Warner Bros. is reportedly close to negotiating a deal with Legendary regarding its release plans for the films Godzilla vs. Kong and Dune.

Last month, WarnerMedia announced its plans to release all of Warner Bros.' 2021 movies in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously, including both Godzilla vs. Kong and Dune. Legendary, which financed the bulk of both films and hadn't been consulted about this hybrid release strategy ahead of time, was subsequently reported to be considering filing a lawsuit against Warner Bros. over their announcement. Now, The Hollywood Reporter has learned Warner Bros. is nearing a deal with Legendary to would avoid any legal action over Godzilla vs. Kong.

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According to THR, Warner Bros. is also working out a deal with Legendary regarding Dune. Unlike Godzilla vs Kong, which is slated to arrive in May, Dune isn't scheduled to open until October, by which point the distribution of the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine is expected to have led to herd immunity among the general public. For that reason, Legendary is backing Dune director Denis Villeneuve's campaign for the film to release exclusively in theaters, which he wrote about in a personal essay criticizing Dune's HBO Max release last month. Should that happen, it would make it easier for filmmakers like Matrix 4 director Lana Wachowski to demand the same treatment for their movies.

Netflix made a $225 million offer to buy Godzilla vs. Kong from Legendary last November, but the deal was blocked by Warner Bros. in favor of a release involving HBO Max. Following WarnerMedia's HBO Max announcement in December, it was reported Legendary was open to allowing Godzilla vs. Kong to premiere on HBO Max, but only if Warner Bros. paid them $250 million, based on the figure offered by Netflix. The Hollywood Reporter's sources say Netflix's bid essentially set the price for Godzilla vs. Kong, which has helped to simplify the negotiations over the film.

Legends collide as Godzilla and Kong, the two most powerful forces of nature, clash on the big screen in a spectacular battle for the ages. As Monarch embarks on a perilous mission into fantastic uncharted terrain, unearthing clues to the Titans’ very origins, a human conspiracy threatens to wipe the creatures, both good and bad, from the face of the earth forever.

Directed by Adam Wingard and written by Eric Pearson and Max Borenstein, Godzilla vs. Kong stars Alexander Skarsgard, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall and Brian Tyree Henry. The film arrives in theaters and on HBO Max May 21.

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Source: The Hollywood Reporter