Legendary Entertainment seeking new WB deal now -- or else

Legendary Entertainment Chief Executive Thomas Tull said Tuesday morning that his company will have a new contract at its home at Warner Bros. in as soon as 60 days — or it might be heading somewhere else.

“We are talking to everybody — including [Warner Bros.]” he said. “There is no grand reveal or big update this morning. It is a process that is pretty big in scope and we are trying to make sure we are putting ourselves in the right position.”

Tull said the decision about where to partner will be based on the company’s responsibility to its fans and to its shareholders. Since 2005, Legendary has had a distribution and co-production deal with Burbank-based Warner Bros. The agreement expires at the end of the year, Tull said.
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Legendary unveiled new clips from the production company’s slate of forthcoming films at an event for reporters in Hollywood on Tuesday morning.

Among the footage was a scene from “Pacific Rim,” a sci-fi picture that Warner Bros. will release July 12. Other forthcoming Legendary projects include a “Godzilla” reboot, “300: Rise of an Empire,” and an untitled Michael Mann project.

The company is coming off a big weekend at the box office: “Man of Steel,” which Legendary co-produced with DC Entertainment and Syncopy Films, took in $113.1 million domestically — good for the best June debut ever.

And on Monday, Legendary announced that Warner Bros.’ former top television executive, Bruce Rosenblum, has joined the production company. He is Legendary’s new president of television and digital media.

A May story in the trade publication Variety that cited unnamed sources said Legendary was likely to part ways with Warner Bros. this year when its contract ends unless “their frayed relationship” is repaired.

Tull called the studio, which in March made Kevin Tsujihara its new chief executive, a “tremendous partner.”

“Kevin is a very smart guy, and one of the reasons I connect with Kevin is he’s a straight shooter,” Tull said. “He is honest and will look you in the eye. That’s all you can ask of anybody. From my perspective, I think Warner Bros. — whether we are there or not there — has a bright future under his leadership. I think he will do a great job.”

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