J.J. Abrams and his production company Bad Robot have signed a deal with AT&T-owned WarnerMedia that'll see the studio produce all sorts of original content across WarnerMedia and its various division, including HBO and Warner Bros. Pictures.
The
press release calls for the "exclusive strategic relationship" — which runs through 2024 — to create "original projects for television, theatrical motion pictures, games and digital platforms." Specific financial terms were not disclosed, but multiple sources for
The Hollywood Reporter claim the deal is worth upwards of $250 million.
Abrams has worked with Warner Bros. for 13 years when Bad Robot entered into an exclusive overall deal for telelvision with Warner Bros. Television Group back in 2006. This new deal marks the first time that Abrams will have both his film and TV deals under the same roof.
Under the new agreement, Abrams and Bad Robot will develop
"original theatrical films for the divisions of the Warner Bros. Pictures Group." It's unclear if Abrams will still be able to pursue directing opportunities for studios other than Warner Bros., but the press release does confirm that Abrams and Bad Robot will honor existing obligations to Paramount Pictures. Abrams is also directing
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, which hits theaters December 20.
Beyond that, it looks like the home of any future Bad Robot developed and produced television projects will be with WarnerMedia.
As part of the collaboration, Bad Robot will continue to develop and produce new television projects — including dramas and comedies, longform/event series, digital content and more — for all platforms, including premium/pay and basic cable networks, on-demand/streaming services, and the broadcast networks. These include WarnerMedia-affiliated networks and platforms such as HBO, HBO Max and more, as well as external outlets. Bad Robot’s series will continue to be produced in association with Warner Bros. Television, Warner Horizon Scripted Television or WBTVG’s digital studio Blue Ribbon Content, with Warner Bros. International Television Distribution distributing the shows around the globe.
The deal does allow for Bad Robot to sell projects to third-party suppliers, though it'll likely be series or films that WarnerMedia passes on.
“It is a thrill for Katie, Brian (Weinstein) and me and the rest of our team at Bad Robot to call WarnerMedia our company’s new home," J.J. Abrams said.
"John Stankey has a powerful vision for the future of WarnerMedia and is committed to storytelling that connects people around the world. We are excited and gratified to be a part of this new chapter under his and Ann Sarnoff’s thoughtful leadership."
He continued:
"I could go on for hours, and probably will, about the extraordinary Peter Roth and the entire Warner’s television group, with whom we’ve worked for over a decade, and I’ve wanted to collaborate with Toby Emmerich and his team for as long as I can remember. I am grateful for the chance to write, produce and direct work for this incredible company, and to help create films and series with a diverse and vast collection of inspiring storytellers. We can’t wait to get started.”
The mega deal comes as WarnerMedia is gearing up to launch
HBO Max, its own streaming competitor to Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+.