UPDATE: Warner Bros has severed ties with Brett Ratner in light of sexual harassment and misconduct allegations against the embattled filmmaker.
A source close to the situation said Ratner would no longer keep an office on the studio lot and his first-look deal, which has expired, will not be renewed.
Ratner has also been removed from the producer roster on The Goldfinch, John Crowley’s upcoming adaptation of Donna Tart’s novel. Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson are producing the drama.
It is understood the $450m slate co-financing pact between Warner Bros and RatPac that is due to expire in spring 2018 remains in place with five films to go.
Once the pact is up for renewal AT&T, the media giant that is in the process of acquiring Warner Bros, is likely to weigh in on the matter. Len Blavatnik, who stepped in to replace Ratner’s RatPac founding partner James Packer after the Australian businessman exited Hollywood, is also likely to play a critical role and is expected to take a view on whether or not to continue his partnership with Ratner.
On Wednesday afternoon Ratner issued the following statement after the Los Angeles Times carried a report in which six women including actress Olivia Munn alleged sexual harassment and misconduct: ”In light of the allegations being made, I am choosing to personally step away from all Warner Bros.- related activities. I don’t want to have any possible negative impact to the studio until these personal issues are resolved.”
Ratner has become the latest Hollywood power player to be accused of sexually inappropriate behaviour or worse in an extraordinary four weeks that began with allegations against Harvey Weinstein. Since then, numerous women have come forward to allege wrongdoing at the hands of James Toback, Amazon Studios chief Roy Price, Dustin Hoffman and others.
Ratner has denied and disputed all allegations through his lawyer.
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