HBO Max launched

[ComicJunkie21]

In another thread the example of the Bones vs Fox lawsuit came up and it can serve as a pretty good example at the potential legal fight brewing. With the US utilizing common law, it does not look good for WB/HBO Max. Here's what I stated in a separate thread:

After reading the situation on Bones and Fox it appears that WB biggest obstacle may be defending the fee it negotiated with HBO Max. I think we all can assume that the details of the dealing is going to come out in court and show that HBO Max did not pay a sufficient amount for the rights to stream the content. That actually brings WW84 into question too because even though WB paid 10 million to the lead actress and director, it does not exempt them from paying a sufficient market fee to stream it. This whole situation can cause HBO Max/Warner to have to pay substantial legal fees and lawsuits. The cost could be in the billions just because there are so many films and parties involved.

To add more fuel to the fire the Netflix deal that was killed earlier by WB may also be used as part of defense for punitive damages by Legendary because there was an actual market value already placed on the film for bidding purposes. If the lawsuits really do flood in like we think they are, I don't see how HBO Max can stay afloat and how ATT doesn't get ticked because their debt load will increase with these lawsuits.

[luprki]

Production Companies, Individual Producers, Directors, and some Actors all have deals with WB to get proceeds from the theatrical run of these films it's why they agreed to do them. So by not releasing them exclusively to theaters for a run or not buying them out like they did Gal Gadot and Patty Jenkins WB is in violation of the contracts and any lawsuits are not frivolous due to this.

Not true, WB has all distributions rights and has final say on how it will get distributed. This is nothing new, there has been many films that for whatever reason pull from theaters release to steaming or direct to video. This is especially true in 2020. WB will continue to release the movies to HBO Max, because they know they have the legal right to it. With producers, actors or others this has always been a risk, but COVID-19 has exploited it more.

[numberthirty]

Not true, WB has all distributions rights and has final say on how it will get distributed. This is nothing new, there has been many films that for whatever reason pull from theaters release to steaming or direct to video. This is especially true in 2020. WB will continue to release the movies to HBO Max, because they know they have the legal right to it. With producers, actors or others this has always been a risk, but COVID-19 has exploited it more.

Let's say this is anything like what is actually happening(which we haven't actually seen anything outside of a random internet poster's word on...).

WB actually doing so had better make them a pretty good chunk of money. They will need it once they have ruined the working relationships between the company and any creators that they would need to actually stand any chance of turning a profit in the future.

[luprki]

Let's say this is anything like what is actually happening(which we haven't actually seen anything outside of a random internet poster's word on...).

WB actually doing so had better make them a pretty good chunk of money. They will need it once they have ruined the working relationships between the company and any creators that they would need to actually stand any chance of turning a profit in the future.

I think there is some confusing here. No one has threatened a lawsuit to stop WB from going to HBO Max, because they can’t legally stop WB, they are only threatening to suit because they had no say in the matter. Legendary wanted to be part of the HBO Max deal, but WB left them out. In other words; Legendary wants more money.

[Gaastra]

Legendary payed for 60% of kong and dune. It's wb taking someone elses money and flushing it down the toilet without asking them!

Legendary has every right to be mad!

Edit--it was 75% not 60!

[Gaastra]

We now know who it was now. WB head came up with the idea. All of hollywood knows as well. He is now the most hated man in hollywood!

Also hbo max is now the most hated streaming app in hollywood also!

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/13/b...ia-movies.html

John rants about it here. He talked to people in hollywood and even wb members who are ticked!

Timestamp: 1:17:11

[luprki]

Legendary payed for 60% of kong and dune. It's wb taking someone elses money and flushing it down the toilet without asking them!

Legendary has every right to be mad!

Edit--it was 75% not 60!

If I was Legendary I would be mad too. Unfortunately, they sold all distribution rights to WB. Big studios have the upper hand, because they pay a lot of money to promote and distribute a movie. Legendary has already recouped most or all of that 75% by selling the distribution rights to WB.
This is how smaller production companies finance a movie. Selling distribution rights to a big studio will finance a movie.

[Jokerz79]

Not true, WB has all distributions rights and has final say on how it will get distributed. This is nothing new, there has been many films that for whatever reason pull from theaters release to steaming or direct to video. This is especially true in 2020. WB will continue to release the movies to HBO Max, because they know they have the legal right to it. With producers, actors or others this has always been a risk, but COVID-19 has exploited it more.

You don't seem to understand it's not that they pulled the films from theaters it's that they didn't compensate the people they had profit percentage agreements with which can be seen as fraud.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

With CAA and more aligning against WB , they likely have shot themselves long term in the foot more or less here. AT&T clearly don't know the industries they are in and ala the time when Disney bought ABC in 1990's and plunged the network into crap with bad moves (they later learned on what not to do) they are plunging the overall company into the crapper.

