STX Entertainment is a
mini-major American entertainment and media company. Founded in March 2014 by film producer
Robert Simonds
Robert Bruce Simonds Jr. (born 1964) is an American film producer, entrepreneur, and the founder & chairman of STX Entertainment, which creates, produces, distributes, finances, and markets film (as STXfilms), television (as STXtelevision), digi ...
, the studio produces film, television, and digital media projects.
In April 2020, STX announced that it would merge with the Indian studio
Eros International plc
Eros International plc was an Indian multinational global mass media conglomerate. It generally works in the Indian film and entertainment industry. It co-produced, acquired and distributed Indian language films through its film production a ...
. The merger was completed in July 2020, and STX became a division of
ErosSTX
Eros Media World plc (formerly ErosSTX Global Corporation) is an Indian media company that acquires, produces, and distributes films, television shows, and digital content.
The company is led by executive chairperson Rishika Lulla Singh.
Histor ...
. In December 2021,
Jahm Najafi
Jahm Najafi (born 1963) is an Iranian-American billionaire businessman. He runs Najafi Companies, a Phoenix-based private-equity firm, and is partial owner of the Phoenix Suns NBA team.
Early life
Najafi has a bachelor's degree in economics fro ...
announced his intention to acquire STX from the merged company for $173 million–a sale completed in April 2022. Eros remains a minority, non-voting shareholder.
History
In 2012, Simonds and McGlashan began work on conceptualizing a media company based on the idea of producing medium-budget projects with a star attached, a method that had gone out of style with Hollywood studios. The conversation led to the launch of STX Entertainment in 2014, with the mission to finance, develop, produce, market, and distribute star-driven content around the world.
[Anita Busch]
"Is This Hollywood's Next Major Studio? Bob Simonds & TPG Growth's Venture Fully Financed, JP Morgan Says; Hiring, Deals To Start In Earnest"
''Deadline Hollywood
''Deadline Hollywood'', commonly known as ''Deadline'' and also referred to as ''Deadline.com'', is an online news site founded as the news blog ''Deadline Hollywood Daily'' by Nikki Finke in 2006. The site is updated several times a day, with ...
'', March 13, 2014.[Tad Friend]
"The Mogul of the Middle"
''The New Yorker
''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
'', January 11, 2016. Investors in the company included
Hony Capital
Hony Capital is a Chinese private equity firm, owned by Legend Holdings. Legend Holdings provided Hony, a pioneer in China's private equity industry, with its start-up capital. Hony has about US$10 billion under management. Hony also invests in ...
,
Tencent
Tencent Holdings Ltd. () is a Chinese multinational technology and entertainment conglomerate and holding company headquartered in Shenzhen. It is one of the highest grossing multimedia companies in the world based on revenue. It is also the w ...
,
PCCW
PCCW Limited (formerly known as Pacific Century CyberWorks Limited) is a Hong Kong-based information and communications technology (ICT) company.
The company is the majority owner of telecommunications company HKT Limited, and also holds a maj ...
,
TPG Growth, and
Liberty Global
Liberty Global plc is a British-Dutch-American multinational telecommunications company with headquarters in London, Amsterdam and Denver. Its respective legal names are Liberty Global Plc, Liberty Global B.V. and Liberty Global, Inc., with ...
. Individual investors include
Gigi Pritzker
Gigi Pritzker (born July 27, 1962) is an American billionaire and film producer. She is a member of the Pritzker family.
Pritzker is co-founder of the film production and financing company Odd Lot Entertainment, producing several films including ...
,
Beau Wrigley, and
Dominic Ng
Dominic Ng () is an American banker who is Chairman, President and CEO of East West Bank in California.
Ng transformed East West Bank from a small savings and loan association with $600 million in assets, in 1991, into the full-service commer ...
.
[Rebecca Ford]
"Showtime, STX Entertainment Announce TV Deal and First Four Films"
''The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'', January 20, 2015.Dave McNary
David Nathan McNary (1950/1951 – December 26, 2020) was an American journalist best known for his work at ''Variety''.
Early life and career
Born the oldest of five children in Berkeley, California, McNary was raised in San Rafael and Wood ...
"'John Malone Invests in STX Entertainment Through Liberty Global"
''Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'', November 30, 2017.
In September 2017, it was reported that STX was considering an
initial public offering
An initial public offering (IPO) or stock launch is a public offering in which shares of a company are sold to institutional investors and usually also to retail (individual) investors. An IPO is typically underwritten by one or more investment ...
on the
Hong Kong Stock Exchange
The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (SEHK, also known as Hong Kong Stock Exchange) is a stock exchange based in Hong Kong. As of the end of 2020, it has 2,538 listed companies with a combined market capitalization of HK$47 trillion. It is repor ...
(SEHK). It was reported that a listing on the SEHK could bring STX closer to Chinese investors and audiences.
The ''
Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'' stated that the company could be valued at $3.5 billion, after raising an additional $500 million following the IPO.
[Wayne Ma and Julie Steinberg]
"'Bad Moms' Movie Studio Plans Hong Kong IPO"
''Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'', September 27, 2017. In April 2018, the company filed for an IPO on the
Hong Kong Stock Exchange
The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (SEHK, also known as Hong Kong Stock Exchange) is a stock exchange based in Hong Kong. As of the end of 2020, it has 2,538 listed companies with a combined market capitalization of HK$47 trillion. It is repor ...
.
