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More than 2,000 short-form videos from FilmRise are making their way to Amazon’s Fire TV Channels. (Courtesy image)

Film studio FilmRise is bringing its library of films and TV shows to Amazon’s Fire TV Channels platform as short-form video content, the company announced on Friday.

The New York-based distributor, which now operates under Radial Entertainment, will offer more than 2,000 clips ranging from five to 15 minutes each on Fire TV and Echo Show devices in the United States. The lineup includes content from 14 creators such as Preston and Brianna, Uncle Roger and Unspeakable.

Daniel Gagliardi, the co-Head of Sales, Distribution & Strategy and Executive Vice President of North American Digital Distribution, said expanding into short-form was a natural move.

“It made perfect sense to expand and build upon our long-time relationship with Amazon and their wide array of connected devices as one of the best ways to extend our vast library of films,...

Legend has announced a bumper slate of action and adventure for August 2025, headlined by the UK television premiere of Acceleration and the channel debut of Nicolas Winding Refn’s acclaimed neo-noir Drive. The month-long schedule promises a mix of modern thrillers, retro Westerns and cult classics, alongside the arrival of Charlie’s Angels, which lands on Legend for the first time.

The schedule kicks off on 7 August with Acceleration, a 2019 thriller starring Dolph Lundgren as Vladik Zorich, a ruthless Los Angeles crime lord who dominates the city’s underworld. When his trusted operative Rhona Zyocki, played by Natalie Burn, betrays him, Zorich retaliates by abducting her young son. What follows is a high-stakes fight for survival as Rhona turns against her former employer in a bid to save her child.

Also joining the channel’s line-up is Drive, screening on 10 August. The 2011 feature cemented Ryan Gosling’s reputation as a leading...

A new month means new Tubi additions. While you have to pay to watch classics and underrated productions on most streaming services, Tubi is not one of them. This month, there's a lot to look forward to watching on the streamer, from comedies to action films and even an underrated 2009 movie starring a WWE legend. John Cena's acting catalog is almost as iconic as his wrestling career. While viewers "can't see him" in the ring, he's fully visible while playing fictional characters, especially Danny Fisher in 12 Rounds, which is available on the free streaming service now.

In the action thriller, Fisher (Cena) finds himself in a 12-round revenge game with arms dealer Miles Jackson (Aidan Gillen). A sting operation to capture Jackson falls apart after the FBI's inside man double-crosses them. In a getaway car, the arms dealer escapes with his girlfriend, Erica Kessen (Taylor Cole), but Officers Danny...

USalternative investmentfirm Oaktree Capital Management has acquired US distributor FilmRise and merged it with Shout! Studios to form global distribution platform Radial Entertainment.

Garson Foos, CEO and co-founder of Shout! Studios, will become CEO of Radial Entertainment and Danny Fisher, CEO and co-founder of FilmRise, will become executive chairman.

New York-based FilmRise was founded in 2012 and operates the FilmRise Streaming Network of Fast channels and ad-supported streaming apps. Its feature credits include Train To Busan, Bernie, Manifesto, and My Friend Dahmer.

Oaktree initially invested in Shout! Studios in 2023 and is looking to grow its content portfolio by acquiring entertainment companies and libraries.

FilmRise and Shout! Studios are combining to form Radial Entertainment, a new global content distribution platform that will house one of the largest independent catalogs in the industry of 70,000 movies and TV episodes.

The move comes as FilmRise is being acquired by funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Oaktree is excited to bring together two incredible Film & TV content

distribution companies in FilmRise and Shout!,” Oaktree Special Situations managing director Jared Frandle said in a statement. “We believe combining these companies under the Radial umbrella creates a world-class Film & TV media business. It’s an extraordinary combination that we believe brings the unique scale needed to compete and win in the rapidly evolving landscape of digital entertainment and streaming media.”

Frandle said the firm would continue to seek opportunities to invest and grow its film and TV catalog and is committed to...

The logo of Radial Entertainment. (Courtesy image)

FilmRise and Shout Factory, two studios that provide a significant amount of content to streaming services, are merging and will rebrand to Radial Entertainment, the companies announced on Tuesday.

The merger comes after Shout Studios was acquired by Oaktree Capital, which decided to change the name of the holding company on Tuesday.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Radial will merge previously acquired Shout with FilmRise to create an indie film and TV distributor with more than 70,000 titles. Garson Foos, CEO and co-founder of Shout, will become CEO of Radial Entertainment, while Danny Fisher, CEO and co-founder of FilmRise, will become executive chairman.

“We have long admired the FilmRise business and its executives, and have held a steadfast belief that a strategic transaction between the companies would create an entertainment business of exciting scale,” Foos said in a statement. “This is...

Exclusive: Los Angeles-based health Oaktree Capital Management is following its 2023 acquisition of Shout! Studios with a deal for FilmRise, a leading indie distributor of digital streaming content.

Shout! recently acquired Gravitas Ventures. Oaktree, which is on the way to amassing one of the largest independent library catalogs in the industry with about 70,000 movies and episodes, will fold its growing media footprint into a new holding company called Radial Entertainment. Garson Foos, CEO and co-founder of Shout! Studios, will become CEO of Radial Entertainment and Danny Fisher, CEO and co-founder of FilmRise, will become Executive Chairman.

