Entertainment
Warner Bros. Wins $57M Village Roadshow Settlement in for ‘Matrix Resurrections’
Village Roadshow has reached a settlement with Warner Bros. to pay $57 million to the studio after an arbitrator ruled against them in a dispute over the financing and distribution agreement of the 2021 film “The Matrix Resurrections.”
In 2022, Warner Bros. filed arbitration demands to Village Roadshow over “Matrix Resurrections” and other IP the studio shared the rights to with Warner Bros.
Roadshow, which was struggling financially in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic and with the failing launch of its new television production division and the poor box office of “Matrix Resurrections,” filed a lawsuit against Warner, accusing the studio of breach of contract over its decision to release “Resurrections” day-and-date in theaters and on HBO Max.
Village Roadshow also alleged that it was shut out of co-financing sequels and remakes to key franchises it shared the rights to, including the Timothée Chalamet musical “Wonka.”
But when the lawsuit was moved to arbitration, a ruling came down in favor of Warner Bros., as the arbiter found that Roadshow had breached the film’s co-ownership and distribution agreements. Village Roadshow was ordered to pay Warner $125 million in exchange for a 50% share of profits from “Matrix Resurrections” after Warner recouped its marketing and distribution costs. That ruling played a factor in Village Roadshow’s bankruptcy last year.
In the wake of that bankruptcy, Warner filed a claim for the $125 million payment. The $57 million paid by Village Roadshow in the settlement is what remains of the $125 million payment minus what Roadshow would have received through the 50% profit share, which it no longer can acquire.
As for Village Roadshow’s catalog, Warner attempted to buy the derivative rights in bankruptcy court, but lost out to an $18.5 million offer from Alcon, which had previously purchased Roadshow’s catalog for $417.5 million. The derivative rights grant Alcon the right to produce sequels based on Roadshow’s catalog, including the 1998 fantasy film “Practical Magic,” which starred Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock and which is getting a sequel distributed by Warner this September.
UPDATE: 4 PM PT — The story has been updated with further clarification on the terms of the settlement.
>
Entertainment
VMAs Behind the Scenes: Taylor Swift, Dakota Johnson and ‘Off Campus’ Love
>
movies
Lindsay Lohan, Henry Golding to Star in Netflix Movie Return to You
For her next lead role, Lindsay Lohan is embracing nostalgia with a very important DVD.
Lohan and Henry Golding are set to star in the Netflix romantic feature Return to You. Lohan also serves as a producer for the film that Mark Waters will direct from a script by Eric Champnella.
Set in 2008, Return to You stars Lohan as a high-powered but lonely attorney who mistakenly receives a heartfelt DVD from a dying woman to her husband. Lohan’s character uses clues from the recording to attempt to track down the husband.
Lohan and Brad Krevoy serve as producers for the movie that counts Olivia Krevoy, Jimmy Townsend and Galen Fletcher as executive producers.
For Lohan, Return to You marks a reunion with Waters, her director on two hit films — 2003’s Freaky Friday and 2004’s Mean Girls — that helped propel her to Hollywood stardom. Lohan reprised her role as Freaky Friday’s Anna Coleman in 2025 sequel Freakier Friday opposite co-star Jamie Lee Curtis, but that feature had Nisha Ganatra in the director’s chair.
Waters’ recent projects include last year’s Netflix romantic comedy La Dolce Villa and the forthcoming biopic Hershey.
Lohan can soon be seen starring on the Hulu series Count My Lies, alongside Shailene Woodley and Kit Harington. Golding is set to star with Brie Larson and Lily Collins in the Amazon MGM Studios comedy Close Personal Friends.
During a recent cover story for Vogue Arabia, Lohan discussed having become more vocal throughout her career. “With age comes a different kind of confidence,” she said. “When I was younger, I wasn’t so comfortable saying how I felt about a character and being involved with the process of it. And I love that part now.”
>
movies
Dan Trachtenberg Developing New ‘Sleeping Beauty’ Pic (Exclusive)
EXCLUSIVE: After breathing new life into the Predator franchise at 20th Century, Dan Trachtenberg and Disney have found their next property to give a fresh spin on. Sources tell Deadline the Prey director is coming on to direct an original idea inspired by the classic Disney tale Sleeping Beauty. The untitled project is in early development and is inspired by the classic fairy tale, taking the story in an entirely new direction with Trachtenberg’s distinct sensibility.
While plot details are being kept under wraps, Insiders add that this take has no connection to the Maleficent films starring Angelina Jolie. Trachtenberg and Raya McClendon came up with the story with Alex Anfanger and Dan Schimpf penning the script.
Trachtenberg and his long time producing partner Ben Rosenblatt will produce as will Star Wars producer Michelle Rejwan. EVP of production Jessica Virtue is overseeing the project with Creative Executive Alina Mota, reporting to Disney Live Action President Daria Cercek.
Trachtenberg and Disney have strong ties after he successfully helped relaunch the Predator franchise with his hit Prey, that was not only a massive success on Hulu but also heard strong critical prase as well landing an Emmy nomination for best TV movie. He followed that up with the Predator: Badlands as well as the animated Predator pic Predator: Killer of Killers for Hulu, which also has a 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes; all three of Dan’s entries hold the record for highest rated on Rotten Tomatoes in the Predator franchise.
He is currently in pre-production on a top secret pic at Paramount.
Anfanger and Schimp are the co-creators of the Comedy Central series Big Time In Hollywood, FL.
Trachtenberg is repped by CAA, Untitled Entertainment and Johnson Shapiro Slewett and Kole, Anfanger and Schimp are repped by Mosaic, CAA, and Ginsburg Daniels Kallis.
>
-
movies4 months agoSearch For Canadian TV Actor Stewart McLean Now Homicide Investigation
-
Fashion9 years agoThese ’90s fashion trends are making a comeback in 2017
-
Fashion9 years agoAccording to Dior Couture, this taboo fashion accessory is back
-
Fashion9 years agoModel Jocelyn Chew’s Instagram is the best vacation you’ve ever had
-
Fashion9 years agoEmily Ratajkowski channels back-to-school style
-
Fashion9 years ago9 Celebrities who have spoken out about being photoshopped
-
Anime4 months agoRurouni Kenshin: Hokkaido Arc Manga Takes 1-Issue Break – News
-
Anime3 months agoHIDIVE to Stream English Dubs for The World Is Dancing, The Forsaken Saintess and Her Foodie Roadtrip in Another World, The Dangers in My Heart: The Movie Anime – News
