The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Legendary Entertainment and Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group are ending their partnership.

In late 2022, the two companies announced that Sony would act as Legendary’s primary studio for global movie releases and marketing (excluding China). However, a significant condition was that Legendary’s prominent franchises, such as Dune and Godzilla (the latter being part of the MonsterVerse), would still be managed by Warner Bros.

At that time, Legendary aimed to sever all remaining connections with Warner Bros. following the controversial decision by Jason Kilar, from the previous management, to release the studio’s entire 2021 slate simultaneously in theaters and on streaming to increase Max subscribers. This strategy was referred to as “Project Popcorn.”

After Warner Bros. merged with Discovery, the newly appointed head, David Zaslav, made it clear that the studio’s films would once again receive appropriate theatrical releases before moving to home viewing.

The announcement of Sony and Legendary ending their agreement does not come as a shock to Hollywood insiders. It is also not surprising if Legendary decides to return permanently to Warner Bros. Alternatively, Legendary could pursue a new distribution agreement with a different studio or distribute its films on a title-by-title basis.

The contract with Sony is set to expire at the end of the year, although Sony will continue to manage Legendary’s R-rated summer 2025 film, Animal Friends, a live-action/animated CGI hybrid featuring the voices of Ryan Reynolds, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Momoa, and Vince Vaughn. Legendary is co-producing this film with Reynolds’ Maximum Effort and Prime Focus Studios.

The films from Legendary that were handled by Sony included the biblical comedy The Book of Clarence, which faced challenges upon its release last year. Additionally, The Machine, featuring Bert Kreischer, did not generate significant buzz.

Person: Jason Kilar, Ryan Reynolds, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Momoa, Vince Vaughn, Bert Kreischer
Company Names: Legendary Entertainment, Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, Warner Bros., Warner Bros. Discovery, Maximum Effort, Prime Focus Studios
Titles: Dune, Godzilla, Animal Friends, The Book of Clarence, The Machine

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