It’s official: U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon has ruled thatAT&T’s merger of Time Warner is approved. There are no conditions of the deal, meaning that the $85.4 billion merger is moving forward, despite protests from the government and a lawsuit from the Justice Department attempting to block the merger. That means that all of the franchises owned by Warner Bros., which is part of Time Warner, now have a new home. So what franchises did AT&T just get for their money? We’re here to break it down for you.
Warner Bros. owns (or owned) all of DC Entertainment. That means AT&T is ultimately in control of the future of the franchise. The DC universe, on the big screen, has been something of a mess and the disappointment ofJustice Leaguehas resulted in major changes behind the scenes. This merger will no doubt further shake-up the DCEU. Will that be for better or for worse? Only time will tell. Maybe they will greenlight a couple more Joker movies? Or maybe they’ll finally makeMan of Steel 2happen? Hey! Maybe they will finally, actually make a soloBatmanmovie. Who knows at this point, but this is a truly massive asset.
Harry Potter
While the DC universe represents a great deal of potential, it’s J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World that has the most proven potential in Warner Bros.' library of franchises. TheHarry Pottermovies have made nearly $8 billion at the box office, and that’s not countingFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which has a sequel coming out this year. The plan is for five movies with that franchise and who knows what more beyond. This is the definition of a cash cow and it represents easily one of the most loyal fanbases in the world.
Surprisingly,The LEGO Movieproved that the popular toy is worthy of a big screen franchise.The LEGO Batman Movieand the upcomingLEGO Movie 2are further evidence that there is plenty to explore with this one. LEGO has endured for decades and AT&T could make good use of this particular franchise, depending on how they play it.
This is, in a literal sense, the big one. Toho still controls the Japanese Godzilla, but Warner Bros. is in control of the big guy stateside and they’re making use of him in the MonsterVerse.Kong: Skull Islandcontinued things last year andGodzilla 2, which will bring in Mothra, Rodan and King Ghidorah, will keep the ball rolling in a big way. This is leading toGodzilla vs. Kongand, beyond that, who knows?Godzillais one of history’s most enduring franchises and one that carries with it nearly endless potential.
The Matrix
At the moment, the legendary sci-fi franchise that changed the game in 1999 lies dormant. However, there have been talks of a reboot/sequel/prequel or something of the like during the course of the past year.The Matrixis another marquee franchise and, if nothing else, it’s a title that looks good in the library.
The Conjuring
The Marvel Cinematic Universe may be the biggest name in the game, butThe Conjuringis no slouch. The movies have made a combined $1.2 billion at the box office and withThe Nun,Annabelle 3,The Crooked ManandThe Conjuring 3in the pipeline, this is a truly promising franchise AT&T just spent a chunk of that money on. This could be putting meat in seats at the theater for a long time to come.
TheRockyfranchise is an enduring one and one that is far from done.Creed 2just wrapped filming and is set to arrive in theaters later this year. This is something a new media conglomerate, such as the one AT&T has just become, can do a lot with, if they have the right creative minds in charge.
Sherlock Holmes
TheSherlock Holmesfranchise goes far beyond the Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law movies. WhileSherlock Holmes 3is finally, officially happening and could be a big hit at the box office, there is a lot more to it than that. For instance, there is the Will Ferrell and John C Reilly comedic takeHolmes and Watsonarriving later this year. This is the kind of thing that can be reinvented every handful of years for a new generation.
Mad Max: Fury Roadmay well go down as one of the best reboots ever and one of the best sci-fi movies of the decade, if not of all time. That left many hoping the franchise would continue, but a lawsuit from director George Miller has prevented a sequel from taking place. Still, AT&T has purchased the franchise and any of the problems and potential benefits that come along with it. Here’s hoping they can find a way to sort things out.
Pacific Rim
In fairness, this may not be much of a franchise anymore.Pacific Rim: Uprisingwas something of a bomb at the box office. But hey, they can still make comic books, toys and maybe an animated series, or something of the like. Or maybe, against all odds,Pacific Rim 3will still happen. Either way, this is part of the deal.
