Warner Bros. Buys Midway Games Assets

Posted by Robin Ruinsky (robin@filmschoolrejects.com) on July 7, 2009

midway-games-header

Midway Games loss is Warner Bros. Pictures big gain. Variety is reporting that for a mere $33 million dollars, the movie studio has bought the bankrupt Midway after a judge cleared the way for the sale. Objections over intellectual property rights had been raised by Threshold Entertainment, the company that produced the two feature length Mortal Kombat films and Tigon Films a production company founded by action star Vin Diesel. Tigon and Midway had collaborated on “Wheelman,” a video game starring Diesel.

Last Wednesday the judge said the objections had been resolved and the sale to Warner Bros. was cleared. As Warner was the only bidder their 33 million dollar offer was accepted.

Among these assets are the popular franchises “Mortal Kombat”, “Spy Hunter”, “Space Invaders”, “Pac-Man”, “Rampage” and “Joust”.

The demise of the Chicago based company marks the end of thirty plus years of video game development. Midway, which was one of the first companies to manufacture video games, declared bankruptcy earlier this year. This left the franchises without a home and Warner Bros. was more than happy to swoop in and get a bargain.

Warner Bros. only appears to have interest in developing the games into films. they didn’t buy the development studios so they clearly have no intention of continuing the games as video games. The game Spy Hunter has been in development as a film and Mortal Kombat has waiting to be re-launched.

Which one of these video game franchises do you think would make the best film?

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coldmilk

isn't Pac Man a Namco property?

Jullian

KILLER INSTICT MOVIE in works???
CMON!!! haha.. another childhood game that hollywood can ruin for me.....

but.. if they do get it.. id like to see it.. ^_^

teknokracy

I hope you realize that Killer Instinct was terrible as a game, what would you expect from the film?

bingbangboom

I think this report is very incorrect in a number of things.

Warner Bros. did purchase Midway not as an exclusive way to get the rights to make movies. That is just silly. Warner Bros. runs Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, their publishing company for video games. Midway will be under this banner and there is a rumor that WB is looking at Codemasters as another publisher to bring under WBIE.

WBIE recently has published Terminator Salvation, FEAR 2 and will be publishing the upcoming Batman: Arkham Asylum game this August.

Midway did publish Pac-Man once many many years ago but does not own that IP, it belongs to Namco Bandia.

They did get development studios, just not all of them which is understandable with any purchase. One of the main studios was the Chicago based studio responsible for the Mortal Kombat series which is in development.

Midway also does not own Wheelman, it was just a developing/publishing deal to help develop a new IP, similar deal was done with The Chronicles of Riddick. The game was actually published by Ubisoft due to Midways recent troubles.

dicenslice

actually arkham asylum is being published by eidos who are owned by square enix

teknokracy

It's a joint publication, Eidos will most likely handle European distribution, and WB handles North America.

The Amazing Nocerino

Pac-Man lol how weird would that be lol

trade your asset

Congratulations Warner Bros. What I like is the pacman and mortal kombat. I've seen the Mortal kombat movie and I like it.

susan01

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Susan

http://onlinemariogames.net

happyfa5

I say it has got to be "Pac-Man". Hanna-Barbera did made a catoon series based on the video and arcade games in the 1980s and since H-B is part of the time warner family maybe the possible new theatical film can follow the formla of the animated 1982 television show.

Warner Bros. Buys Midway Games Assets

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