Jared Frandle, Managing Director for Oaktree’s Special Situations strategy, tells Deadline the firm will continue to invest across M&a, content partnerships and expansion of digital streaming channels. The three executives called the merger of FilmRise and Shout! strong on industrial logic with unique and complementary capabilities, assets, and expertise “that interlock to create a complete,...

Several inductees of the Emerging Leaders Class of 2025 at the StreamTV Show Awards in Denver. (Courtesy photo)

LG Electronics, Philo and Spectrum Reach were among the companies honored with awards at the 2025 StreamTV Show in Denver this week.

The winners were named during a ceremony on the opening day of the program, which ran from June 11 to June 13.

“This year’s competition was more exciting than ever,” Kevin Gray, the Vice President of Questex and the founder of the StreamTV Show, said in a statement. “Winners stood out for their bold innovation, unmatched audience engagement, sharp strategic thinking, revenue growth, and game-changing partnerships. Congratulations to the leaders and companies who are shaping the future of the streaming industry.”

The winners and finalists are named below:

Content Partnerships Executive of the Year Charlie Neiman, Amazon Prime Video – Winner Amy Leasca, AMC Networks – Finalist Asheem Khondker, The Walt Disney Company – Finalist Rob Thun,...

Participants attend a panel on streaming video-related topics at the StreamTV Show. (Photo by Questex)

Products and executives from DirecTV, Xumo, Paramount, Charter’s Spectrum, LG, NBC Universal, Sinclair Broadcasting and Philo are among those named as finalists for this year’s StreamTV Awards, the company organizing the event Questex announced on Tuesday.

The awards ceremony is part of the broader StreamTV Show, the annual conference that draws media executives and thought leaders to Denver to discuss all things related to connected TV, including programming, advertising and measurement, among other topics.

The StreamTV Awards highlight the products and executives who have demonstrated excellence in the connected TV industry throughout the year. Event organizers described this year’s nomination process as “tougher and more exciting than ever.”

The winners will be announced during the StreamTV Show in June. The list of finalists is below:

Content Partnerships Executive of the Year Amy Leasca,...

Tubi has repeatedly shown itself as one of the best platforms for viewing movies in an era where streaming services are becoming increasingly popular. Whether it's a classic Western starring John Wayne or a high-voltage action thriller, the streaming platform has it all. Speaking of the latter, Tubi will add some of the genre's best films to its repertoire in February 2025.

From Liam Neeson's iconic Taken to the latest DC live-action feature of one of its most beloved characters, Blue Beetle, the previous month has been quite entertaining for Tubi users. Similarly, the streaming service has planned a number of intriguing action films, including arguably the greatest martial arts film starring Bruce Lee to Denzel Washington's newest entry from a lucrative franchise. So, without further ado, here's a list of every movie that will be available to stream for free on Tubi beginning March 2025.

'Transporter 3'...

FilmRise, a New York-based film and TV studio and streaming network, has announced the launch of a groundbreaking initiative to update the visual quality of its content by utilizing a mix of AI software and human editorial know-how.

Employing this new blend, the company has converted the hugely popular true crime series “Forensic Files” into high definition. The upscaled episodes will be available across multiple streaming platforms as FilmRise pushes to further enhance the viewer experience for its popular brands.

“This new initiative embodies FilmRise’s core mission to enhance the viewer experience for both our audiences and our streaming partners,” said CEO Danny Fisher. “We are committed to continually improving the quality of the programs we acquire and distribute, catering to both consumer audiences and our streaming partners.”

The “Forensic Files” upgrade follows FilmRise’s long-term partnership with Content Partners LLC, the show’s IP holder. The series, which...

Wrestler-turned-Hollywood star John Cena's early filmography continues its unlikely streaming renaissance. His 2009 action movie 12 Rounds will be heading to free streaming service, Tubi on March 1.

12 Rounds, which earned a low 31% on Rotten Tomatoes, joins Cena's equally maligned The Marine on the platform's growing catalog of nostalgic B-movie offerings. Tubi's acquisition of the film comes over a decade after the film's release, at a time when Cena's Hollywood profile continues to reach new heights thanks to his performances in Peacemakerand Universal's Fast & Furious franchise. The timing also capitalizes on a pivotal era for the WWE superstar, who is currently on his wrestling retirement tour which ends in December.

RelatedPlot Details Emerge for John Cena's Next Big Movie as Cast Expands With MCU Star

New cast members and plot details have been revealed for John Cena's next movie, which is set to begin filming in January 2025.

Though...

Jan Shepard, who guest-starred on Rawhide, The Virginian, Gunsmoke and two dozen other TV Westerns and played opposite Elvis Presley in movies eight years apart, has died. She was 96.

Shepard died Jan. 17 at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank of pneumonia brought on by respiratory failure, her son, Hollywood prop master, Brandon Boyle, told The Hollywood Reporter. “She was a good one and will be dearly missed,” he said.

Shepard portrayed Mimi, the sister of Presley’s Danny Fisher, in the Michael Curtiz-directed King Creole (1958) and the wife of Danny Kohana (James Shigeta), who partners with Presley’s Rick Richards in a helicopter business, in Paradise, Hawaiian Style (1966).

“The first time, I found him to be just the cutest kid around, a big teddy bear, a lot of fun,” she said in an interview for Boyd Magers and Michael G. Fitzgerald’s 1999 book, Westerns Women. But on their next movie,...

