One day after making a deal to co-finance the next two James Bond films and other feature films over the next five years, MGM chiefs Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum solidified another piece of the reawakening studio’s puzzle by renewing its DVD deal with Fox through 2016. Here’s the official announcement:
LOS ANGELES, CA April 14, 2011 – MGM announced today that the company has renewed its worldwide Blu-ray Disc and DVD distribution pact with Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment through 2016. As part of the new agreement, Fox will now oversee electronic-sell-through for MGM titles and will continue to handle MGM’s vast and extensive movie and television library, as well as distribute several upcoming new release productions in the home entertainment market, including the next JAMES BOND film, set for global theatrical release on November 9, 2012.”
“Twentieth Century Fox is a valued partner that has taken great care of the MGM library for many years with the highest degree of integrity,” said Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum, Co-Chairmen and Chief Executive Officers of MGM. “They are a tremendous asset to the studio as we look towards the future.”
“MGM and UA have made enormous contributions throughout the history of film, and we’re proud to be part of that legacy,” said Fox Filmed Entertainment’s chairmen and CEO’s Jim Gianopulos and Tom Rothman. “We’re delighted that we are extending our partnership with the studio under the leadership of our friends Gary and Roger.”
Twentieth Century Fox began managing MGM’s international home video distribution in 1999. The flourishing partnership expanded in 2006 when MGM signed a worldwide distribution pact with Fox. Fox’s home entertainment group has enhanced the MGM legacy by maximizing key franchises and legendary films from the library that include JAMES BOND, ROCKY and WEST SIDE STORY. Additionally, Fox leveraged MGM’s deep catalog to offer a selection of never before released classic films and TV shows via CreateSpace’s DVD On-Demand service.
“The MGM brand has become part of our DNA,” said Mike Dunn, President Worldwide, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. “We are privileged to handle this incredible library of acclaimed films, many that rank as the most commercially and critically successful films of all time.”
So when is RED DAWN coming out?
This is surprising as it means Fox controls James Bond on video & electronic distribution and Sony only has theatrical. It would seem that Sony got the short end of the stick on this but since Fox has handled the MGM/UA library better than Sony ever did it’s a good day for Fox and the home video consumer.
Fox has done a piss-poor job with the CreateSpace’s DVD On-Demand releases! Almost as bad as the Universal titles offed the same way!
The Warner Archive and Sony Stduio Classics have been done much better.
One can only imagine how deep MGM bent over to maintain this relationship with Fox; arguably the best Home Vid distributors in the business. I’d love to know the terms and just how much of a fee Fox is taking. I promise you, it’s exhorbitant. And as to Sony not getting Home Vid, they could care less. Theaatrical is what matters, globally, and I’m sure they preserved digital downloading rights so they are covered. Management at MGM is so unbelievably mediocre that one almost longs for the days when Kirkorian was at least transparent about his intentions.
What’s with all the bending over responses. Like…totally immature.
In 2006, Fox paid MGM a massive amount of upfront money to opt out of their HE distribution deal with Sony and go to Fox. This meant that MGM got guaranteed money instead of taking a cut of future potential sales. Fox took a massive hit as the DVD market tapered off, so they were left having paid a huge amount of money for a library of titles that were nowhere near as valuable.
Fast forward 5 years and the MGM titles are of even less value (90% of their revenue comes from 10% of their titles, and these titles have been exploited several times over) and no one in their right mind would offer a better deal than what MGM already has with fox, negotiated in 2006 terms. Of course MGM would renew with Fox, as nothing better is out there, and of course Fox would renew with MGM, as they have already spent the upfront money on the infrastructure and only hope for return is for long term profits.
Precisely right, “Non One of Consequence”. The library itself is absurd — a handful of good titles., even if dottering from old age and increasing irrelevance. The rest (that is, majority)? A bunch of garbage, dubbed crap, stuff even Icelanders wouldn’t want to watch at 3 in the morning!
“stuff even Icelanders wouldn’t want to watch at 3 in the morning!” LMAO!!
@ Herb Finn – Fox/MGM dropped Create Space and moved to another MOD service (Allied Vaughn). Output and quality have quadrupled since that time. Fact-check.
Why don’t they distribute pre-1986 MGM library again?
Because, they shot the films, not Warner. (pre-1986 MGM).
And I think Fox n’ MGM should distribute pre-1986 library again.