Thompson on Hollywood

Relativity's Movie Network Adds ScreenRant Movie Site

Relativity Media’s advertising and promotion network, The Movie Network, has added Vic Holtreman's popular fanboy site ScreenRant.com, which grew its base by covering sci-fi, superhero and fantasy films. Per ComScore, ScreenRant now reaches 800,000 unique users per month. ScreenRant.com joins a growing list of sites that sign on with Q1Media-managed TheMovieNetwork to increase their ad sales. The Movie Network is a part of entertainment advertising and promotional network The Rogue Network, which is managed by Q1Media.

By Anne Thompson
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March 9, 2011 6:04 AM
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Relativity Hires Noyce to Direct Hunter Killer

While Relativity may not be the answer to all of Hollywood's prayers, the upstart distrib is putting some movies into production. CEO Ryan Kavanaugh has hired respected veteran A-list director Philip Noyce (Salt, Clear and Present Danger) to direct Hunter Killer, set to start shooting late this year.

By Anne Thompson
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February 17, 2011 9:51 AM
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Dueling Snow Whites: Kavanaugh Lands Roberts as Evil Queen

Relativity has landed Julia Roberts to star as the evil Queen in Tarsem Singh's untitled contemporary comedy adventure based on the Grimm fairy tale Snow White. The neophyte distrib starts principal photography in April with a planned June 29, 2012 release date, which puts it ahead in the race to start two rival Snow White projects. Charlize Theron is in talks to play the wicked Queen in Snow White and the Huntsman for Universal, which is negotiating to sign Viggo Mortensen and Kristen Stewart. Meanwhile, The Playlist reports that Famke Jannsen is joining the Paramount fairy tale remake, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, starring Gemma Arterton and Jeremy Renner.

By Anne Thompson
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February 9, 2011 2:22 AM
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Weekend Box Office: The Roommate Decks Cameron's 3-D Sanctum; Oscar Hits Hold

Super Bowl weekend is not primetime for moviegoing, thus low-ball thriller The Roommate topped the box office frame, followed by Sanctum, James Cameron's bid to support quality 3-D (and keep courting deep sea danger). Anthony D'Alessandro does the numbers: Gossip Girl vamp Leighton Meester lured audiences with stalker thriller The Roommate, stealing $15.6 million at 2,534 venues in what was a sleepy Super Bowl weekend. The frame’s second wide release, Universal/Relativity Media’s deep-sea actioner Sanctum was B.O. plankton, excavating $9.2 million from 2,787.

By Anthony D'Alessandro
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February 6, 2011 5:16 AM
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Relativity and Alliance Renew Distribution Partnership; Limitless, Haywire and Immortals Up Next

Relativity Media and Canadian Alliance Films have renewed their output deal through 2015. Alliance Films president Charles Layton says Relativity "consists of great guys, partners and entrepreneurs. We look forward to helping them build Relativity in the coming years.”

By Sophia Savage
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February 4, 2011 8:10 AM
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Exec Watch: Relativity Adds Steve Bertram as COO, CFO

As he continues to beef up his burgeoning company, Relativity Media CEO Ryan Kavanaugh has hired Steve Bertram, who was president of Business Operations for Paramount Home Entertainment for five years, as Relativity's new COO and CFO, supervising day-to-day company operations. He will oversee Relativity's domestic and international distribution operation and will report on those areas to Relativity president Michael Joe. In the financial arena he will report to Kavanaugh.

By Anne Thompson
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January 27, 2011 9:01 AM
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Relativity Hits Sundance with Ex-Paramount Star Acquisition Exec Matukewicz in Tow

In a piece of acquisition news second only to SnagFilms' pick-up of veteran indie star Bingham Ray, new distrib on the block Relativity has poached Paramount acquisitions exec Joe Matukewicz as SVP of Worldwide Acquisitions. Matukewicz put in nine years as a Paramount exec, winding up as VP Acquisitions and Co-Productions for Paramount Vantage and Paramount Worldwide Acquisitions Group. He head acquisitions and work closely with the Relativity production team, reporting to Relativity production chief Tucker Tooley and marketing and distribution head Peter Adee. Matukewicz has already acquired for Relativity David Ellis’ Untitled 3D Shark Thriller from his old Vantage boss Nick Meyer’s Sierra Pictures.

By Anne Thompson
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January 19, 2011 10:16 AM
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Relativity to Pact with FilmNation for Foreign Sales

Glen Basner's FilmNation Entertainment and Ryan Kavanaugh's Relativity Media are in final talks toward a long-term exclusive international sales and distribution deal. This will make it easier for Relativity going forward as it looks to acquire more titles at Sundance, Berlin and beyond. FilmNation is set to oversee international sales and distribution of Relativity titles, yet to be announced.

By Anne Thompson
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January 14, 2011 1:28 AM
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How Ryan Kavanaugh Can Save the Movies

Indie producer Cotty Chubb has a modest proposal for Relativity chief Ryan Kavanaugh that could save the movies. (Chubb wants the studios to be involved, which may be part of the problem.)The movie business is being strangled. For a professionally produced picture to succeed, it must be released theatrically. But not every movie is fit for 3,000 screens or appropriate only to educated adults, the twin poles of distribution today. And there is almost no middle ground.

By Cotty Chubb
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December 23, 2010 9:25 AM
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Beauty Watch: Theron vs. Roberts as Evil Queen, Portman and Cassel Talk about Women

We've been tracking the rival Snow White projects since September, and the latest is that Charlize Theron and Julia Roberts are both being wooed to play (beautiful) Evil Queens. Theron is in negotiations for Universal's Snow White and the Huntsman, with director Rupert Sanders (Michael Fassbender is currently rumored to be in the lead for the Huntsman, and four unknowns for Snow White, including The Tempest's Felicity Jones), while Roberts is Relativity's choice for The Brothers Grimm: Snow White, to be directed by Tarsem Singh. No word on whether Natalie Portman is still Relativity's choice for Snow White, or if Disney's Snow and the Seven is still planned (our guess is no).