Renowned legal analyst and former prosecutor Nancy Grace announced at CrimeCon 2024 Nashville that FilmRise has commenced production on the fifth season of the hit true crime television series Bloodline Detectives, Hosted by Nancy Grace, including the 100th episode of the program. This marks a significant milestone for one of FilmRise’s first original productions as a television studio and streaming network. Grace also revealed that the fourth season of the fan-favorite true crime series has just dropped on multiple streaming platforms across the United States to stream for free on platforms including Tubi, FilmRise, YouTube, and The Roku Channel, among many others.

“I am a victim of violent crime. I have devoted my life to speaking out for crime victims and seeking justice for them. Our series, Bloodline Detectives, joins me in that commitment,” said Grace. “Family and friends of those featured on our show have endured years of uncertainty...

Johnny Holden. (Courtesy photo)

FilmRise is expanding the role of its chief financial executive to include growth strategy initiatives.

This month, Chief Financial Officer Johnny Holden also became the company’s Chief Strategy Officer, a role that will involve developing and executing all financial and growth strategies across the media and entertainment firm.

“Johnny’s management is characterized by a forward-thinking approach and dedication to fostering a collaborative and inclusive company culture,” FilmRise CEO Danny Fisher said in a statement. “His unwavering commitment to excellence and innovative strategic planning has solidified FilmRise’s position as a leader in the industry, propelling its growth and success.”

FilmRise is one of the world’s top content providers, licensing TV shows and movies for subscription-based (SVOD) and ad-supported platforms (AVOD), along with free, ad-supported streaming TV (Fast) content channels.

Content distributed by FilmRise includes Gordon Ramsay’s “Hell’s Kitchen” and “Kitchen Nightmares,...

Jonitha Keymoore. (Courtesy photo)

Content production and licensing company FilmRise has elevated Jonitha Keymoore to serve as its new Head of Content.

In the new role, Keymoore will oversee all content licensing and production activities involving the FilmRise network of free, ad-supported (Fast) linear content channels and apps, and coordinate the same with FilmRise’s streaming-focused partners and stakeholders.

“From the moment Jonitha joined our team at FilmRise three years ago, her impact has been extraordinary,” said FilmRise CEO Danny Fisher. “Her dedication, insights, and work ethic have made her a cornerstone of the company. In her new role, we have every confidence that Jo will thrive and excel and pave the way for even greater successes for FilmRise.”

Keymoore joined FilmRise in 2021 after serving in a senior role with Paramount Global. At Paramount, she was tasked with securing licensing deals for content across the company’s cable and digital networks.

Elvis Presley starred in a large number of films, often appearing in multiple movies per year during the 1950s and 1960s. These films featured a mix of recognizable actors and unknowns who would later become major names in the industry. Notable actors such as Dick Sargent, Walter Matthau, Donna Douglas, Charles Bronson, Angela Lansbury, and Barbara Stanwyck appeared alongside Elvis in his movies, taking on both major and minor roles. Even actors who had uncredited or minor roles in Elvis Presley films went on to have successful careers. Examples include Jackie Coogan, Lee Majors, Vincent Price, and Kurt Russell, who made his film debut in an Elvis Presley movie and later portrayed Presley himself in a television movie.

Throughout the 31 feature films that Elvis Presley starred in, there were plenty of opportunity for him to share scenes with notable stars. While the movies of Presley can vary in quality and...

Major construction work along Cannes’ famed Croisette has turned this most glamorous of French seaside towns into a chaotic building site. Television executives, in town for the MIPCOM Cannes international TV confab, which runs through Thursday, Oct. 19, have been forced to run a gauntlet of concrete slabs and roped-off danger zones.

It’s an apt metaphor for the mood at MIPCOM this year. A conflagration of factors — the actors strike, rising inflation, a slump in the advertising market, and a pull-back in investment by the global streamers — have combined to weaken the foundations of the international TV business. Executives are treading carefully as if in fear the whole structure could collapse under their feet.

“There’s a lot of fear out there, a lot of companies are worried they might not be around in six, 12, 18 months,” said one MIPCOM veteran, the CEO of a mid-sized European production and distribution company.

‘Elsbeth’ Flies To France

Paramount Global Content Distribution has licensed the highly anticipated CBS Studios series “Elsbeth” to TF1 in France.

Starring Emmy Award winner Carrie Preston, “Elsbeth” is based on the popular character of Elsbeth Tascioni, the astute but unconventional attorney featured in “The Good Wife” and “The Good Fight.” “The series has been highly sought after in the French territory and this agreement will provide TF1 viewers exclusive access to the series in the market,” Paramount Global Content Distribution said.

The new series finds Elsbeth in New York City tackling a new investigative role and working alongside the NYPD after leaving her successful legal career in Chicago.

“TF1 is delighted to welcome this new series, driven by the talent of the amazing Carrie Preston,” said Sophie Leveaux, Tfi’s artistic director of acquisitions and international drama development, noting that the “Good Wife” universe was adored by audiences. “‘Elsbeth...

A dozen top YouTubers are taking their content to TV with FilmRise.

Sam and Colby (9.7 million subscribers), UnspeakablePlays (7.5M), PrestonGamez (3.4M), LazarBeam (20M), jschlatt (3.9M), That Chapter (1.8M), TheWhyFiles (2.1M), Kendall Rae (3.5M), ShanePlays (1.9M), I did a thing (4.4M), and Hyper (2.4M) have partnered with the Brooklyn-based film/TV studio to repackage their content in TV show form and distribute it across various Fast, AVOD, SVOD, and pay TV channels.