STX called off its IPO in October 2018, citing the
China–U.S. trade war, and conditions having deteriorated in Hong Kong due to turbulence in the mainland Chinese equity market. An overall co-funding agreement with Chinese company
Huayi Brothers Media
Huayi Brothers Media Corp. () is a Chinese multinational entertainment company that owns a film studio, a television production company, a talent agency, a record label, and a movie theater chain founded in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Maca ...
lapsed at the end of 2018,
and in April 2019, co-founder Bill McGlashan was fired due to his being indicted in the
college admissions bribery scandal.
In April 2020, STX announced that it would merge with the Indian film and television studio
Eros International plc
Eros International plc was an Indian multinational global mass media conglomerate. It generally works in the Indian film and entertainment industry. It co-produced, acquired and distributed Indian language films through its film production a ...
. Simonds stated that the merger would create "the first independent media company with the expertise and creative cultures of Hollywood and
Bollywood
Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...
, while also leveraging the important inroads both companies have made into the Chinese market." The combined company would be publicly-traded, inheriting Eros' listing on the
New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE, nicknamed "The Big Board") is an American stock exchange in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed c ...
. The merger was closed on July 30, 2020;
the combined company unveiled a new logo and branding as ErosSTX in September. The combined entity raised $125 million of new equity funding and received $350 million in credit led by
JPMorgan
JPMorgan Chase & Co. is an American multinational investment bank and financial services holding company headquartered in New York City and incorporated in Delaware. As of 2022, JPMorgan Chase is the largest bank in the United States, the w ...
.
In December 2021, amid financial shortcomings following the merger,
Jahm Najafi
Jahm Najafi (born 1963) is an Iranian-American billionaire businessman. He runs Najafi Companies, a Phoenix-based private-equity firm, and is partial owner of the Phoenix Suns NBA team.
Early life
Najafi has a bachelor's degree in economics fro ...
's Najafi Companies announced that it had reached an agreement to acquire STX Entertainment from ErosSTX for $173 million.
However, in late January 2022,
Lionsgate
Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation, doing business as Lionsgate, is a Canadian-American entertainment company. It was formed by Frank Giustra on July 10, 1997, domiciled in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and is currently headquartered ...
also emerged as a potential suitor, looking to absorb either part or whole of STX, but the deal was later rejected, leaving only Najafi as a potential suitor. In April 2022, Najafi Companies completed its acquisition of STX Entertainment.
Eros Media World
Eros Media World plc (formerly ErosSTX Global Corporation) is an Indian media company that acquires, produces, and distributes films, television shows, and digital content.
The company is led by executive chairperson Rishika Lulla Singh.
Histor ...
will retain a 15% non-voting stake in the company. In July 2022, shortly after STX's motion picture chairman Adam Fogelson departed for the studio, ''Deadline'' reported that STX was in talks with Lionsgate over a potential film distribution deal. Shortly after, it was reported that STX Entertainment's U.K. offices, including the London office housing STXinternational's headquarters, were gradually shutting down. Following the departure of STXinternational head John Friedberg to join
Black Bear Pictures
Black Bear Pictures is a media company that develops, produces and finances original content for film and television. Black Bear is based in Santa Monica, California.
Since its 2011 launch, Black Bear's slate has grossed over $300,000,000 worldw ...
' international division, it was announced the latter company was nearing a deal with STX to handle part of its slate internationally.
STX Films
Distribution
At launch, the film division of STX focused its efforts on creating a new model. Rather than pursuing the traditional distribution process, the company secured direct distribution agreements with North American theater chains
AMC
AMC may refer to:
Film and television
* AMC Theatres, an American movie theater chain
* AMC Networks, an American entertainment company
** AMC (TV channel)
** AMC+, streaming service
** AMC Networks International, an entertainment company
*** AM ...
,
Regal,
Cinemark
Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (stylized as CineMark from 1998 to 2022 and CINEMARK since 2022) is an American movie theater chain that started operations in 1984 and since then it has operated theaters with hundreds of locations throughout the America ...
,
Goodrich, Marcus Theatres, and Carmike Cinemas.
["Robert Simonds, Gigi Pritzker Pact with TPG, China's Hony Capital on Production Venture"](_blank)
''Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'', March 10, 2014. In early 2015, the company signed a multiyear television output agreement to release films exclusively to
Showtime Networks
Showtime Networks Inc. is an American entertainment company that oversees the company's pay television, premium cable television television channel, channels, including its flagship service Showtime (TV network), Showtime. It is a subsidiary of me ...
and its channels
Showtime
Showtime or Show Time may refer to:
Film
* ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film
* ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur
Television Networks and channels
* Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...
,
The Movie Channel
The Movie Channel (TMC) is an American premium television network owned by Showtime Networks, a subsidiary of Paramount Global operated through its Media Networks unit. The network's programming mainly features first-run theatrically released ...
, and
Flix
Flix () is a town in the ''Comarques of Catalonia, comarca'' of Ribera d'Ebre, Catalonia, Spain. Situated on a promontory by the Ebro river, the town occupied an important strategic position. Situated on the Madrid–Barcelona railway line, ...
during the premium television window. The deal covers STX Films theatrical releases through 2019.
Dave McNary
David Nathan McNary (1950/1951 – December 26, 2020) was an American journalist best known for his work at ''Variety''.
Early life and career
Born the oldest of five children in Berkeley, California, McNary was raised in San Rafael and Wood ...
