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Few names are more synonymous with big money conservative politics—or more loathed in liberal Hollywood—than the brothers Koch, which makes the news that the billionaire duo have reportedly been quietly financing Warner Bros.' slate of movies especially surprising.
On Wednesday, the Hollywood Reporter broke the news that Charles G. Koch and David H. Koch "took a significant stake valued at tens of millions of dollars in RatPac-Dune Entertainment" in 2013. RatPac-Dune, a production and film financing company co-founded by Australian billionaire James Packer and famously sleazy director Brett Ratner, has a co-financing and distribution deal with Warner Bros., according to Variety. The brothers, who own 84% of Koch Industries and have been credited with essentially bankrolling the Tea Party movement, helped fund Wonder Women, Dunkirk, and Steven Spielberg's upcoming Ready Player One, according to THR. Their names were never disclosed as investors because RatPac-Dune is a privately-held company.
So who's gonna be the first person to thank the Koch brothers at the Oscars? https://t.co/7IpXstSdT5
— Tatiana Siegel (@TatianaSiegel27) August 9, 2017
The Koch brothers were reportedly brought into the deal by now-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who was the other major backer of RatPac-Dune at the time. Of course this story involves both Steve Mnuchin and Brett Ratner. A spokesperson for Koch Industries told THR that "Charles Koch, David Koch and Koch Industries do not have any involvement with this investment."
