[KENNEDY FELTON]

FILMMAKER J-J ABRAMS AND WARNER BROS TELEVISION are starting a NEW CHAPTER IN THEIR 20-YEAR RELATIONSHIP… STRIKING A DEAL THAT COULD CHANGE THE COURSE OF T-V AND FILM PROJECTS FOR BOTH SIDES. 

AFTER MONTHS OF NEGOTIATIONS… SOURCES TELL DEADLINE THAT BAD ROBOT – ABRAMS’ PRODUCTION COMPANY – HAS LOCKED IN A  NEW AGREEMENT. IT FOLLOWS THE 250-MILLION DOLLAR DEAL SIGNED IN 20-19 DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE SO-CALLED ‘PEAK T-V’ ERA WHEN STUDIOS WERE EAGER TO SECURE BIG-NAME CREATORS. THAT DEAL – HOWEVER – DID NOT FULLY LIVE UP TO EXPECTATIONS.

ONE OF ABRAMS’ MOST ANTICIPATED PROJECTS – THE SCI-FI DRAMA ‘DEMIDOME’ – WAS PULLED BY H-B-O IN 20-22 BEFORE IT COULD GO INTO PRODUCTION. THE AMBITIOUS SERIES WAS REPORTEDLY CANCELED DUE TO HIGH COSTS ON THE HEELS OF THE WARNER BROS DISCOVERY MERGER EARLIER THAT YEAR.

ANOTHER BLOW CAME WHEN PLANS FOR A ‘JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK’ UNIVERSE – INCLUDING A ‘CONSTANTINE’ REBOOT – WERE SCRAPPED AMID RESTRUCTURING *AT D-C STUDIOS. 

WHILE SOME OF ABRAMS’ PROJECTS MADE IT THROUGH DEVELOPMENT… LIKE THE ‘YANKEES WIN’ DOCUMENTARY AND UPCOMING SERIES ‘DUSTER’… THE OVERALL OUTPUT FROM HIS PREVIOUS DEAL FELL SHORT OF EXPECTATIONS. THIS NEW AGREEMENT MAY SIGNAL A FRESH START FOR BOTH SIDES.

ALONG WITH DUSTER… ABRAMS ALSO HAS PROJECTS IN DEVELOPMENT. .. INCLUDING ‘FLOWERVALE STREET’ … A SCIENCE FICTION FILM SLATED FOR A 20-25 RELEASE. HE’S ALSO DIRECTING HIS FIRST FEATURE FILM IN YEARS – A MYSTERY MOVIE FOR WITH PRODUCTION SET TO BEGIN IN EARLY 20-25.

ABRAMS’ NEW TWO YEAR DEAL IS A FIRST LOOK, NON-EXCLUSIVE AGREEMENT… MEANING – WARNER BROS HAS THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP AND PRODUCE BAD ROBOT’S NEW PROJECTS. HOWEVER – IF THE STUDIO PASSES… ABRAMS IS FREE TO PITCH THOSE PROJECTS TO OTHER STUDIOS. THIS SHIFT OFFERS A MORE FLEXIBLE COLLABORATION.

NEITHER BAD ROBOT NOR WARNER BROS HAS COMMENTED ON THE DETAILS OF THE NEW AGREEMENT AT THIS POINT. AS WE WAIT FOR MORE… IT’S CLEAR ABRAMS COMPANY ISN’T SLOWING DOWN ANYTIME SOON. WITH SAN IM KF APP PUSH