RatPac-Dune Entertainment

RatPac Entertainment, LLC was an American motion picture production company owned by producer-director Brett Ratner. RatPac was founded by Ratner and billionaire James Packer. RatPac is a partner in RatPac-Dune Entertainment with Dune Entertainment.

RatPac Entertainment, LLC
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryMotion pictures production
Television
Founded2006 (as Dune Entertainment)
FoundersBrett Ratner
James Packer
Defunct2018
Headquarters
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
  • Brett Ratner (CEO)
OwnerAccess Entertainment
Brett Ratner
DivisionsRatPac Television
SubsidiariesRatPac-Dune Entertainment, LLC
Websiteratpacentertainment.com

History

RatPac Entertainment was formed in 2012 by Brett Ratner and billionaire James Packer.

RatPac-Dune Entertainment LLC was formed in September 2013 by RatPac and Dune with a four-year, 75 motion picture co-financing arrangement with Warner Bros..[2] In December 2013, RatPac signed a deal starting as of January 1, 2014 to finance films as part of a production deal between Plan B Entertainment and New Regency. In April 2017, RatPac became a subsidiary of Access Entertainment with its purchase of James Packer's ownership share.[2]

In April 2018, Warner Bros. announced that they were cutting ties with the company after Ratner's sexual harassment allegations with Rampage as the final film to be co-financed by the company with Warner Bros., and also the final film produced by RatPac to date.[3]

In 2021, r/wallstreetbets founder Jamie Rogozinski sold the rights to his life story to the company following the short squeeze of GameStop's stocks.[4]

Television series

Dune Entertainment

Dune Entertainment was led by Steven Mnuchin and had been co-financing Fox films since 2006.[5][6][7][8] On March 17, 2006, Viacom agreed to sell a controlling interest in the DreamWorks Pictures live-action film library to Soros Strategic Partners and Dune Entertainment II.[9] The sale was completed on May 8, 2006.[10] The company is the result of a 2013 joint venture between RatPac Entertainment and Dune Entertainment, following a collapse in negotiations between Dune and 20th Century Fox – which led the company to close a deal with Warner Bros. instead, replacing Legendary Pictures as Warner's key co-financing partner.[5][8][11]

Dune films

Produced with 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures and Fox 2000 Pictures as Dune Entertainment, Dune Entertainment LLC or Dune Entertainment III LLC.

RatPac-Dune Entertainment

RatPac-Dune Entertainment, LLC is a film financing company which is a joint venture of RatPac Entertainment and Dune Entertainment.

RatPac-Dune Entertainment, LLC was formed in September 2013 by RatPac and Dune with a multi-year 75-picture co-financing arrangement with Warner Bros..[2][12] On November 26, 2013, RatPac-Dune finalized a $300 million credit facility with a group of banks, led by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, that has an option to be extended to $400 million.[13] In April 2018, Warner Bros. announced that they will not renew its contract with RatPac-Dune Entertainment after Brett Ratner's sexual harassment allegations.[3] In November 2018, RatPac-Dune's minority ownership stake in a library of 76 Warner Bros. films was put for sale, with investors in the fund backing the library to cash out.[14] Vine Alternative Investments made a high bid for the library, but in January 2019, Warner Bros. exercised its rights to match the bid for the library, and essentially acquired RatPac-Dune's stakes. The cost was estimated at nearly $300 million.[15]

RatPac-Dune films

The 75-picture deal passively covered all movies outside of other production financing deals including those with Village Roadshow Pictures, Gulfstream and Alcon Entertainment and all Harry Potter films.[13] The deal was passive both financially and creatively as RatPac-Dune did not select which films to finance nor had any creative say over the films.[16]

Financed with Warner Bros.
Under Access Entertainment
Financed with Regency Enterprises and 20th Century Fox
Financed with Universal Pictures
Financed with Sony Pictures Entertainment
Financed with RKO Pictures
Financed as RatPac Documentary Films

References

  1. Butler, Andy (July 17, 2014). "Ratpac Entertainment Logo by Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv". Design Boom. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  2. Hipes, Patrick (April 18, 2017). "Len Blavatnik's Access Acquires RatPac Entertainment Stake". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
  3. Lopez, Ricardo (2018-04-11). "Warners Bros. Cuts Final Ties With Brett Ratner, Won't Renew $450-Million Co-Financing Deal". Variety. Retrieved 2018-07-18.
  4. Otani, Erich Schwartzel and Akane (2021-02-04). "WSJ News Exclusive | Reddit's WallStreetBets Founder Sells Life Story to Movie Producer RatPac Entertainment". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2021-02-04.
  5. Lewis, Hilary (October 2, 2014). "Dune Capital's Steven Mnuchin Takes Stake in Relativity, Becomes Co-Chairman". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  6. McNary, Dave (September 30, 2013). "Warner Bros. Closes Financing Deal With Dune, Brett Ratner, James Packer". Variety. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  7. McNary, Dave (October 27, 2014). "Brett Ratner's RatPac Closes on $150 Million Credit Line for Warner Bros. Titles". Variety. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  8. Shaw, Lucas (November 26, 2013). "RatPac-Dune Secures $300M in Credit to Fund Warner Bros. Films". TheWrap. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  9. "Viacom to Sell DreamWorks Film Library". AP. March 18, 2006 via The New York Times.
  10. Viacom to Sell DreamWorks Film Library. Associated Press. March 18, 2006. Retrieved on July 20, 2009.
  11. Siegel, Tatiana; Belloni, Matthew (July 9, 2013). "Warner Bros. Closing Massive Financing Deal With Dune to Replace Legendary (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  12. Miller, Daniel (September 30, 2013). "Warner Bros. strikes financing deal with Dune, Ratner". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  13. Block, Alex Ben (November 26, 2013). "Brett Ratner's RatPac-Dune Closes $300 Million Credit Facility to Fund Warner Bros. Films". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  14. Fleming, Mike Jr. (November 15, 2018). "RatPac Dune's Warner Bros Film Library Sale: Who Wants Piece Of 'Wonder Woman,' 'American Sniper' & 'Gravity'?". Deadline. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  15. Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 2, 2019). "Warner Bros Exercises Matching Rights To Win RatPac Dune Library: $290M-$300M". Deadline. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  16. Shaw, Lucas (September 30, 2013). "Warner Bros. Recruits Dune, Brett Ratner's Rat-Pac to Finance Its Movies". TheWrap. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  17. "Warner Bros., Brett Ratner Sever Ties Amid Harassment Claims". The Hollywood Reporter.
  18. Gerard, Jeremy (May 13, 2016). "HBO's Docu 'Bright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher And Debbie Reynolds' – Cannes Video". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 30, 2016.
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