"STX Entertainment, Showtime Announce TV Output Deal and First 4 Films"
''Variety'', January 20, 2015. In April 2015, the company entered into a multiyear partnership with
Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (formerly Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Universal Studios Home Video, MCA/Universal Home Video, MCA Home Video, MCA Videodisc and MCA Videocassette, Inc.) is the home video distribution division of Am ...
for Universal to handle marketing, sales, and distribution services for Blu-ray, DVD, and VOD platforms for STX Films theatrical titles in North America. Film distribution was transferred to Studio Distribution Services, LLC., a joint venture between UPHE and
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. That same month, STX Films closed a three-year slate deal with
Huayi Brothers
Huayi Brothers Media Corp. () is a Chinese multinational entertainment company that owns a film studio, a television production company, a talent agency, a record label, and a movie theater chain founded in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Maca ...
, one of China's largest film studios, enabling the companies to co-produce and co-distribute 12 to 15 films annually.
[Anita Busch and Nancy Tartaglione]
"STX Entertainment Pacts With China's Huayi Bros For 12-15 Pics Per Year"
Deadline.com, April 1, 2015.[Richard Verrier]
''Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'', April 2, 2015. In January 2017, STX Films signed a marketing and distribution agreement with
Luc Besson
Luc Paul Maurice Besson (; born 18 March 1959) is a French film director, screenwriter and producer. He directed or produced the films '' Subway'' (1985), ''The Big Blue'' (1988), and '' La Femme Nikita'' (1990). Besson is associated with the ' ...
's
EuropaCorp Films USA to release their upcoming slate of films in the US. In February 2018, STX Films announced it would distribute
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
and
Martin Scorsese
Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominatio ...
's mob drama ''
The Irishman
''The Irishman'' (subtitled onscreen as ''I Heard You Paint Houses'') is a 2019 American epic gangster film directed and produced by Martin Scorsese and written by Steven Zaillian, based on the 2004 nonfiction book '' I Heard You Paint Hou ...
'' in China along with
Media Asia Entertainment Group
Media Asia Entertainment Group (), Media Asia Group (, ), is a Hong Kong production company and film distributor for films made in Hong Kong and throughout China. It is a subsidiary of Lai Sun Development Company Ltd.
History
Headquartered ...
.
[Anita Busch]
"STX To Distribute Martin Scorsese's 'The Irishman' After All With China Deal: The Crazy Backstory"
Deadline.com, February 9, 2018.
In May 2018, it was reported that STX would distribute and oversee production on Tencent Pictures and Free Association's film adaptation of the digital comic book ''Zombie Brother'', to be directed by
David Sandberg
David F. Sandberg (born 21 January 1981) is a Swedish filmmaker. He is best known for his collective no-budget horror short films under the online pseudonym ''ponysmasher'' and for his 2016 directorial debut '' Lights Out'', based on his 2013 ac ...
. In July 2018, STX Films acquired domestic distribution rights to the civil rights drama ''
The Best of Enemies''; it stars
Taraji P. Henson
Taraji Penda Henson ( ; born September 11, 1970) is an American actress. She studied acting at Howard University and began her Hollywood career in guest roles on several television shows before making her breakthrough in '' Baby Boy'' (2001). Sh ...
and
Sam Rockwell
Sam Rockwell (born November 5, 1968) is an American actor. He is known for appearing in independent films and also as a character actor portraying a wide variety of roles both comedic and dramatic in films such as '' Lawn Dogs'' (199 ...
, is directed by Robin Bissell, and was released on April 5, 2019.
Film projects
In line with its mission to make medium-budget, star-driven content, STX Films projects have included ''
Hustlers'' starring
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...
and
Constance Wu
Constance Wu (born March 22, 1982) is an American actress. Wu was included on ''Time'' magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2017. She has earned several accolades, including nominations for a Golden Globe Award, fo ...
,
''
I Feel Pretty
"I Feel Pretty" is a song from the 1957 musical ''West Side Story''.
Production
''The New York Times'' explained that "Mr. Sondheim…has said he was never particularly fond of his lyrics in 'West Side Story,' especially 'I Feel Pretty, later e ...
'' starring
Amy Schumer
Amy Beth Schumer (born June 1, 1981) is an American stand-up comedian and actress. She ventured into comedy in the early 2000s before appearing as a contestant on the fifth season of the NBC reality competition series ''Last Comic Standing'' i ...
, ''
Second Act'', a romantic comedy starring Lopez and directed by
Peter Segal
Peter Segal (born 1962) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. Segal has directed the comedic films ''Tommy Boy'' (1995), ''My Fellow Americans'' (1996), '' The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps'' (2000), ''Anger Managemen ...
, ''
Bad Moms
''Bad Moms'' is a 2016 American comedy film directed and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. The film stars an ensemble cast that includes Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn, Jay Hernandez, Annie Mumolo, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Christina ...
'' starring
Mila Kunis
Milena Markovna "Mila" Kunis (born August 14, 1983) is an American actress. Born in Chernivtsi and raised in Los Angeles, she began playing Jackie Burkhart on the Fox television series ''That '70s Show'' (1998–2006) at the age of 14. Since ...
,
Kristen Bell
Kristen Anne Bell (born July 18, 1980) is an American actress. Beginning her acting career by starring in stage productions while attending the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, she made her Broadway stage debut as Becky That ...
and
Christina Applegate
Christina Applegate (born November 25, 1971) is an American actress. As a child actress, she gained recognition for starring as Kelly Bundy in the Fox sitcom '' Married... with Children'' (1987–1997). Applegate established a successful film an ...
