Village Roadshow Agrees To Arbitration With Warner Bros. In ‘Matrix’ Streaming Strategy Lawsuit – Update

deadline.com:

UPDATED with latest: Looks like Warner Bros. got its way.The Matrix Resurrections co-producer Village Roadshow Films has agreed to arbitrate its claims alleging Warner Bros.’ decision to release the film simultaneously on HBO Max and in theaters was a breach of contract.Lawyers for Village Roadshow filed papers on Thursday with Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Cunningham indicating the company would no longer be pursuing its claims in court, an outcome that Warners has been pursuing for months.“Upon review of the court’s tentative rulings, Village hereby waives its right to the May 27 hearing on Warner Bros.’ motion to compel arbitration…and accepts the court’s tentative rulings on the motion to compel arbitration …as final,” Roadshow attorneys stated in their court papers.In the original suit filed February 7, Village Roadshow alleges that Warner Bros.

moved the release date of the film to 2021 from 2022 to help HBO Max attract more subscribers, purposely harming the film’s box office receipts as a result.Village Roadshow then filed an amended complaint on March 25, adding Warner Media LLC as a defendant.Warners’ attorneys alleged in April that the revised complaint was brought in violation of a February 15 court order imposing a stay on the case.

They also maintained that the plaintiff’s lawyers indicated only a few weeks earlier that they planned no such amendment.Warner Bros.

also maintained that all but Village Roadshow’s added claim for breach of the state’s Unfair Competition Law were a rehash of its original complaint and it also was subject to arbitration along with the declaratory relief cause of action. PREVIOUSLY on February 15: Looks like Village Roadshow won’t be getting their breach of contract and