FilmRise, which was founded in 2012 by longtime producers and financiers Danny Fisher, Jack Fisher, and Alan Klingenstein, tells Tubefilter these deals are part of its creator partner program’s expansion into gaming and true crime content.

It’s been building the partner program since 2021, distributing content from creators like Guga Foods, Azzyland, Scuba Jake, Brave Wilderness, Uncle Roger, Rooster Teeth, and Brianna Arsement.

It also previously did deals with Preston and Unspeakable; their new agreements specifically cover gaming content.

“Jersey Shore” star Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino is entering the true crime space with “Statute of Limitations,” TheWrap has exclusively learned.

Co-produced by FilmRise and Grinning Dog Entertainment, the series is described as a “light-hearted” take on the true crime genre. Hosted by Sorrentino, “Statute of Limitations” follows everyday people who have committed non-violent crimes where — title drop — the statute of limitations have passed, allowing them to speak openly about how they evaded the law. Watch the first trailer for the series above.

“This one-of-a-kind series features crimes openly discussed by people who ‘got away with it’ coupled together with series host Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino’s unique style of humor that brings a light heartedness to a normally dark genre,” FilmRise senior vice president of acquisitions and co-productions Max Einhorn said in a press release. “That combination along with Mike’s highly engaged global fan base will help deliver big audiences for the series.

Like so many business success stories, FilmRise started with a huge failure.

It was 2009, and City Lights Media, the TV production and distribution company founded and run by Danny Fisher and his brother Jack, had just gone bust. The company was nearly 30 years old and an industry staple, the producer of dozens of shows, including the Food Network hit Chopped, and home to one of the biggest postproduction operations in New York. It had more than 400 employees.

But City Lights didn’t survive the financial crash. The company was heavily leveraged, with some 15 million in debt personally guaranteed by Danny. When the world’s economy pancaked, he was forced to file for personal bankruptcy. His savings were wiped out. He was left with 1,700 in his checking account and no idea what to do next.

“I was luckier than most,” says Fisher. “My wife, Barbara, was still working as a psychologist.

Exclusive: Canada’s Bell Media has acquired more than 1,000 hours of content including Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen, Ex Machina and Boyhood from FilmRise.

The deal also includes movies such as Steve Carell-starring Foxcatcher and multiple factual shows like Unsolved Mysteries and Kitchen Nightmares for Canadian studio Bell’s digital channels CTV Throwback and CTV Movies.

Additional content will be added over the coming months.

The announcement was made jointly today by FilmRise CEO Danny Fisher and Justin Stockman, Vice-President, Content Development & Programming at Bell Media.

“This partnership allows us to deepen our content offering on CTV Throwback and CTV Movies, delivering more titles and more choice for viewers,” added Stockman.

The deal was brokered by Michael L. Smith of Warbun Consulting Inc.

FilmRise, the New York-based film and television studio and streaming network, has acquired the North American rights to a large swath of Japanese anime titles, headlined by more than episodes of the “Yu- Gi-Oh!” franchise.

The deal with Konami Cross Media NY, part of Japan’s Konami Group, grants AVOD streaming rights for the FilmRise Streaming Network, including apps and free ad-supported TV (Fast) channels.

The Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise is based on the manga series that inspired a trading card game played with monsters, spells, and traps, several video games, and a television series.

“This iconic Japanese property will be featured alongside other beloved anime content, on our FilmRise Anime channel a growing new destination for North American anime fans,” said Max Einhorn, FilmRise’s SVP of acquisitions and co-production.

The video streaming package includes 808 episodes of the “Yu-Gi-Oh!” TV series in English, and 541 dubbed in Spanish. It includes “Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters...

New York-based film and television studio and streaming network FilmRise has struck a production and distribution deal with Los Angeles-based Nicely Entertainment.

Under the terms of the deal, FilmRise will co-produce and exclusively distribute in the U.S. holiday-themed films “Sappy Holiday,” starring Vanessa Sears (“The Last Man”) and John McLaren (“Heartland”) and “Snowball Effect” along with two newly completed productions from Nicely – “Adeline,” starring John Schneider (“Dukes of Hazard”) and “Snapshot to Love,” starring Lexi Giovagnoli (“Christmas Lovers Anonymous”) and Benedict Mazurek (“Danger! Danger!”).

In addition, FilmRise is picking up U.S. digital distribution rights to some 20 holiday films in the Nicely library.

Along with the FilmRise Streaming Network, the new productions will be offered to a range of broadcasters and digital partner platforms. In 2021, FilmRise entered a similar deal with Reel One Entertainment, which focuses on female-lead, feel-good romance and holiday films, that included FilmRise acquiring 15 new releases,...

Exclusive: FilmRise has acquired all North American distribution rights to New Zealand drama The Justice of Bunny King, starring Essie Davis (The Babadook) and Jojo Rabbit, Last Night in Soho and The Power of the Dog actress Thomasin McKenzie.

Gaysorn Thavat’s feature film directorial debut follows the story of a mother who tries to battle her way back from the bottom to regain custody of her children. Emma Slade produced from a script by Sophie Henderson.