; ''
Molly's Game
''Molly's Game'' is a 2017 American biographical crime drama film written and directed by Aaron Sorkin (in his directorial debut), based on the 2014 memoir of the same name by Molly Bloom. It stars Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Mi ...
'', written and directed by
Aaron Sorkin
Aaron Benjamin Sorkin (born June 9, 1961) is an American playwright, screenwriter and film director. Born in New York City, he developed a passion for writing at an early age. Sorkin has earned an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, five Primetime E ...
and starring
Jessica Chastain
Jessica Michelle Chastain (born March 24, 1977) is an American actress and producer. Known for primarily starring in films with feminist themes, she has received various accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. ''Time'' ...
;
[Scott Mendelson]
"With Jessica Chastain's 'Molly's Game,' STX Continues To Bet On Women"
''Forbes'', August 15, 2017. ''
The Gift'', written, co-produced and directed by
Joel Edgerton
Joel Edgerton (born 23 June 1974) is an Australian actor and filmmaker. He is best known for his appearance in the ''Star Wars'' films ''Attack of the Clones'' (2002) and ''Revenge of the Sith'' (2005) as a young Owen Lars, a role he reprised i ...
and starring
Jason Bateman
Jason Kent Bateman (born January 14, 1969) is an American actor, director and producer known for his roles of Michael Bluth in the Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox/Netflix sitcom ''Arrested Development (TV series), Arrested Development'' and of Mart ...
and
Rebecca Hall
Rebecca Maria Hall (born 3 May 1982) is an English actress and filmmaker. She made her first onscreen appearance at age 10 in the 1992 television adaptation of ''The Camomile Lawn'', directed by her father, Sir Peter Hall. Her professional s ...
; ''
The Edge of Seventeen
''The Edge of Seventeen'' is a 2016 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig, in her directorial debut. The film stars Hailee Steinfeld, Woody Harrelson, Kyra Sedgwick, and Haley Lu Richardson.
The fil ...
'' starring
Hailee Steinfeld
Hailee Steinfeld (born December 11, 1996) is an American actress and singer. She is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Hailee Steinfeld, various accolades, including a Peabody Award, and nominations for an Academy Award ...
; ''
The Foreigner'' starring
Jackie Chan
Fang Shilong (born 7 April 1954), known professionally in English as Jackie Chan and in Chinese as Cheng Long ( zh, c=成龍, j=Sing4 Lung4; "becoming the dragon"), is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker, martial artist, and stuntman known for ...
and
Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brendan Brosnan (; born 16 May 1953) is an Irish actor and film producer. He is best known as the fifth actor to play secret agent James Bond in the Bond film series, starring in four films from 1995 to 2002 (''GoldenEye'', ''Tomorrow ...
;
[Nancy Tartaglione]
"'The Foreigner's Wayne Marc Godfrey On Decade-Long Journey; STX/Sparkle Roll China Co-Pro Soon Passing $100M Offshore"
Deadline.com, October 27, 2017. ''
Secret in Their Eyes
''Secret in Their Eyes'' is a 2015 American thriller film written and directed by Billy Ray and a remake of the 2009 Argentine film of the same name, both based on the novel ''La pregunta de sus ojos'' by Eduardo Sacheri. The film stars Chiwet ...
'' starring
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Chiwetel Umeadi Ejiofor ( ; born 10 July 1977) is a British actor. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a BAFTA Award, a Laurence Olivier Award, an NAACP Image Award, and nominations for an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy A ...
,
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Mary Kidman (born 20 June 1967) is an American and Australian actress and producer. Known for her work across various film and television productions from several genres, she has consistently ranked among the world's highest-paid act ...
and
Julia Roberts
Julia Fiona Roberts (born October 28, 1967) is an American actress. Known for her leading roles in films encompassing a variety of genres, she has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and thr ...
; ''
The Boy'' starring
Lauren Cohan
Lauren Cohan (born January 7, 1982) is an American-British actress best known for her role as Maggie Greene in the AMC post-apocalyptic horror television series '' The Walking Dead'' (2011–2018; 2020–2022). Her other notable TV roles inclu ...
; and ''
Free State of Jones
Jones County is in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 67,246. Its county seats are Laurel and Ellisville.
Jones County is part of the Laurel micropolitan area.
History
Less t ...
'' starring
Matthew McConaughey
Matthew David McConaughey ( ; born November 4, 1969) is an American actor. He had his breakout role with a supporting performance in the coming-of-age comedy '' Dazed and Confused'' (1993). After a number of supporting roles, his first succes ...
. In 2015, STX Films acquired its first feature at the
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a permane ...
, purchasing the worldwide rights to the sci-fi, action adventure ''
Hardcore Henry
''Hardcore Henry'' (also known simply as ''Hardcore'' (russian: Хардкор) in some countries) is a 2015 science fiction action film written and directed by Ilya Naishuller (in his feature directorial debut), and produced by Timur Bekmambeto ...
'' for US$10 million.
In 2017, STX Films announced its expansion into animation and family content with a partnership with the
Uglydoll
Uglydoll is a brand based upon a series of plush toys created by Sun-Min Kim. The toy line and brand began as an idea from a long-distance letter exchanges between the creators David Horvath and Sun-Min Kim.
