Village Roadshow, the storied film production company behind blockbusters like The Matrix, Joker, The Lego Movie, and Ocean’s Eleven, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware, listing nearly $390 million in debt. At the heart of its financial unraveling? A bitter feud with longtime production partner Warner Bros. over the 2021 release of The Matrix Resurrections.
According to a first-day declaration from chief restructuring officer Keith Maib, Village Roadshow enters bankruptcy with a stalking horse bid from CP Ventura LLC for its extensive film library. The company’s assets—once a golden ticket in Hollywood—are now up for grabs.
From Box Office Titan to Bankruptcy Courts
Since its inception in 1997, Village Roadshow built its empire on co-financing and producing major Hollywood films. Partnering with studios like Sony and Paramount, its most lucrative relationship was with Warner Bros., co-producing 91 of its 108 films.
But the tides turned when Warner Bros. opted for a simultaneous theatrical and HBO Max release of The Matrix Resurrections—a move that Village Roadshow claims sabotaged its most profitable revenue stream. The ensuing legal battle over breach of contract “irreparably decimated” their partnership, according to court filings.