The film had its worldwide premiere at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival where it received the Special Jury Mention for the Nora Ephron Award. The film was an Official Selection at the 2021 Edinburgh International Film Festival, the Melbourne International Film Festival, and the Asia Pacific Screen Awards where Essie Davis was nominated for the Best Performance by an Actress award.

The deal was negotiated by Katie Carroll, Manager, Independent Film Acquisitions for FilmRise and Jonathan Walik,...

Exclusive: New York-based distributor FilmRise has acquired North American rights to completed sci-fi romance-drama The Time Capsule, starring Todd Grinnell (Hollywoodland), Brianna Hildebrand (Deadpool), Baron Vaughn (Grace And Frankie), KaDee Strickland (Private Practice) and Ravi Patel (Meet The Patels).

Erwann Marshall’s feature directorial debut, set in the near future, charts the story of a politician fresh off an electoral loss who escapes to his family’s summer lake house. His vacation is disrupted by the appearance of his first love, who has just returned from a 20-year space voyage and hasn’t aged a day.

The Landier Entertainment film was written by Chad Fifer and Erwann Marshall, produced by Amanda Marshall, and exec-produced by Michael Landier, with Dobré Films’ Ves D’Elia and Michael Klein also serving as executive producers.

The deal was negotiated by Katie Carroll, Manager, Independent Film Acquisitions for FilmRise, and Charlotte Lichtman, Agent, International and Independent Film for ICM Partners.

Exclusive: FilmRise has acquired North American distribution rights to well-received Sundance and Tribeca title Marvelous And The Black Hole, starring four-time Emmy-winner Rhea Perlman (The Mindy Project) and Miya Cech (Always Be My Maybe).

The coming-of-age comedy follows the story of an unlikely bond between a young girl and an eccentric magician.

Pic was produced by Carolyn Mao and marks Kate Tsang’s feature film directorial debut. Recent festival play includes the Mill Valley Film Festival, Atlanta Film Festival and the Sun Valley Film Festival.

The deal was negotiated by Katie Carrol, Manager, Independent Film Acquisition, for FilmRise, and Adriana Banta, Director at 30 West.

Danny Fisher, CEO of FilmRise commented: “The combination of releasing Kate Tsang’s directorial debut film featuring the terrific performance of 2021 Sundance Film Festival breakout star Miya Cech opposite the masterful comic timing of Rhea Perlman in a unique coming of age comedy, was irresistible. This...

Streaming network FilmRise has acquired the digital distribution rights to over 300 different film titles from the Maverick Entertainment Library, which is known for its diverse movies targeted at African American audiences and with niche genres.

The titles in the deal include 2019’s “New Year, New Us” starring Kellen Marcus (pictured) and Courtney Gray, “Murder Gardens” starring Bertrand E. Boyd, “Love & Drugs” starring Kenny Gardner, “#Love Swag” starring Anica Barbosa and “The Lies We Tell But the Secrets We Keep” starring Anita Nicole Brown, among many others.

The deal gives the FilmRise Streaming Network AVOD, including Fast (free ad-supported streaming TV) rights, in both the US and Canada.

“We couldn’t think of a better partner to align with than Maverick Entertainment, given their leading position in providing content for Black audiences,” FilmRise CEO Danny Fisher said in a statement. “We believe their impressive collection of programming will make a great...

Exclusive: John Leguizamo (John Wick) crime movie Dark Blood has been picked up for distribution in North and South America by FilmRise.

Spanish-language film Dark Blood, directed by Colombian filmmaker Harold Trompetero (Diastole y systole: Los movimientos del Corazon), follows a father who is imprisoned after committing a brutal revenge crime. During his confinement he must adapt to a new life of abuse, including injury and humiliation by guards and other prisoners. You can check out the film’s first trailer above.

The pact was negotiated by Katie Carroll, Manager, Independent Film Acquisition at FilmRise and Priscilla Ross Smith, CEO of recently-launched France-based sales firm The Coven. The deal gives FilmRise theatrical, digital and broadcast rights in North and Sound America.

The film will have its North American premiere this September coinciding with National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Danny Fisher, President and CEO at FilmRise, stated: “John Leguizamo’s performance in...

Exclusive: Sundance and Berlin 2020 drama Surge, starring Ben Whishaw, has sold to FilmRise for North America.

Skyfall and A Very English Scandal star Whishaw leads the UK drama about a security guard at Stansted Airport crumbling under the strain of his job and the pressures of a dysfunctional family. A series of frustrations leads him to commit an impulsive act of rebellion, an act that releases a wilder side of his personality which takes him on an uninhibited journey across the British capital.

FilmRise has taken theatrical, digital and broadcast rights. The deal was negotiated by Katie Carroll, Manager, Independent Film Acquisition at FilmRise and George Hamilton, Head of Sales at Protagonist Pictures.

Surge marks Aneil Karia’s (Top Boy) feature directorial debut. We spoke to Karia ahead of the film’s debut at Sundance.

The film had its worldwide premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, where Whishaw won the...

PBS has acquired the domestic distribution rights to “Icon: Music Through the Lens,” a docuseries about the history of photography for rock stars and musicians through the years.

Dick Carruthers, a legendary music director who has worked with artists like The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Beyonce, White Stripes, Oasis, Paul McCartney and Black Sabbath, directed and produced “Icon,” and music photographer Gered Mankowitz curated the series’ many iconic photos.

PBS plans to air the series this summer, which is in six, one-hour parts, as part of the network’s primetime lineup.