The Uglydoll line was launched on ...
brand. The ''
UglyDolls'' film was produced by
Robert Rodriguez
Robert Anthony Rodriguez (; born June 20, 1968) is an American filmmaker, composer, and visual effects supervisor. He shoots, edits, produces, and scores many of his films in Mexico and in his home state of Texas. Rodriguez directed the 1992 ac ...
, director of the ''
Spy Kids
''Spy Kids'' is an American spy family action-adventure comedy franchise created by Robert Rodriguez. The plot follows adventures of Carmen and Juni Cortez, two children who become involved in their parents' espionage organization. The films inc ...
'' film franchise, and it features the voices of
Pitbull
Pit bull is a term used in the United States for a type of dog descended from bulldogs and terriers, while in other countries such as the United Kingdom the term is used as an abbreviation of the American Pit Bull Terrier breed. The term was f ...
,
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson (born April 24, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter, author, and television personality. She rose to fame after winning the first season of ''American Idol'' in 2002, which earned her a record deal with RCA. Her debu ...
,
Nick Jonas
Nicholas Jerry Jonas (born September 16, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter and actor. Jonas began acting on Broadway at the age of seven, and released his debut single in 2002; this caught the attention of Columbia Records, where Jonas ...
,
Blake Shelton
Blake Tollison Shelton (born June 18, 1976) is an American country music singer and television personality. In 2001, he made his debut with the single " Austin". The lead-off single from his self-titled debut album, "Austin" spent five weeks at ...
, and
Janelle Monáe
Janelle Monáe Robinson (; born December 1, 1985) is an American singer, rapper and actress. She is signed to Atlantic Records, as well as to her own imprint, the Wondaland Arts Society. Monáe has received eight Grammy Award nominations. Mon ...
.
It performed poorly at the box office, and received a lot of bad reviews from the critics. In January 2019, it was reported that STX is planning an animated ''UglyDolls'' television series with
Hulu
Hulu () is an American subscription streaming service majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, with Comcast's NBCUniversal holding a minority stake. It was launched on October 29, 2007 and it offers a library of films and television serie ...
.
In January 2018, STX Films and
Tencent Pictures
Tencent Pictures () is a Chinese film distributor and production company owned by Tencent. It has created films based on books, manhua, donghua and video games. In 2015, Tencent set up Tencent Penguin Pictures (Shanghai), a new movie production u ...
announced a co-development deal with
Jason Statham
Jason Statham (; born 26 July 1967) is an English actor. He is known for portraying characters in various action-thriller films who are typically tough, hardboiled, gritty, or violent.
Statham began practising Chinese martial arts, kickboxing ...
targeting the Chinese film market. Statham starred in ''
Furious 7
''Furious 7'' (also known as ''Fast & Furious 7'') is a 2015 American action film directed by James Wan and written by Chris Morgan. It is the sequel to ''Fast & Furious 6'' (2013) and '' The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift'' (2006), and ser ...
'' and ''
The Fate of the Furious
''The Fate of the Furious'' (alternatively known as ''F8'' and titled on-screen as ''Fast & Furious 8'' internationally) is a 2017 American action film directed by F. Gary Gray and written by Chris Morgan. It is the sequel to ''Furious 7'' (2 ...
'', China's two highest-grossing imported films ever.
[Patrick Brzeski]
"Jason Statham Developing Action Film With STX, China's Tencent Pictures"
''The Hollywood Reporter'', January 16, 2018. In February 2018, STX Films signed a deal with
Alibaba Pictures
Alibaba Pictures Group is a Chinese film company under the Alibaba Group. The film company was formerly ChinaVision Media, of which Alibaba Group bought a majority stake in late 2014. It subsequently was renamed from ChinaVision to Alibaba Pictur ...
to co-develop and co-produce the action-sci-fi film ''Steel Soldiers'', produced by
Robert Zemeckis
Robert Lee Zemeckis (born May 14, 1952) is an American filmmaker. He first came to public attention as the director of the action-adventure romantic comedy ''Romancing the Stone'' (1984), the science-fiction comedy ''Back to the Future'' film tr ...
. Under the deal, STX Films will handle US and international distribution with Alibaba Pictures retaining rights in
Greater China
Greater China is an informal geographical area that shares commercial and cultural ties with the Han Chinese people. The notion of "Greater China" refers to the area that usually encompasses Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan in East A ...
.
In January 2019, STX Films had their first number one box office opening with ''
The Upside
''The Upside'' is a 2017 American comedy-drama film directed by Neil Burger, written by Jon Hartmere. It is a remake of the French 2011 film ''The Intouchables'', which was itself inspired by the lives of Abdel Sallou and Philippe Pozzo di Borg ...
'', which stars
Kevin Hart
Kevin Darnell Hart (born July 6, 1979) is an American comedian and actor. Originally known as a stand-up comedian, he has since starred in Hollywood films and on TV. He has also released several well-received comedy albums.
After winning se ...
,
Bryan Cranston
Bryan Lee Cranston (born March 7, 1956) is an American actor and director who is best known for portraying Walter White in the AMC crime drama series ''Breaking Bad'' (2008–2013) and Hal in the Fox sitcom ''Malcolm in the Middle'' (2000–2 ...
and
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Mary Kidman (born 20 June 1967) is an American and Australian actress and producer. Known for her work across various film and television productions from several genres, she has consistently ranked among the world's highest-paid act ...
, and earned $19.59 million in its opening weekend,
and went on to earn over $100 million at the domestic box office. STX earned praise for its efficient marketing of the film, and for trimming ''The Upside'' from an R to PG-13 rating to widen its audience.
