EXCLUSIVE: Here’s another big deal that the Skydance owned Paramount is in talks with as of this post: They’re hammering a pact with Legendary to have a multi-picture global theatrical distribution deal (sans China).
Terms are still being worked out on this pact which has been in the works at many levels for a while since the spring. Paramount is expected to have a streaming window with a transactional window built in with Legendary. I hear that as far as the Legendary-Paramount slate goes, co-financing is up for discussion contingent on projects at hand. What titles will be released is still TBD. The new Josh
Legendary currently doesn’t have an exclusive theatrical deal per se with any major studio, however, their Monsterverse and Dune franchises remain parked at Warner Bros, as well as the Ryan Reynolds-Jason Momoa live-action animation hybrid movie Animal Friends which is set for release on May 1, 2026. Also, let’s not forget that Warners and Legendary both lay claim to this year’s massive success, A Minecraft Movie, which made over $955M worldwide; that movie the second highest grossing MPA title YTD after Disney’s $1 billion grossing Lilo & Stitch. There’s also the Alejandro Inarritu Tom Cruise movie at Warner Bros. Legendary’s business with Warner Bros continues even with this new Paramount deal.
Legendary had a theatrical output deal with Sony which ended in December. Legendary’s run at Warners was much better box office wise than Sony where they had The Book of Clarence ($6M gross off a $40M production cost) and The Machine ($11M off a $20M production cost). Legendary’s deal was a global pact that had the Culver City, CA studio marketing and releasing their slate sans China, where Legendary East handled all marketing and distribution on its movies.
It’s no irony that Ellison’s new chief of comms Melissa Zuckerman has a long history with Legendary’s Joshua Grode and Production Boss Mary Parent; Zuckerman having told the production finance company when she was at Principle Communcations.
Paramount wasn’t commenting.
