The renowned film studio Village Roadshow , known for blockbusters such as The Matrix series, Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), Joker (2019) and a number of other successful productions, has officially filed for bankruptcy in a US court.
The studio is struggling with deep debt and has been embroiled in a legal battle with Warner Bros. since February 2022. Village Roadshow claims that Warner Bros. harmed their revenue by simultaneously releasing The Matrix: Resurrections in theaters and on the HBO Max streaming service, which they believe led to significant losses in box office revenue. They also accuse Warner of excluding them from co-ownership and co-financing rights to new films they were originally involved in developing.
According to industry website Deadline , the studio has racked up millions in legal fees and is struggling to pay writers and producers. It is now considering various options to secure its future, including selling the company’s valuable film catalog. A potential buyer, investment firm Content Partners LLC , has reportedly offered $365 million for the rights to the films.
Since its inception in 1997, Village Roadshow has been a major player in Hollywood, producing over 100 films, including Ocean’s Eleven , Training Day , Constantine , I Am Legend , Edge of Tomorrow and The Lego Movie . What happens next with the studio and its iconic film library remains to be seen.