That month, it was reported that Hart is partnering with STX Films to produce and star in two comedies: a body switch comedy called ''Black Friday'', and an untitled international romantic comedy.
''
Hustlers'' had its world premiere at the 2019
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a permane ...
, and was theatrically released in the US on September 13, 2019. It grossed $105 million in the US and Canada, and $157.6 million worldwide.
''
The Gentlemen'', written, directed and produced by
Guy Ritchie
Guy Stuart Ritchie (born 10 September 1968) is an English film director, producer and screenwriter. His work includes British gangster films, and the ''Sherlock Holmes'' films starring Robert Downey Jr.
Ritchie left school at age 15 and wor ...
and starring
Matthew McConaughey
Matthew David McConaughey ( ; born November 4, 1969) is an American actor. He had his breakout role with a supporting performance in the coming-of-age comedy '' Dazed and Confused'' (1993). After a number of supporting roles, his first succes ...
, was released theatrically in January 2020. It grossed $115.2 million at the box office worldwide. As of July 2020, upcoming STX films include ''
Greenland
Greenland ( kl, Kalaallit Nunaat, ; da, Grønland, ) is an island country in North America that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Greenland is t ...
'' starring
Gerard Butler
Gerard James Butler (born 13 November 1969) is a Scottish actor and film producer. After studying law, he turned to acting in the mid-1990s with small roles in productions such as ''Mrs Brown'' (1997), the James Bond film ''Tomorrow Never Di ...
, ''Run Rabbit Run'' starring
Elisabeth Moss
Elisabeth Singleton Moss (born July 24, 1982) is an American actor. She is known for her work in several television dramas, earning such accolades as two Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards, which led ''Vulture'' to name her the ...
, ''The Godmother'' starring
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...
, ''
Night Wolf'' starring
Kevin Hart
Kevin Darnell Hart (born July 6, 1979) is an American comedian and actor. Originally known as a stand-up comedian, he has since starred in Hollywood films and on TV. He has also released several well-received comedy albums.
After winning se ...
, and ''Muscle'' starring
Vin Diesel
Mark Sinclair (born July 18, 1967), known professionally as Vin Diesel, is an American actor. One of the world's highest-grossing actors, he is best known for playing Dominic Toretto in the ''Fast & Furious'' franchise.
Diesel began audition ...
.
Awards and recognition
In 2016, STX Films became the fastest studio ever to hit $100 million at the domestic box office with the R-rated comedy ''
Bad Moms
''Bad Moms'' is a 2016 American comedy film directed and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. The film stars an ensemble cast that includes Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn, Jay Hernandez, Annie Mumolo, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Christina ...
''. The film has earned more than US$180 million worldwide, was the first R-rated comedy since ''
The Hangover
''The Hangover'' is a 2009 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips, co-produced with Daniel Goldberg, and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. It is the first installment in ''The Hangover'' trilogy. The film stars Bradley Cooper, Ed ...
'' to get an A on
CinemaScore
CinemaScore is a market research firm based in Las Vegas. It surveys film audiences to rate their viewing experiences with letter grades, reports the results, and forecasts box office receipts based on the data.
Background
Ed Mintz founded Ci ...
and was the most profitable film of the year (by net profit). The film also earned a
People's Choice Award
The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show, recognizing people in entertainment, voted online by the general public and fans. The show has been held annually since 1975, with the winners originally determined using Gallup Polls until ...
for Best Comedy. The 2017 American crime drama ''
Molly's Game
''Molly's Game'' is a 2017 American biographical crime drama film written and directed by Aaron Sorkin (in his directorial debut), based on the 2014 memoir of the same name by Molly Bloom. It stars Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Mi ...
'' was nominated for an
Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
The Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay is the Academy Award for the best screenplay adapted from previously established material. The most frequently adapted media are novels, but other adapted narrative formats include stage plays, musica ...
along with
BAFTA,
WGA, and
Golden Globe
The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
nominations. ''
The Edge of Seventeen
''The Edge of Seventeen'' is a 2016 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig, in her directorial debut. The film stars Hailee Steinfeld, Woody Harrelson, Kyra Sedgwick, and Haley Lu Richardson.
The fil ...
'' was nominated for an
MTV Movie Award for Movie of the Year This is a following list of the MTV Movie Award winners and nominees for Best Movie. From 2012 to 2018, it was renamed to Movie of the Year. '' The Lord of the Rings Trilogy'' won in three consecutive years (2002–2004) and is the only franchise wh ...
, a
Directors Guild Award for Outstanding Achievement in a First-Time Feature and a
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
for
Hailee Steinfeld
Hailee Steinfeld (born December 11, 1996) is an American actress and singer. She is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Hailee Steinfeld, various accolades, including a Peabody Award, and nominations for an Academy Award ...
. On review aggregator website
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, the film has an approval rating of 95%.
Genre films have also received recognition. The psychological horror-thriller ''
The Gift'' was nominated for a Directors Guild Award for Outstanding Achievement in a First-Time Feature and won a
Sitges Film Festival
The Sitges Film Festival ( ca, Festival Internacional de Cinema Fantàstic de Catalunya, links=no) is an annual film festival held in Sitges, Spain, specialized in fantasy and horror films, of which it is considered one of the world's foremost in ...
and
Fangoria Chainsaw Award
The Fangoria Chainsaw Awards are an award ceremony focused on horror and thriller films. Beginning in 1992, the awards were expanded and an annual ceremony was inaugurated to give out the awards. As of 2015, Fangoria also delivers awards to telev ...