“Icon” charts the fascinating lives and often crazy experiences of music photogs, from the earliest darkrooms to the digital landscapes of the present day. The series examines famous studio portraits, record sleeves, music magazine shoots, live shows, exhibitions, social media, coffee table books and fine art to ask what makes an image iconic and discover what the future holds for music photography.

Exclusive: PBS has acquired U.S. domestic broadcast and digital rights to Icon: Music Through The Lens, a six-episode original series from FilmRise in partnership with Universal Music Group’s Mercury Studios.

PBS will air the one-hour episodes as part of their summer prime-time lineup, Brooklyn-based FilmRise announced today. The series explores studio portraits, record sleeves, music magazines, live shows, exhibitions, social media, coffee table books and the fine art world, and looks at the future music photography.

Musicians featured include Alice Cooper, Craig David, Nick Mason (Pink Floyd), Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols), Ziggy Marley, Lars Ulrich, (Metallica), Zara Larsson, Stefflon Don and Dizzee Rascal. The show interviews photographers Jill Furmanovsky, Kevin Westenberg, Terry O’Neill, Kevin Cummins, Bob Gruen, Rachel Wright, Deborah Feingold, Baron Wolman, Neal Preston, Roger Sargent, Dean Chalkley, Tom Sheehan, Pooneh Ghana, Michael Zagaris, Danny Clinch, Rankin and Mick Rock.

FilmRise called the series “a thrill ride...

Exclusive: New York-based distributor FilmRise has struck a deal with sales firm WaZabi Films for U.S. rights to TIFF 2020 and Berlin 2021 drama Beans.

The coming-of-age story about a twelve-year-old Mohawk girl forced to grow up fast during the 1990 Indigenous uprising known as The Oka Crisis, played at the Toronto International Film Festival — where director Tracey Deer won the TIFF Emerging Talent prize — and is an Official Selection at the Berlinale, 2021.

Deer is an Indigenous woman whose own experiences from the crisis inspired her to write the movie. Anne-Marie Gélinas of EMAFilms produces.

Cast includes Kiawentiio, Violah Beauvais, Rainbow Dickerson and Joel Montgrand. The film also played at festivals including Vancouver, Sao Paulo and Los Cabos.

The deal was negotiated by Katie Carroll, Manager, Independent Film Acquisitions at FilmRise, and Anick Poirier Co-President at WaZabi Films.

Danny Fisher, FilmRise CEO commented: “Beans is a perfect addition to our library of...

TheGrill is pleased to welcome award-winning filmmakers Brad Bird and Antoine Fuqua, former IMAX Entertainment CEO Greg Foster, Alamo Drafthouse CEO Shelli Taylor, Skydance president and COO Jesse Sisgold and Warner Bros. Pictures president of international theatrical distribution Andrew Cripps for a powerhouse conversation on “The Future of Theatrical Film” at the three-day Grill conference September 22-24.

Across the world movie theaters have closed, festivals have been cancelled or postponed, film releases have moved to future dates or delayed indefinitely and film production has largely halted. While Hollywood is bracing itself for more changes due to coronavirus, industry leaders are finding new ways to adapt and think outside the box. This high-level panel of executives, experts and filmmakers will address what the future holds for the theatrical experience, and movies in general.

For over a decade, TheWrap’s Grill event series has led conversations on the convergence between entertainment, media and technology,...

TheGrill welcomes “Kajillionaire” writer and director Miranda July for the prestigious Spotlight Conversation on Wednesday at TheGrill, TheWrap’s signature business conference held virtually from September 22-24.

July, an author and artist along with being a writer-director, will discuss her career and her latest film “Kajillionaire” starring Evan Rachel Wood, Debra Winger, Richard Jenkins and Gina Rodriguez in a one-hour conversation with Wrap editor-in-chief Sharon Waxman.

“Kajillionaire” had its world premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and will be released by Focus Features on September 25. The film is about two con artists (Jenkins and Winger) who have spent 26 years training their only daughter to swindle, scam and steal at every turn, a unique fable told in July’s singular voice. The film won early laudatory reviews such as Antony Lane’s remark in The New Yorker: “July uses ‘Kajillionaire’ to present her credentials as a transcendentalist of the humdrum.”

“Kajillionaire” (Focus Features)

Previously July wrote,...

TheGrill is thrilled to welcome “The Social Dilemma” writer and director Jeff Orlowski for an in-depth conversation about his new documentary exploring the human impact of technology companies including Google, Facebook and Twitter.

In addition, “Green Book” producer John Sloss, “The Irishman” producer Jane Rosenthal, WarnerMedia senior vice president of enterprise inclusion MyKhanh Shelton,”Broad City” and “Russian Doll” producer Lilly Burns, “Charm City Kings” star William Catlett,”Peanut Butter Falcon” producer Tim Zajaros and activist and producer JLove Calderón will also join the three day all virtual event September 22-24.

“The Social Dilemma” is a hybrid documentary-drama that explores the dangerous human impact of intensive social networking that is changing societies across the globe. It features tech experts who sound the alarm about the products they helped create. Orlowski will show clips from the film and discuss the implications of its themes on September 24, Day Three of TheGrill.

For over a decade,...

FilmRise has licensed more than 500 hours of content from Nent Studios UK, the production and distribution entity of the Nordic Entertainment Group (Nent).

