For nearly a century, Warner Bros. was where some of Hollywood’s best, most enduring works of art came to life. Now Warner Bros. Discovery is getting a very different kind of reputation in the industry: it’s where art goes to die. Fresh off the cancellation of yet another finished movie as a tax writeoff, Coyote vs. Acme, the company has announced it’s closing down Rooster Teeth. But while the animation and comedy production company is closing after 21 years, it might not go away entirely. There’s a chance at least some parts of it will continue on if it can find new owners.
Rooster Teeth general manager Jordan Levin shared the news (which we first saw at The Hollywood Reporter), Warner Bros. Discovery has decided to shutter the company. In a statement to employees he said that although “Warner Bros. Discovery continued its investment in our company, content and community” it closing shop on Rooster Teeth. Levin cited the “challenges facing digital media resulting from fundamental shifts in consumer behavior and monetization across platforms, advertising, and patronage.”
Long-time Rooster Teeth fans might not be as gracious in their response to this news as Levin was. They do have reason to feel some hope, though. While Rooster Teeth might be ending its run as a company, it might live on in some formats. The Roost Podcast Network and its 80+ shows will continue on as Warner Bros. Discovery tries to find a buyer for it. It’s also “in discussion” about what to do with popular Rooster Teeth properties like Red vs Blue, RWBY, and Gen:LOCK.
Whether or not it finds new investors won’t change Rooster Teeth’s legacy. As Levin said, it began in 2003 in a “garage in Buda, Texas” and went on to reach “global screens large and small.” But Rooster Teeth’s closing will definitely mark another chapter in the unfortunate new legacy Warner Bros. is creating for itself.