---
title: "Popcorn Anyone? Mullenweg Threatens Corporate Takeover Of WPE!"
id: "9266"
type: "post"
slug: "popcorn-anyone-mullenweg-threatens-corporate-takeover-of-wpe"
published_at: "2024-10-01T21:12:05+00:00"
modified_at: "2024-10-01T21:12:08+00:00"
url: "https://sethgoldstein.me/popcorn-anyone-mullenweg-threatens-corporate-takeover-of-wpe/"
markdown_url: "https://sethgoldstein.me/popcorn-anyone-mullenweg-threatens-corporate-takeover-of-wpe.md"
excerpt: "Ummmm, yea. So this is a thing now. “That deal’s not on the table anymore. We’re seeking more, not 8%,” Mullenweg said. “I don’t want to speculate on what the deal might be… In July it was less than 8%,..."
taxonomy_category:
  - "WordPress"
taxonomy_post_tag:
  - "automattic"
  - "Lawsuits"
  - "Matt Mullenweg"
  - "wordpress"
  - "WordPress War"
  - "wpengine"
---

[WordPress](https://sethgoldstein.me/wordpress/)

# Popcorn Anyone? Mullenweg Threatens Corporate Takeover Of WPE!

![Image](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/776e9f93cb72a6ef49cc303f0f3a5843419a07f0043cb23d64f49db44c56aeba?s=48&r=g)

Seth Goldstein

·

October 1, 2024

Sol 3576

![Popcorn up close.](https://sethgoldstein.me/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/67dd9c5a-04a0-4a68-aa1b-84da2dfd78fb.jpg)

Ummmm, yea. So this is a thing now.

“That deal’s not on the table anymore. We’re seeking more, not 8%,” Mullenweg said. “I don’t want to speculate on what the deal might be… In July it was less than 8%, it was smaller. In September it was 8%. The deal they have to do next could be taking over the company, they have no leverage.”

This is coming from the [latest email from Rae Morey in The Repository](https://www.therepository.email/mullenweg-threatens-corporate-takeover-of-wp-engine)
.

I mean I guess Automattic has enough money to do this, but geezus.

I still would like the full story, as most of us would. WTF did Silver Lake/WPE do to Matt/Automattic?

You see I didn’t add WordPress or WordPress.org there, because none of this is in the best interested of WordPress or the community.

I’m a bit shocked that it got this nuclear.

Wow.

More from Rae’s post:

“I didn’t wake up one day and suddenly decide to do this,” he said. “I was taken advantage of for so many years. The only way to deal with a bully is to fight,” he said. “[WP Engine is] a half-a-billion dollar company. [WP Engine’s main investor] **Silver Lake** has disrupted the ecosystem. I’m fighting for my life’s work.”

I think based on that last quote. Matt is taking all this personally and possibly taking us along for the ride. His “life’s work” involves a lot of people’s livelihoods and “life’s work” as well.

I don’t really know what to say.

***Thoughts?***

[automattic](https://sethgoldstein.me/tag/automattic/)
, [Lawsuits](https://sethgoldstein.me/tag/lawsuits/)
, [Matt Mullenweg](https://sethgoldstein.me/tag/matt-mullenweg/)
, [wordpress](https://sethgoldstein.me/tag/wordpress/)
, [WordPress War](https://sethgoldstein.me/tag/wordpress-war/)
, [wpengine](https://sethgoldstein.me/tag/wpengine/)