Under the deal, FilmRise has acquired all digital rights, including AVOD and SVOD for the content in both the North and South American territories.

The package includes the British comedy “Peep Show,” which won a BAFTA for Best Situation Comedy; “Black Books,” which also won the BAFTA for Best Situation Comedy; and the original British version of “Shameless,” which won prizes at the BAFTA TV Awards and the British Comedy Awards.

FilmRise has also acquired the exclusive ad-supported rights to the first five seasons of “Doc Martin,” the British medical comedy drama series, and will be bringing Season 6 to platforms. The show won the British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Drama in 2004, and has been widely popular. Its ninth season aired last year.

“This new partnership...

FilmRise has signed a deal with Nent Studios UK to license 500-plus hours of content, including the original British version of the Showtime hit “Shameless” and six seasons of the beloved comedy “Doc Martin.”

Under the deal with the Nordic Entertainment Group’s production/distribution business, FilmRise will pick up North and South American digital rights, including AVOD and SVOD, for a range of shows, including “Peep Show,” the longest-running comedy in the history of the U.K.’s Channel 4 history; the BAFTA-winning comedy “Black Books” and more.

“Shameless,” a Manchester-set comedy that ran for 11 seasons in the U.K. from 2003-11, helped launch the career of a young James McAvoy and spawned a successful Showtime version set in Pittsburgh and starring William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum.

“This new partnership with Nent Studios UK is very exciting for us,” FilmRise CEO Danny Fisher said in a statement. “It...

TheGrill is pleased to welcome top streaming executives from Sony, Roku, Pluto TV, Xumo and FimRise to explore how the streaming revolution has transformed the way content is created, distributed and consumed at this year’s three-day, all-virtual conference from Sept. 22-24.

FilmRise CEO Danny Fisher, Sony Pictures Television president of worldwide networks and distribution Keith Le Goy, Roku vice president of programming Rob Holmes, Pluto TV’s senior vice president of content strategy and global partnerships Amy Kuessner and Xumo CEO Colin Petrie-Norris will discuss the latest trends and opportunities in streaming.

For over a decade, TheWrap’s Grill event series has led conversations on the convergence between entertainment, media and technology, bringing together newsmakers to debate the challenges and opportunities facing content in the digital age.

TheWrap has created a digital-first experience for TheGrill 2020. This year’s event will focus on the future of theatrical, streaming revolution, building...

Film and television studio and independent AVOD streamer FilmRise has acquired exclusive North American theatrical and digital rights to award-winning feature documentary “Deep In Vogue.”

Voguing is a stylized dance form that originated in the late 1980s that harks back to the Harlem ballrooms of the 1960s. Interestingly, it has enjoyed renewed popularity in the north of England, spawning a movement known as Northern Vogue. Dancers from the north have formed ‘Houses’ that are as much about being a support group as they are about dance, with dedicated ‘House Mothers’ leading these houses.

“Deep in Vogue” celebrates the colorful, queer, emotional and political stories of Northern Vogue and its people. Over the course of a year, filmmakers Dennis Keighron-Foster and Amy Watson developed a relationship with the House Mothers and their members and charted the build-up to the Manchester Icons Vogue Ball featuring The House of Suarez, The House of Decay,...

FilmRise, the New York-based film and TV distribution company and streaming network, has acquired Sabrina Van Tassel’s timely social justice documentary “The State of Texas vs. Melissa,” which premiered at the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival.

FilmRise picked up the theatrical and digital rights to the documentary for North America, the U.K. and Ireland.

Set in the heart of the Latino community of South Texas, the compelling film explores the life and trials of Melissa Lucio, the first Hispanic woman in Texas sentenced to death row. The film takes a look at Lucio’s broken and abusive childhood and her adult life plagued by poverty and prejudice.

“Sabrina Van Tassel’s powerful documentary raises important questions about our criminal justice system and how it treats vulnerable members of our society,” said Danny Fisher, CEO of FilmRise.

“We are proud to add this film to our diverse library of documentaries about our criminal justice system,...

Exclusive: FilmRise, the Brooklyn-based film and TV distributor, is launching its first original production, forensic investigative series Bloodline Detectives hosted by Nancy Grace with Peninsula Television in partnership with Sky Studios.

Genesis TV will syndicate the 20-episode series, which features criminal investigations using familial DNA. It will premiere nationwide Oct. 3 on stations reaching nearly 90% of the country followed by a roll out on streaming platforms in 2021.

FilmRise is heavily into true crime, distributing the original Robert Stack-hosted Unsolved Mysteries, and Forensic Files, one of its first major acquisitions, to streamers. The company’s CEO Danny Fisher called the genre “a space whose audience we understand well.”

Its new series will unpack cold case murder investigations solved through Familial DNA Search, a growing branch of forensics where detectives trace an unknown criminal through a relative’s DNA. It was used to find the Golden State Killer, Joseph James DeAngelo Jr.

FilmRise has acquired the worldwide rights to “The Short History of the Long Road,” featuring singer and actress Sabrina Carpenter in her first lead role in a feature film, TheWrap has learned exclusively.

Danny Trejo, Steven Ogg and Maggie Siff also star in the film that is set for a theatrical release on May 15. Ani Simon-Kennedy wrote and directed the feature. Simon-Kennedy was the winner of the Special Jury Mention Best Screenplay Award at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival.

