Warner Bros. is planning to introduce a new payment structure with filmmakers, casts, and crews, based partly on HBO Max streaming fees
Trending News
Warner Bros. is agreeing to new payment structures for filmmakers and their crews based in part on
The studio in December surprised Hollywood by announcing that its entire 2021 line-up would be released on its HBO Max streaming service. The
Those bonuses have traditionally been linked to box office success. There are several movies on Warner Bros.'s 2021 release list that would have been considered tentpoles if they were released into theaters more traditionally.
Legendary Entertainment's "Godzilla vs. Kong," is at the heart of the negotiations, according to The Hollywood Reporter.Forbes reported that
The deal would also cut in half the amount in box office sales that a film would need to hit before partners begin earning bonuses, according to Bloomberg.
It's unclear from the reports whether all filmmakers and production companies involved with Warner Bros.'s 2021 releases will agree to the new deal.
"Dune" director Denis Villeneuve, for example, wrote a scathing essay in Variety after the HBO Max announcement. He said the decision by AT&T, the corporate parent of Warner Bros., was a "sacrifice.""I strongly believe the future of cinema will be on the big screen, no matter what any Wall Street dilettante says," Villeneuve wrote.
HBO Max released "Wonder Woman 1984" on Christmas Day, the same day it arrived in theaters. The movie made more than $16 million in its first weekend, the best opening during the pandemic.
Copyright © 2021. Times Internet Limited. All rights reserved.For reprint rights. Times Syndication Service.
Next