. ''
The Space Between Us'' starring
Gary Oldman
Gary Leonard Oldman (born 21 March 1958) is an English actor and filmmaker. Known for his versatility and intense acting style, he has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and three British Academy Fi ...
was nominated for
Choice Sci-Fi Movie and
Choice Sci-Fi Movie Actor at the
2017 Teen Choice Awards
The 2017 Teen Choice Awards ceremony was held on August 13, 2017. The awards celebrated the year's achievements in music, film, television, sports, fashion, comedy, and the Internet, and were voted on by viewers aged 13 to 19 through various socia ...
. The horror thriller ''
The Bye Bye Man
''The Bye Bye Man'' is a 2017 American supernatural horror film directed by Stacy Title (in her final directed film before her death) and written by Jonathan Penner, based on the chapter "The Bridge to Body Island" in Robert Damon Schneck's book ...
'' overperformed industry expectations with a US$13.5 million domestic opening weekend. ''
The Foreigner'', a co-production with
Jackie Chan
Fang Shilong (born 7 April 1954), known professionally in English as Jackie Chan and in Chinese as Cheng Long ( zh, c=成龍, j=Sing4 Lung4; "becoming the dragon"), is a Hong Kong actor, filmmaker, martial artist, and stuntman known for ...
's Sparkle Roll Media, crossed $100 million in global box office revenue in October 2017. The film is one of the most successful U.S. and China co-productions, being classified as "a clear winner given that it cost just $35 million" and "a fine example of how a Chinese co-production can work."
In 2019, ''
Hustlers'' earned
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...
the
and award nominations including the
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress,
,
Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Supporting Actress
The Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Supporting Actress is an award given out at the annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards. The awards are presented by the Critics Choice Association (CCA), and were first presented in 1995 with Mira Sorvino bei ...
, and the
Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female
The Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female was an award presented annually by Film Independent. It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an absolutely outstanding performance in a supporting role while working in an indepe ...
.
STX Films strives for female diversity in front of and behind the camera.
More than 20 films have featured women in leading roles or were directed by women.
[Max Evry]
"Anne Hathaway to star in untitled romantic comedy for STX"
ComingSoon.net
Mandatory (formerly CraveOnline Media) is a lifestyle website based in Los Angeles with sales offices in New York City, Chicago and San Francisco. The site is owned by media company Evolve Media, LLC. Mandatory focuses its contents into the male- ...
, May 23, 2017.
STX Television
The television division's first project was the 2014 drama-thriller ''
State of Affairs'', starring
Katherine Heigl
Katherine Marie Heigl ( ; born November 24, 1978) is an American actress and former fashion model. She played Dr. Izzie Stevens on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC television medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy'' from 2005 to 2010, a role tha ...
and
Alfre Woodard
Alfre Woodard (; born November 8, 1952) is an American actress. She has received various accolades, including four Primetime Emmy Awards (tying the record for the most acting Emmys won by an African-American performer, along with Regina King), ...
. The 13-episode series was developed by STX TV (as it is stylized) and sold to
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
. In 2015, STX TV produced the NBC pilot ''Problem Child'', based on
the 1990 film of the same name.
[Nellie Andreeva]
"'Problem Child' Comedy Based On Movie Gets NBC Pilot Order"
Deadline.com, January 29, 2015.
In April 2016, STX TV expanded into unscripted and reality content, hiring veteran TV producer
Jason Goldberg
Jason Goldberg (born 1972) is an American film and television producer. Goldberg is the producer of the films ''Guess Who'' and ''The Butterfly Effect'' and executive producer of the shows ''Beauty and the Geek'' and ''Punk'd''. He often works ...
. A few months later, the variety show ''
Number One Surprise
''Number One Surprise'' is a Chinese comedy variety show television series developed by Jason Goldberg and produced by STXtelevision and XG Entertainment. It premiered on Hunan TV, Mango TV and PPTV
PPTV () is a Chinese video streaming websi ...
'' launched, which was the first TV series created by a US-based company specifically for broadcast in China. The series premiere in November 2016 on
Hunan TV
Hunan Television or Hunan TV () is a provincial satellite TV station officially launched on 29 September 1970 and is currently China's second-most-watched channel, second only to CCTV-1, owned by China Central Television, although Hunan STV occasio ...
, a Chinese TV station, along with digital platforms
Mango TV
Mango TV (芒果TV, ''Mángguǒ TV''; MGTV) is a Chinese media company controlled by state-owned Hunan Broadcasting System. Mango TV was established on May 26, 2006, in Changsha, Hunan and later decided to use 'Mango TV (Internet TV, PC, Phone and ...
and
PPTV
PPTV () is a Chinese video streaming website. Its predecessor, PPLive, was peer-to-peer streaming video freeware created at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, Hubei Province. The group of companies that runs the websi ...
, was viewed nearly 300 million times, and by January 2017 it was the #1 show in China with over 1 billion views.
In May 2017, STX TV announced it had acquired the first TV project from
Kevin Kwan
Kevin Kwan (born ) is a Singapore-born American novelist and writer of satirical novels ''Crazy Rich Asians'', ''China Rich Girlfriend'', and '' Rich People Problems''. His latest book, '' Sex and Vanity'', was released in June 2020.
In 2014, ...
