The State of the Studio Deals: Who's Doing What Where

This article originally appeared in the Nov. 4 issue of The Hollywood Reporter. Overstuffed studio stables mostly perished in the WGA-strike housecleaning. Now, surviving producers fight for stingier deals and fewer film slots in an environment of belt-tightening and cold creative calculation. ♦♦♦♦♦ DISNEY Active producer deals 2011:18 Active producer deals 2003:24 Disney has been through some uncomfortable contortions lately. Even long-standing powerhouse producerJerry Bruckheimerhas faced challenges as the company has made executive changes, brought in Marvel Studios and locked in a distribution deal with DreamWorks. Meanwhile, the studio's roster, which includesDebra Martin Chase's Martin Chase Productions andAndrew Panay's Panay Films, is fighting over a handful of live-action movie slots.David HobermanandTodd Lieberman's Mandeville Films provides a grab bag of pictures, including this fall's Muppets rebirth. ButMiles MillarandAlfred Gough's Millar Gough Ink hasn't seen a Disney green light since 2009'sHannah Montana: The Movie. New blood comes in the form of ABC Studios supplierMark Gordon's Mark Gordon Co., which cut a first-look film deal in April. Highlights: Mandeville Films:David Hoberman &Todd Lieberman In 2009, Mandeville supplied Disney with the impressive $317 million worldwide gross ofThe Proposaland the middling performance ofSurrogates. AfterThe Muppetsin November, the duo has projects filming for Summit and Relativity andHere There Be Monstersset up at Warner Bros. but nothing approaching the runway at their home studio. Junction Entertainment:Jon Turteltaub Director Turteltaub delivered hits with theNational Treasurefilms in 2004 and 2007, butThe Sorcerer's Apprenticeturned out less than magical last year. He now hasLast Vegascasting for CBS Films, but only one Disney project -- a potential thirdNational Treasurefilm -- napping in development. Jerry Bruckheimer FIlms:Jerry Bruckheimer The fourthPirates of the Caribbeanfilm triumphed, but the run-up to it --Confessions of a Shopaholic,G-Force,Prince of Persia: The Sands of TimeandApprentice-- failed to reach blockbuster status, forcing the mega-producer into an atypical public wrestling match with the studio to getThe Lone Rangergreenlighted. ♦♦♦♦♦ DREAMWORKS Active producer deals 2011:5 Active producer deals 2003:22 Just before it left Paramount three years ago, DreamWorks still had a dozen deals in place that included pacts withIra Glass,Eddie MurphyandBen Stiller's Red Hour Films. Since rebuilding as an independent, the studio's deals are few but targeted: directorJohn Hamburgfor comedy,Alex KurtzmanandRoberto Orci's K/O Paper Products for action/sci-fi tentpoles and screenwriterSteven Zaillian's Film Rites for smaller dramas. But because DW makes so few movies, many in its stable go elsewhere (Zaillian hasMoneyballandThe Girl With the Dragon Tattooat Sony).Steven SpielbergfavoritesKathleen KennedyandFrank Marshall's Kennedy/Marshall Co., which is producing the director'sWar HorseandLincolnfor DW, just nabbed a first-look deal. Highlights: MacDonald/Parkes Productions:Laurie MacDonald &Walter F. Parkes The longtime DreamWorks producers (The Ring,Catch Me If You Can) lined up $10 million in financing from Imagenation Abu Dhabi two years ago and have been using it to buy and develop their own projects.Dinner for Schmucksunderperformed in 2010, and films such asMotorcadeandThe Trial of the Chicago 7have been gestating at the studio for years without forward movement. But the awards-bait dramaFlight, which Robert Zemeckis is directing with Denzel Washington in the lead role, has just gone before cameras. K/O Paper Products:Alex Kurtzman &Roberto Orci The writer-producers are frequent Spielberg collaborators who had a rare stumble withCowboys & Aliensthis summer. They go small for the first time with Kurtzman's directorial debut,Welcome to People, which is wrapped but awaiting a release date. After that, the pair has half a dozen big-budget projects -- includingRacing Dreams,Deep Sea CowboysandThe Defenders-- at the studio waiting for the go-ahead from CEO Stacey Snider, but their