Its a bet ...in 2+ years AT&T will be bought out by a mega rich corporation. With many executives pushed out asap.

[Gaastra]

Chappelle making wb remove chappelle show off hbo max. Never watched it.

https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/cha...ax-1234853533/


More filmmakers ticked at wb.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-...treaming-deal/

“They didn’t speak to the filmmakers, they didn’t speak to the theater chains,” he said. “They didn’t speak to the production partners on the films. That was the reason I was speaking up.”

Most of the directors have kept mum on the decision — and either declined or failed to respond to The Post’s request for comment — but pushback continues to build behind the scenes. The Directors Guild of America sent Sarnoff a “sharply worded letter” and demanded a meeting to address the plan’s issues, according to the Hollywood Reporter. (Union representatives also declined to comment.) Legendary Pictures, which also produced “Godzilla vs. Kong,” is reportedly contemplating legal action to force an exclusive theatrical release.

As a counter to that however---

“Blockbusters are not going away,” he said. “Anybody who thinks the studios have somehow lost faith in people going to the movies, no. When you make a movie that blows up at the box office, that’s just too lucrative to ever abandon. They would love to have movies in theaters now. They’re just trying to figure out what to do with these assets that are sitting on the shelf, getting stale.”

[Thezmage]

Chappelle making wb remove chappelle show off hbo max. Never watched it.

https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/cha...ax-1234853533/


More filmmakers ticked at wb.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-...treaming-deal/




As a counter to that however---

I really hope these films all get huge theatrical releases that fail spectacularly and that result in no sequels getting greenlit, and that they go down in history as killing the concept of the blockbuster and harming the theater industry for years to come. I'm sympathetic to their financial concerns and if they were harping on that instead of bullshit about "the theatrical experience" or "They didn't speak to us"

[basbash99]

Chappelle making wb remove chappelle show off hbo max. Never watched it.

https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/cha...ax-1234853533/

First of all, Chappelle didn't "make" HBO Max remove the Chappelle show, he asked them to and they obliged, much like netflix did recently. WB has every right to stream the show if they chose to, but presumably WB finds that it is more in their interests to maintain a friendly relationship with Chappelle than it is to air a fifteen year old sketch show that everybody's seen at this point (at least, anybody who was interested in seeing it... i guess you are not in that group). I assume they are hoping for HBO comedy specials etc even though i feel like Chappelle has been mostly working with netflix these days.

When Chappelle suddenly ran away from the show, my understanding is that he lost out on residuals or revenue from streaming the episodes. I think his overall feelings about this and the show in general are behind his decision to push streaming services not to carry it, i don't think it really has anything to do with HBO Max specifically and it particularly doesn't have anything to do with WB's recent decisions about 2021 movies airing on HBO Max.

Filmmakers can be as ticked off as they want to be, in the end there will be some filmmakers who are in a position to dictate which studios they work with will pass on working with WB in the future, but plenty of others won't have much of a choice. I do think WB should have given advance notice to the filmmakers but in the end the brunt of the blame should be directed at the pandemic and the senate's failure to offer theaters some financial relief (as well as the trump administration's failure to take COVID seriously (along with his cult)), moreso than at WB who is making lemonade with lemons.

[Jokerz79]

I really hope these films all get huge theatrical releases that fail spectacularly and that result in no sequels getting greenlit, and that they go down in history as killing the concept of the blockbuster and harming the theater industry for years to come. I'm sympathetic to their financial concerns and if they were harping on that instead of bullshit about "the theatrical experience" or "They didn't speak to us"

I'm someone who rarely goes to theaters but there is a difference between watching at home and the "theatrical experience" and some films are made with that in mind to capitalize on it especially blockbusters. Also yeah if your in business with someone they should speak to you at least give you a heads up before changing the business model you agreed upon.

[Thezmage]

I'm someone who rarely goes to theaters but there is a difference between watching at home and the "theatrical experience" and some films are made with that in mind to capitalize on it especially blockbusters. Also yeah if your in business with someone they should speak to you at least give you a heads up before changing the business model you agreed upon.

There's a global pandemic going on so I could care less about the people who WANT a bunch of strangers to cram themselves into a cramped room for two hours with no regards for their safety

EDIT: Also WB is releasing these films into theaters. People who want "The theatrical experience" will still be able to get it and all this plan is doing is not forcing people who want to see the film within the first few months from having to go into a theater if they don't want to. Frankly even without a pandemic I don't see it as worth preserving if the only reason it exists is due to artificial restraints imposed upon other distribution methods

[Gaastra]

Roku deal is done.

https://deadline.com/2020/12/hbo-max...84-1234657874/