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Godzilla & Dune Studio Looking To Ditch Warner Bros After Release Debate
Another major hit comes for Warner Bros. Discovery as it appears longtime partner Legendary Pictures is eying deals with other studios. Founded in 2000 by Thomas Tull, Legendary Pictures formed a partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures from 2005 to 2014 and worked with the studio on Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, Zack Snyder's Watchmen, and The Hangover trilogy to name a few. In 2014 they moved over to Universal Pictures for films like Jurassic World and Straight Outta Compton.
After a string of box office disappointments, Universal Pictures let their deal with Legendary Pictures expire and Legendary reunited with Warner Bros. in 2019. Legendary Pictures had already moved the development of Pokemon: Detective Pikachu over to Warner Bros. and had the MonsterVerse films like Godzilla and Kong: Skull Island released at Warner Bros. In 2021 during Warner Bros.' experiment to release their entire slate of films in theaters and HBO Max simultaneously, the only two films to gross over $100 million at the box office were Legendary Pictures Godzilla vs. Kong and Dune so it would appear Warner Bros. Discovery would want to keep this deal intact.
However, it appears that Legendary Pictures is looking to end its deal with Warner Bros. Discovery. According to Deadline, the production company is looking at deals with Sony Pictures and Paramount Pictures, with the latter being the frontrunner. No official confirmation has been made by Legendary Pictures of Warner Bros. Discovery but it is reported the deal between the studio has recently expired.
Despite Godzilla vs. Kong and Dune's box office success, the decision to send both films to HBO Max while in theaters without informing Legendary Pictures likely soured relations between the two companies, and Legendary Pictures at one point considered legal action. Losing Legendary Pictures would just be another in a string of bad headlines for Warner Bros. Discovery over the past month from canceling Batgirl, to removing 200 episodes of Sesame Street, to souring working relations with many creatives over the cancelation and removal of many series and films from HBO Max. Losing Legendary Pictures, alongside having lost both the LEGO franchise and director Christopher Nolan to Universal Pictures is another blow to Warner Bros.
Legendary Picture's decision to move over to another studio may also impact some of Warner Bros. franchises. While the studio is already in development on both Dune Part Two and a sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong, as Legendary Pictures put up the majority of the money for those properties and secured the film rights initially it is unclear if future properties would be brought over to a new studio or would remain at Warner Bros. It also leaves a question of what will happen in regards to the planned series Dune: The Sisterhood which is being developed by Legendary Television for HBO Max. However, following HBO Max halting development on many high-profile series, including the animated Batman: The Caped Crusader series from Matt Reeves and J.J. Abrams, to be shopped at other networks meaning the Dune series may find a new home.