deal is up at the end of the year. ♦♦♦♦♦ 20TH CENTURY FOX Active producer deals 2011:20 Active producer deals 2003:26 The quantity of deals hasn't changed much at Fox since the heyday of first-look pacts a decade ago. But the studio -- which includes Fox 2000, Fox Searchlight and Fox Animation -- has consummated two key deals in the past two years, withPeter Chernin's Chernin Entertainment and screenwriterSimon Kinberg's Genre Films.James Cameron's Lightstorm Entertainment and itsAvatarjuggernaut are more important to the studio than ever, directorShawn Levy's 21 Laps Entertainment continues to grow in its sixth year, andRidleyandTony Scott's Scott Free Productions provides a mix of fare. Walden Media and Davis Entertainment are healthy mainstays, and New Regency remains a major co-financing partner. Searchlight's deals withDanny Boyle's Decibel Films andAlexander PayneandJim Taylor's Ad Hominem Enterprises provide potential awards-season fodder. Highlights: Chernin Entertainment:Peter Chernin The former News Corp. COO came out of the gate strong this summer with franchise rebootRise of the Planet of the Apesand its $438 million worldwide gross after segueing into his producer position in 2009. His Billy Crystal comedyParental Guidanceis next for Fox, but Chernin also is producing the big-budget Joseph Kosinski-directed sci-fi epicHorizonsfor Universal. Lightstorm Entertainment:James Cameron Avatarcontributed $2.78 billion in gross revenue to Fox's coffers in 2009 and 2010; it was the first picture the company had delivered to the studio sinceSolarisin 2002. And while Lightstorm has other projects in the works, including a big-budget remake ofFantastic Voyage, the forthcomingAvatarsequels are what really matter. 21 Laps Entertainment:Shawn Levy Levy's outfit has been a hit machine for the studio (minusThe Rocker) sinceNight at the Museumin 2006, with more than $1.3 billion in global grosses generated so far. The ensemble sci-fi comedyNeighborhood Watchis filming for a summer release, and theMuseumfranchise could always be extended. ♦♦♦♦♦ PARAMOUNT Active producer deals 2011:12 Active producer deals 2003:22 In the past decade, Paramount has shed producers like it's on a crash diet. But if anything, its stable is stronger. Such heavy hitters as Cruise/Wagner Productions and Gary Sanchez Productions were let go along the way, but the studio now boasts a mix of such old-school mainstays asLorenzo di Bonaventura'sDi Bonaventura Pictures andLorne MichaelsandJohn Goldwyn's Michaels Goldwyn Co. and newer reliables such asJ.J. AbramsandBryan Burk's Bad Robot,Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes andIvan ReitmanandTom Pollock's Montecito Picture Co. WithMary Parent's Disruption Entertainment andJosh SchwartzandStephanie Savage's Fake Empire recently added to the roster, the studio looks well situated to cover its bases with filmmaker deals and traditional producers. But really, is there a reasonRobert Evansstill has a deal here? Highlights: Bad Robot:J.J. Abrams & Bryan Burk Abrams and company joined the studio in 2006, and Paramount CEO Brad Grey made the easiest decision of his career by re-upping the shingle's deal through 2013. Aside from the underwhelming performance ofMorning Gloryin 2010, Bad Robot has turned out successesCloverfield, theStar Trekreboot andSuper 8, totaling $875 million in worldwide grosses. Next areMission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocoland aTreksequel. Skydance Productions:David Ellison Ellison brought $350 million to the table last year to co-finance films as part of his four-year deal with the studio, which is up in late 2013, and he's putting it to good use: The tentpolesM:I -- Ghost Protocol,World War ZandG.I. Joe 2are making their way to theaters. Plan B Entertainment:Brad Pitt Since coming over from Warner Bros. in 2005, Pitt has barely made a film for the studio where he has an overall deal (A Mighty Heartwas last produced for Paramount Vantage in 2007). Among a dozen projects set up there, onlyWorld War Zis in front of cameras. Related Topics Paramount Pictures Warner Bros. The Walt Disney Company Sony 20th Century Fox Film 1 2 next last