Legendary Pictures will decide whether to renew its relationship with Warner Bros. within 60 days, Legendary CEO Thomas Tull told reporters on Tuesday.
Tull praised the studio as a tremendous partner, but also said that both his company and the studio were in different places than when they started working together in 2004.
Legendary's deal with Warner Bros. expires at the end of the year, and Tull said Legendary had engaged in preliminary talks with other studios.
"We're talking to everybody including [Warner Bros.]," Tull said. "It's about the company we want to build and who can be the best place for us to fulfill that vision."
The fate of this relationship has been the subject of endless speculation over the past several months because Legendary has been Warner Bros. most prominent partner and co-financier for several years. It co-financed Chris Nolan's Batman movies, the "Hangover" films and the latest smash hit, "Man of Steel."
Also read: Why 'Man of Steel' Holds the Key to Warner Bros.' Future Franchises
Legendary also developed and co-financed Warner Bros. next big release, Guillermo del Toro's "Pacific Rim." It comes as no surprise that Legendary and Warner Bros. would wait until after that opens to finalize any deal (or cut off negotiations).
When asked about his relationship with new WB CEO Kevin Tsujihara, Tull described him as a good friend and straight shooter. Yet he also acknowledged that the studio was reassessing its partnerships and that Legendary was interested in owning and developing more of its own projects.
Why?
"Foolishness," Tull joked, before elaborating that his company's mission has always been to tell good stories. Tull was speaking to a group of reporters as part of a preview for its upcoming film slate, teasing movies such as "Godzilla" and "300: Rise of an Empire," both of which Warner Bros. is set to distribute.