“The Matrix Resurrections” co-producer Village Roadshow Entertainment Group filed a lawsuit against Warner Bros., alleging the studio parent’s decision to release the movie simultaneously on HBO Max and in theaters was a breach of contract.
The suit, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, is the latest indication of growing tensions between factions of the entertainment industry as major media companies give priority to direct-to-consumer streaming over traditional distribution platforms.
Warner Bros. parent WarnerMedia, a unit of
AT&T Inc.,
put its entire 2021 slate of movies on its sister streaming service HBO Max at the same time as their theatrical release. The studio also moved the release date of “The Matrix Resurrections” to 2021 from 2022 in an effort to help HBO Max attract more…