Big changes are underway at Bad Robot. Details are still coming together, but sources say J.J. Abrams is beginning to downsize the production banner.
Sources were not clear on the exact number of cuts to come as a result of the downsizing, but it was characterized as being an across the board change rather than being specific to one division of the company versus another. Furthermore, Bad Robot will shutter its LA office and move operations to New York.
The move comes amid serious belt tightening all across Hollywood. In December 2024, Bad Robot extended its long-term deal with Warner Bros, the company’s home studio since 2006. But instead of the five-year overall deal the company inked in 2019 — estimated at nine-figures, with a structure that allowed Abrams to sign other writers to overall deals — Bad Robot signed a more modest production pact that covered film and TV productions.
For nearly 30 years, Abrams and Bad Robot have been the force behind massive film and TV hits, particularly in the sci-fi genre, including “Alias,” “Lost,” “Fringe,” “Westworld,” “Super 8,” “Cloverfield,” the “Mission: Impossible” sequels and the latest “Star Trek” and “Star Wars” big-screen reboots.
Abrams founded the Santa Monica-based production company in 1999. He co-leads the banner with executive VP Bryan Burk, with Katie McGrath serving as co-CEO and overseeing culture and philanthropy.
Bad Robot most recently produced “The End of Oak Street,” a new sci-fi thriller starring Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor. The movie, from filmmaker David Robert Mitchell (“It Follows”), is set to debut theatrically on August 14. Then, “The Great Beyond” — Abrams’ first directorial effort since 2019’s “Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker,” starring Glen Powell, Jenna Ortega and Samuel L. Jackson — will debut in Imax theaters this November. The company is also producing the animated feature adaptation of the Dr. Seuss classic “Oh the Places You’ll Go.” Jon M. Chu and Jill Culton are directing the movie, which features voice performances from Ariana Grande and Josh Gad; WB dated the movie for 2028. Additional titles in the works include the “Hot Wheels” movie, “Them!,” and the animated feature “Emily the Strange.” On the TV side, Bad Robot is producing a U2 biographical scripted series at Netflix and Season 2 of “Presumed Innocent” at Apple TV.
Last year, Bad Robot’s games division also inked a deal with Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) to produce and publish the studio’s upcoming project, a four-player, cooperative shooter game.
Variety has reached out to representatives for Bad Robot and Abrams for comment.
More to come…
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