Warner Bros. builds new talent offerings to offset HBO Max release plan

According to several reports, Warner Bros. is working on agreements for new payments to filmmakers and their teams due to the the studio’s unprecedented decision to make all 17 theatrical films for 2021 available simultaneously for a one-month exclusive window on HBO MaxOffers will be based in part on HBO Max streaming fees and, as stated by Bloomberg, “will guarantee payment regardless of box office sales and increase the chances of performance-based bonuses.”

According to the Bloomberg article, “Anyone eligible for a bonus will receive one to half of the box office revenue that would normally be required to trigger a payment. And if more theaters close, the threshold will drop further – a stipulation called the ‘Covid-19 multiplier’. “

“Those who would normally participate in the profits of box office receipts will continue to do so and will benefit from on-demand and online sales.”

Cast, crew, and profit participants will be paid from fees that HBO Max will pay Warner Bros. for the “31 day window” of a particular film.

This new payment structure may help allay monetary gripes, but it likely won’t allay creative objections raised by directors like Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve of Dune, as the latter did. accused Warner Bros. to have “no love for cinema” and old called HBO Max “the worst streaming service”.

Right now, according to THR, Legendary Godzilla vs. Kong, which will be released on HBO Max and in theaters on May 21, is at the heart of the ongoing negotiations.

According to Forbes, Warner Bros. recently blocked a deal that would have seen Legendary sell the film to Netflix for $ 225 million just before it was announced that the studio’s 2021 movie slate was headed to HBO Max.

In other streaming news, Marvel’s Moon Knight series, to air on Disney +, just added two directors while Roku officially acquired Quibi’s content library, less than three months after discontinuation of the entertainment streaming service.