Legendary Entertainment cut ties with Warner Bros. and entered a worldwide film distribution partnership with Sony Pictures, Legendary announced Monday.
Sony will market and distribute Legendary’s upcoming theatrical motion picture titles with the exception of select projects, Variety reported. Warner Bros. will still back “Dune: Part Two,” the sequel to the 2021 sci-fi adaptation “Dune,” which will be released November 3, 2023. (RELATED: Hollywood Pulling Major Blockbuster Films In Russia Following Ukraine Invasion)
Sony Pictures will now release Legendary Entertainment upcoming movies.
Warner Brothers will be releasing till Dune: Part Two.#SonyPictures #LegendaryEntertainment pic.twitter.com/LRNAgAFux3
— Movie Track (@movieztrack) November 29, 2022
Sony Pictures and Legendary said in a press release that both companies are aligned in their “ongoing commitment to theatrical distribution as a driver for other ‘downstream’ windows and the theatrical window’s long-term value for films.”
Legendary threatened to sue Warner Bros. in 2020 for its decision to send its 2021 movies — including the Legendary-backed “Godzilla vs. Kong” and “Dune”— to HBO Max on the same day they debuted in theaters, according to Variety. Both parties eventually found an agreement. “Godzilla vs. Kong” grossed $470 million and “Dune” generated $401 million despite the streaming.
“It’s a rare opportunity to partner in this mutually beneficial way with true pros, who are completely aligned in our theatrical commitment and vision for this business,” Josh Greenstein and Sanford Panitch, presidents of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, said, according to Variety. “The creative brilliance and power of Legendary is huge and we look forward to bringing their work to theaters across the world.”