JJ Abrams closes WarnerMedia Megadeal for film and television – Deadline



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It's done! JJ Abrams and his Bad Robot have signed a five-year contract to retain his television business and transfer his film business under the umbrella of WarnerMedia. The vast pact, which runs until 2024, also includes games and digital content.

The JJ Abrams competition kicked off last fall, with many media competing for its services under a global contract worth $ 500 million. In June, WarnerMedia had become the favorite thanks to the stenography developed by Abrams with the Warner Bros TV team over the past 13 years and thanks to the massive financial commitment of its parent, WarnerMedia. It took a few more months to conclude the deal, largely because of the complexity of the film's pact by Abrams, Paramount Pictures. Under its exit agreement, Bad Robot will honor its existing obligations to Paramount.

WarnerMedia

In addition to WarnerMedia, Abrams and his team had talks with Apple, who had become a formidable competitor, Comcast / NBCUniversal and Sony. zones except direction.

Abrams has a long history at WarnerMedia, with Bad Robot based in Warner Bros. TV since 2006, offering a series of series. Of the company's current issues, three are at WarnerMedia HBO, Westworld, Lovecraft and Demimonde, the first series Abrams has only created since Alias, wpremium network also developing the Bad Robot software They both die at the end. Te company also has three series on Apple TV + via Warner Bros. TV, who also aggressively pursued the multi-trait of union: Stephen King's adaptation The story of Lisey, Starring Julianne Moore; Sara Bareilles' Lsmall voice and My glory was I had such friends, headed by Jennifer Garner.

The discussions between Abrams and Apple finally evolved, emphasizing the continuation of collaboration, and not a global deal, as it was hoped that the new WarnerMedia pact would let Bad Robot continue to produce for external networks.

Indeed, as part of the new global agreement of WarnerMedia, Bad Robot will continue to develop and produce new television projects (drama and comedy, long-run / events, digital content, etc.) for all platforms, including premium / pay and premium cable networks, on-demand / on-demand services continuous and broadcast networks. These include networks and platforms affiliated with WarnerMedia such as HBO, HBO Max and more, as well as external outlets. The Bad Robot series will continue to be produced in association with Warner Bros. Television, Warner Horizon Scripted Television or WBTVG's Blue Ribbon Content digital studio, with Warner Bros. International Television Distribution distributing broadcasts around the world.

With regard to feature films, Abrams and Bad Robot will develop original theater films for the Warner Bros. divisions. Pictures, including Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema.

In 2018, Bad Robot, directed by Chief Executive Officer J.J. Abrams and Katie McGrath, Co-CEO, formed a video game development division Bad Robot Games, in association with Tencent and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, and the two companies will continue to work together to create new independent consumer games for mobile phones, computers and consoles.

"WarnerMedia and AT & T are excited to launch a long-term collaboration with our world-class partners and colleagues, J.J. Abrams and Katie McGrath," said John Stankey, CEO of WarnerMedia and President and Chief Operating Officer of AT & T.We are extremely excited to be able to deliver memorable and memorable stories and characters on multiple platforms to audiences around the world. "

Stankey thanked Peter Roth, president of the Warner Bros. group. TV Group and content manager, for developing "a long-standing mutually beneficial partnership" with Abrams and McGrath.

In the era of global television contracts, it is easier for incumbent studios to offer competitive offers to prolific creators / producers, as they often have the advantage of being able to soften their overall proposals. with advances towards the backend of the producers.

This is the second mega global deal for Warner Bros. TV, after Greg Berlanti's $ 400 million refurbishment last year.

Regarding the film, Abrams comes from an expensive global deal at Paramount that has paid off with the launch of the franchise. Cloverfieldand the rebirth of Impossible mission and Star Trek. But it has proved difficult for this studio to have its allegiance as a filmmaker, the place where Abrams has achieved some of his best results, which is typical for filmmakers in the charts. He led two Star wars films for Disney as part of the Paramount deal, including the latest, Star Wars: The rise of Skywalker, debuted December 20 to crown what will be a record year for the studio.

Abrams' became more of a franchise maker than a global creator, and it was clear that this deal would give him the opportunity to become one. Although WarnerMedia does not have Disney and Comcast theme parks, Abrams will have full access to powerful WarnerMedia platforms that include a nascent streaming service. It clearly has the potential to leave a strong footprint on the studio in this transaction.

Mike Fleming Jr. contributed to this report.

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