Matrix Resurrections: Village Roadshow sues over box office 'failure'

The Matrix: Resurrections was released on streaming and in cinemas on the same day in the US. Photo / Getty Images

The co-producer of The Matrix Resurrections is taking Warner Bros to court over disappointing box office numbers.

Village Roadshow Entertainment Group alleges Warner Bros breached contract when it released the film on both HBO Max and in cinemas in the US, the New York Post reports.

According to segments of legal documents published by the Wall Street Journal, Village Roadshow accuses Warner Bros of knowingly limiting the film's box office success.

"WB's sole purpose in moving the release date of The Matrix Resurrections forward was to create a desperately needed wave of year-end HBO Max premium subscriptions from what it knew would be a blockbuster film, despite knowing full well that it would decimate the film's box office revenue and deprive Village Roadshow of any economic upside that WB and its affiliates would enjoy," the filing reads.

The Matrix: Resurrections was released on streaming and in cinemas on the same day in the US. Photo / Getty Images

Village Roadshow also alleges the release on the streaming service lead to "rampant piracy" in the US, where it premiered on streaming the same day as the theatrical release.

The fourth movie in the Matrix franchise grossed just $16 million (US$10.7 million) at the box office in the US on its opening weekend - which was much lower than was anticipated.

The clash over straight-to-streaming intensifies, following Scarlett Johansson's legal stoush with Disney for the release of Black Widow.

The actress claimed the dual release on Disney+ and in theatres last year ultimately hurt ticket sales, and thus her paycheck for the film. Later Johansson and Disney settled for an amount that was not released to the public.

Warner Bros added in a statement to the WSJ: "This is a frivolous attempt by Village Roadshow to avoid their contractual commitment to participate in the arbitration that we commenced against them last week.

"We have no doubt that this case will be resolved in our favour."