Teutons nab WB tentpoles
'Matrix,' 'Smallville,' 'Witchblade' included in pact
Companies declined to confirm financial details on the 144-title package, but the pricetag is considerably less than the $300 million Warner Bros. was paid by the now-bankrupt Kinowelt for a similar package in 1999. Kinowelt was forced to cancel the deal after it was unable to unload the films on local broadcasters.
"Of course it's a difficult environment," Jeffrey Schlesinger, prexy of Warner Bros. Intl. Television told Daily Variety on Tuesday. "There are now fewer people who pick up the phone and who are able to write checks."
Other films in the package include "Ocean's Eleven," "The Perfect Storm," "The Matrix," "Wild Wild West" and "Rush Hour 2."
Package contains rights to films from Warner's 1996-2001 theatrical slates and numerous library titles and includes only the first installments of the "Potter" and "Rings" franchises.
It also includes TV series such as "Smallville," "Gilmore Girls" and "Witchblade."
Package contains rights to films from Warner's 1996-2001 theatrical slates and numerous library titles and includes only the first installments of the "Potter" and "Rings" franchises.
Deal was negotiated for Warner Bros. by Sylvia Rothblum, managing director of German-speaking territories, and Simon Kenny, senior VP, Europe.
The last transaction of similar size between Warner Bros. and RTL was an output deal inked in 1996.
Although RTL was bidding against local buyers, the purchase is further evidence that RTL is now Germany's only commercial superpower.
Germany's increasing troubles, like The bankruptcy of once-mighty broadcaster and rights owner The Kirch Group, and the collapse of the Neuer Markt, have forced prices downward. Moving large volumes of content is now impossible in Germany, where local buyers have made it clear they only want to cherry-pick prime fare.
Deal was negotiated for Warner Bros. by Sylvia Rothblum, managing director of German-speaking territories, and Simon Kenny, senior VP, Europe.
In April, RTL nabbed free TV rights to upcoming James Bond 007 pic "Die Another Day" from MGM as well as rights to Bond classics "Dr. No," "From Russia with Love," "Thunderball" and "Goldfinger."
RTL also bought "K-19: The Widowmaker," "K-PAX" and "Basic" from Intermedia earlier this year after that company had trouble unloading the films to lo-cal distribs.
"Lord of the Rings" and "Harry Potter" did almost identical business in Germany, attracting a combined 23 million viewers and together conjuring up around $150 million locally. RTL intends to schedule the two movies for broadcast at the end of 2005.
(Christian Kohl in Germany contributed to this report.)
