The question is: who will get the children? Legendary Entertainment is going through a very public breakup with Warner Brothers right now. Guess who they’re moving in with? Universal Pictures!
Universal recently announced their five-year partnership deal with Legendary. The pair will produce and co-finance films together, while Universal uses its industry recognition and big studio clout to provide distribution. The move is a pretty big deal, especially for Universal. The studio has gone through some tough times recently, resting too heavily on past franchises like Fast and Furious while failing to get in on the ground floor of the superhero market. With the resounding success of Despicable Me 2 at the box office and this new deal with Legendary, things are looking up for the old studio.
Legendary’s Chairman and CEO Thomas Tull had this to say about the deal:
Comcast and NBCUniversal’s global assets in film, television and theme parks offer Legendary unmatched breadth and opportunity to grow our business. We are delighted to be in business with this exceptional team and look forward to a successful partnership.
Universal is also pretty excited about its new relationship. Universal Pictures Chairman Adam Fogelson and Co-Chairman Donna Langley weighed in on the deal:
Legendary has demonstrated a keen ability to identify and acquire powerful fresh intellectual property based ideas, match them with strong filmmakers and turn them into blockbuster hits.
But what about the children? What does this mean for properties like Man Of Steel, which Legendary had a heavy hand in? Given that Warner Brothers and DC still seem to have an understanding on that front, any sequels – including the planned Justice League film – will likely go ahead without Legendary’s involvement.
Legendary has some big plans for future films aiming at niche audiences, a market that Universal has failed to court. They are already behind the World of Warcraft film and there have been rumors about Hellboy 3. Films currently in production under the Legendary banner include Godzilla and 300: Rise Of An Empire. Universal has just made some good connections in the fanboy world.
What do you think of the Universal/Legendary deal? Will it change the way either group makes movies? Let us know in the comments.