“The Short History of the Long Road” stars Carpenter as Nola, a teenager who grew up living out of a van with her father. When tragedy strikes, she must come to terms with the fact that living life as an outsider might not be her only choice, and she must integrate into a society she’s never known.

Also Read: 'Adventures in Babysitting' Review: Disney Delivers a Fresh and Fun...

In today’s film news roundup, Oscar Isaac boards “The Great Machine,” Keira Knightley joins “Silent Night” and “The Dog Doc” finds a home. Castings

Legendary has closed a deal for Oscar Isaac to star in and produce superhero saga “The Great Machine.”

The project is based on Brian K. Vaughan’s comic book series “Ex Machina” with artist Tony Harris. Anna Waterhouse and Joe Shrapnel are set to adapt the story. Isaac will produce alongside his longtime manager Jason Spire. Vaughan will also produce.

“Ex Machina” charts the exploits of civil engineer Mitchell Hundred, who after a mysterious accident gains powers making him the world’s first and only superhero. In the wake of his actions during 9/11 he is elected mayor of New York City, turning his back on life as a masked vigilante. But his political career is threatened when the source of his powers returns to claim its debt.

The New York-based TV and film distributor FilmRise has acquired the U.S. rights to Cindy Meehl’s feature documentary “The Dog Doc” about the innovative and unconventional veterinarian Dr. Marty Goldstein, it was announced Wednesday by FilmRise CEO Danny Fisher.

Dr. Goldstein, who has been called everything from a maverick to a miracle-worker to a quack, runs a clinic in South Salem, New York, that has made him and his staff famous for their integrative and even holistic approaches to pet health issues.

Meehl, who directed the 2011 documentary “Buck,” directed the documentary film that debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival last year. FilmRise will release “The Dog Doc” theatrically in select markets in March followed by a national theatrical and theatrical-on-demand rollout.

Also Read: 'Roseanne,' '3rd Rock From the Sun' Land on Sinclair's Ott Service Via Deal With FilmRise

“This documentary will no doubt have audiences...

Exclusive: FilmRise has picked up North American rights to Independent Spirit nominee Driveways, starring Hong Chau (Downsizing), Lucas Jaye (Fuller House), Brian Dennehy (Cocoon) and Christine Ebersole (The Wolf Of Wall Street).

The film follows the friendship struck between a young boy in a new neighborhood and a reclusive 83-year-old neighbor. Directed by Andrew Ahn (Spa Night), the film garnered Indie Spirit noms for actress Hong Chau, and Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen for best first screenplay.

Pic is produced by Joe Pirro, James Schamus, Nicolaas Bertelsen, Celine Rattray and Trudie Styler. FilmRise has slated the film for release in spring 2020. We revealed first footage of the film earlier this year.

Bob Jason, Vice-President, FilmRise and Rachel Swearingen, Manager of Acquisitions, FilmRise, negotiated the deal with Peter Trinh of ICM.

Danny Fisher, CEO of FilmRise, stated, “Andrew Ahn’s second feature film is a wonderful follow up to his John Cassavetes award-winning debut,...

Tony Sokol Jun 12, 2019

Sylvia Miles was the original Sally on the Dick van Dyke Show, and a fixture of New York's entertainment world.

Iconic New York stage and screen scene-stealer Sylvia Miles died at age 94, according to Variety. Miles created a string of incredibly memorable, very New York characters, often with very little screen time. She was on the screen for six minutes in Midnight Cowboy (1969), about five and a half minutes in Farewell, My Lovely (1975), and she was nominated as Best Supporting Actress for both. She only sold two apartments in Wall Street and its sequel Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. Miles had three short scenes selling Amy Irving to the pickle guy in Crossing Delancey.

Her starring role in Andy Warhol's Heat, is no less memorable, though criminally under-watched. A take on the classic Sunset Boulevard, as if any of Warhol's movies weren't, Miles played the Gloria Swanson...

Classic episodes of “Roseanne” and “3rd Rock From the Sun” are heading to Stirr, Sinclair’s recently launched vMVPD service, the network announced Tuesday morning.

The additions are part of a larger deal between Sinclair and FilmRise, which will see several titles from FilmRise’s content library stream on Stirr, including “Unsolved Mysteries” and “21 Jump Street.” The content will be featured on Stirr’s Channel 1 local news platform between its live news segments and will also be available on-demand on a FilmRise branded hub page within the service.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with one of the largest and most diversified television broadcasting companies in the country,” Danny Fisher, CEO of FilmRise, said in a statement. “Their priority is aligned with ours — for audiences to watch a deep selection of on-demand programming in an easy, convenient and free way.”

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Endemol Shine North America is teaming with Michael Strahan’s Smac Entertainment to develop a new U.S. version of global game show The Money Drop.

Strahan, the former NFL standout who is co-host of Good Morning America, will serve as an executive producer. Endemol Shine North America and Smac announced at Natpe that they are exploring potential primetime and daytime opportunities, including national syndication, for the series.

Created by Endemol Shine UK’s Remarkable Television, the format originally titled The Million Pound Drop Live has been locally produced in 54 different global territories. In the UK, where a second series currently airs as The £100K Money Drop, a five-day-a-week strip on Channel 4.

“We are thrilled to partner with Michael and the team at Smac Entertainment to develop an all-new version of ‘The Money Drop’ for an American audience,” says Michael Weinberg, Executive Vice President, Syndication, Endemol Shine North America.