Current Events > Warner Bros. is being sued for putting Matrix Resurrections on HBO Max

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Village Roadshow is suing Warner Bros. on Monday, alleging that Warner Bros. sabotaged the theatrical release of The Matrix Resurrections by releasing the film on HBO Max without consulting Village Roadshow, Variety reports.

The Matrix: Resurrections, the fourth entry in the Matrix franchise, grossed $148 million at the box office, a mere fourth of what even critically panned The Matrix Revolutions grossed. Village Roadshow has a co-financing agreement with Warner Bros. on films like the Matrix trilogy and Joker.

WBs strategy not only ensured that The Matrix Resurrections would be a bust at the box office, but it also inflicted serious harm to the entire Matrix franchise, the suit alleges. There can be no doubt that the abysmal theatrical box office sales figures from The Matrix Resurrections dilute the value of this tent pole franchise as a films lack of profitability generally prevents studios from investing in additional sequels and derivative films in the near term.

The suit also alleges that releasing Resurrections on HBO Max encouraged piracy, further cutting into Resurrections' box office gross.

Village Roadshow has received no profit from The Matrix Resurrections being put on HBO Max, the suit alleges. Other allegations include That due to poor box office performance, Village Roadshow cannot make its contractually obligated payment to Warner Bros., which threatens the company's right to the film, and that Warner Bros. has allegedly been seeking to deprive Village Roadshow of its rights to other films like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Edge of Tomorrow.

Warner Bros. released a statement saying it had brought an arbitration case against Village Roadshow.

This is a frivolous attempt by Village Roadshow to avoid their contractual commitment to participate in the arbitration that we commenced against them last week, the studio said. We have no doubt that this case will be resolved in our favor.

Village Roadshow is seeking a declaration from the court that WB is in breach of its fiduciary duties, and that Village Roadshow is entitled to rights it would receive from The Matrix Resurrections.

https://www.ign.com/articles/warner-bros-sued-matrix-resurrections-village-roadshow

Maybe the fact that it was a shitty uninspired movie that didn't need to happen did more damage than HBO Max.

The movie itself did enough to damage to the franchise

wtf is village roadshow. The article rambles on like everyone should know what it is

Tent pole franchise? Bro, the Matrix hasn't been a draw in like 20 years. Nobody wanted a new movie and it sure doesn't help when that unwanted movie also sucks.

It was announced pretty much a year in advance that they would be putting it on HBO Max. I think Village Roadshow had plenty of time to have these concerns addressed by then. The general consensus is that it was a terribly written movie anyways.

XxKrazyChaosxX posted...

It was announced pretty much a year in advance that they would be putting it on HBO Max. I think Village Roadshow had plenty of time to have these concerns addressed by then.

Yep. They're just using it as a scapegoat now that the movie didn't do well.

I didn't bother to watch it on HBO Max because I heard it sucks, did I miss out?

XxKrazyChaosxX posted...

It was announced pretty much a year in advance that they would be putting it on HBO Max. I think Village Roadshow had plenty of time to have these concerns addressed by then. The general consensus is that it was a terribly written movie anyways.

I dunno this sounds like the big issue to me

XxKrazyChaosxX posted...

Village Roadshow has received no profit from The Matrix Resurrections being put on HBO Max, the suit alleges. Other allegations include That due to poor box office performance, Village Roadshow cannot make its contractually obligated payment to Warner Bros., which threatens the company's right to the film, and that Warner Bros. has allegedly been seeking to deprive Village Roadshow of its rights to other films like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Edge of Tomorrow.

Warner Bros. released a statement saying it had brought an arbitration case against Village Roadshow.

Those all sound like recent developments.

Village Roadshow should be sued for creating it in the first place. It was complete dog shit. Ive never been more disappointed in a movie. It was like if they made The Matrix into some shitty TV spin off.

They should be sued for putting that awful movie on HBO and being responsible for people watching it. Oh wait thats not what theyre suing for??