2013 08:01AM
It's official, Legendary Entertainment has found a new home at NBCUniversal.
The production company's new co-financing and distribution deal with Universal allows Legendary to expand in various areas - especially theme parks and national television channels.
Legendary will officially end its current financing, production and distribution pact with Warner Bros. Pictures at the end of 2013.
The news comes as Warner Bros. Pictures puts the finishing touches on a financing arrangement with Dune Entertainment.
Valued in the $400+ million range, the potential deal will likely happen this summer. A key component of the deal is the involvement of RatPac Entertainment, the new venture of filmmaker Brett Ratner and Australian media mogul James Packer.
Dune had been with Fox for much of the past decade until renewal negotiations broke down. The deal with Warners will cover the studio's entire movie slate for the next three to four years.

 

[DorneyDave]

Legendary's logo didn't appear at all in Batman Begins, nor mentioned in the end credits. The only way we found about Legendary's involvement on BB was the home video release. (And it was only until Superman Returns came out that it started getting proper screen credit.)

And Legendary didn't have much say in story development and production of any of the Batman films -- aside from getting a share of the profits. Just because WB and Legendary made over two dozen films together doesn't mean every film they made was gold. Remember The Ant Bully, Beerfest or Ninja Assassin? I thought not.

Yikes. I just was saying that their logo with the WB logo is a memory I'll always have. It was always attached to my most anticipated films like Nolan's Batfilms, Inception, Watchmen....and the films all delivered beyond expectations to me.

I don't know what were yelling about is what I'm trying to say.

 

[Mr.M]

Can anyone explain to me what properties Legendary has the rights to and what their former partner WB gets to keep? Legendary helped develop all the DC properties but WB still keeps rights to all of that no? What about the other modest franchises/films they helped develop for WB? Do they lose all of that and only end up with whatever Universal has under their umbrella?

 

[Octoberist]

Legendary is losing Godzilla because WB bought the rights originally; also if there to e a Pacific Rim sequel, then Legendary would set it up at Universal. Also Universal is keeping whatever Legendary has thats still developing like Warcraft or Crimson Peak.