Village Roadshow Seeks Bankruptcy Amid Legal Battles and Film Industry Struggles

Village Roadshow Entertainment Group, the company behind iconic franchises such as The Matrix and Ocean's, has entered bankruptcy protection in the United States, facing significant financial challenges. The production firm attributed its predicament to a contentious legal dispute with Warner Bros. and a series of unfruitful independent film ventures.

As part of its financial recovery strategy, Village Roadshow plans to sell its film library for $365 million. The company's debt range is estimated between $500 million and $1 billion, as stated in recent court documents. Once a productive partnership, the relationship between Village Roadshow and Warner Bros. soured following the release of The Matrix Resurrections on HBO Max in 2022, with Village Roadshow alleging that Warner Bros. excluded it from sequel and prequel rights.

In court filings, Village Roadshow’s chief restructuring officer Keith Maib noted that the ongoing arbitration with Warner Bros. has racked up over $18 million in legal fees that remain unpaid. This legal strife has "irreparably decimated" their working relationship, effectively dismantling a once lucrative collaboration.

Compounding its troubles, Village Roadshow bore the financial burden of a costly studio initiative launched in 2018, with no returns from the independent films and television series produced. Additionally, like other U.S. film companies, Village Roadshow has grappled with a decline in demand due to the pandemic and recent disruptions from Hollywood strike actions that began in May 2023. As a result of these challenges, the Writers Guild of America has prohibited its members from collaborating with Village Roadshow, further exacerbating the firm’s struggles.