, author of ''
Crazy Rich Asians
''Crazy Rich Asians'' is a satirical 2013 romantic comedy novel by Kevin Kwan. Kwan stated that his intention in writing the novel was to "introduce a contemporary Asia to a North American audience". He claimed the novel was loosely based on his ...
''. In August 2018,
Amazon Studios
Amazon Studios is an American television and film producer and distributor that is a subsidiary of Amazon. It specializes in developing television series and distributing and producing films. It was started in late 2010. Content is distributed th ...
gave a script-to-series order for the untitled project, a globe-hopping drama set in Hong Kong, about a powerful family and their business empire. In July 2017,
E! greenlit the reality series ''The Platinum Life'', produced by STX TV and Tower 2 Productions. In November 2017, STX TV announced its first scripted show ''
Valley of the Boom
''Valley of the Boom'' (stylized as ''Valley_of_the_BOOM'') is an American docudrama television miniseries created by Matthew Carnahan that premiered on January 13, 2019, on National Geographic (U.S. TV channel), National Geographic. The series c ...
'', a six-part docudrama series about the 1990s tech boom from showrunner and director
Matthew Carnahan
Matthew McNair Carnahan (born February 6, 1961) is an American producer, writer and director.
Career
'' Valley of the Boom'' is a six-part American docudrama television miniseries, created, directed, and executive produced by Carnahan. It p ...
and executive producer
Arianna Huffington
Arianna Stassinopoulos Huffington (née Ariadnē-Anna Stasinopoúlou, el, Αριάδνη-Άννα Στασινοπούλου ; born July 15, 1950) is a Greek-American author, syndicated columnist and businesswoman. She is a co-founder of ''Th ...
. The show airs on
NatGeo
''National Geographic'' (formerly the ''National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as NAT GEO) is a popular American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. Known for its photojournalism, it is one of the most widely ...
, with STX distributing in China. It premiered on January 13, 2019. STX Television produced season 23 of ''
True Life
''True Life'' is an American documentary television series that aired on MTV from March 31, 1998 to June 21, 2017. Each episode follows a particular topic, such as heroin addiction as in the first episode – "Fatal Dose". The show is created by ...
'', which aired on
MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
in 2017. The company also produced the docuseries ''A Little Too Farr'', following American country singer-songwriter
Tyler Farr
Tyler Lynn Farr (born February 5, 1984) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Originally signed to BNA Records Farr released two singles for the label before it closed. He transferred to Columbia Records Nashville, releasing two alb ...
, which premiered on
Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc., commonly known as Verizon, is an American multinational telecommunications conglomerate and a corporate component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is headquartered at 1095 Avenue of the Americas in ...
's
go90
go90 was an American Internet television service and mobile app owned and operated by Verizon Communications. The service was positioned as a mobile-oriented "social entertainment platform" targeted primarily towards millennials, featuring a mi ...
streaming service. In February 2018, Fox and STX TV announced that it is developing an unscripted series based on its film ''Bad Moms''. In April 2018, Mother Media Group, founded by former
Endemol Shine
Endemol Shine Group B.V. (stylized in all spaceless) was a Dutch production and distribution company of scripted and non-scripted content, responsible for programmes such as '' Big Brother'', ''Deal or No Deal'', '' The Money Drop'', '' Fear Fa ...
and
20th Century Fox
20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
executives, signed a first-look deal with STX TV. Under the pact, the companies will collaborate to create, produce and distribute unscripted and hybrid series.
In 2018, it was reported that
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
gave a six-episode series order to STX TV's hybrid docudrama miniseries ''
Ottoman Rising
''Rise of Empires: Ottoman'' is a Turkish historical docudrama, starring Cem Yiğit Üzümoğlu, Tommaso Basili and Daniel Nuță. Its first season, which consists of 6 episodes, is directed by Emre Sahin and written by Kelly McPherson. It became ...
'', which tells the story of
Mehmed the Conqueror
Mehmed II ( ota, محمد ثانى, translit=Meḥmed-i s̱ānī; tr, II. Mehmed, ; 30 March 14323 May 1481), commonly known as Mehmed the Conqueror ( ota, ابو الفتح, Ebū'l-fetḥ, lit=the Father of Conquest, links=no; tr, Fâtih Su ...
; later retitled ''
Rise of Empires: Ottoman'', it premiered on Netflix on January 24, 2020. It was also announced that
YouTube Red
YouTube Premium (formerly Music Key and YouTube Red) is a subscription service offered by the video platform YouTube. The service provides ad-free access to content across the service, as well as access to premium YouTube Originals programming p ...
will produce a TV spinoff based on STX's 2016 film ''
The Edge of Seventeen
''The Edge of Seventeen'' is a 2016 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig, in her directorial debut. The film stars Hailee Steinfeld, Woody Harrelson, Kyra Sedgwick, and Haley Lu Richardson.
The fil ...
'', with an entirely new cast.
STX Alternative
The digital division of STX Entertainment focuses on digital programming, partnerships and distribution, which includes live events and
virtual reality
Virtual reality (VR) is a simulated experience that employs pose tracking and 3D near-eye displays to give the user an immersive feel of a virtual world. Applications of virtual reality include entertainment (particularly video games), educ ...
(VR). In August 2016, STX acquired the VR creator and distributor Surreal, renaming it STX Surreal.
[Lucas Matney]
"STX Entertainment acquires VR studio Surreal"
TechCrunch
TechCrunch is an American online newspaper focusing on high tech and startup companies. It was founded in June 2005 by Archimedes Ventures, led by partners Michael Arrington and Keith Teare.
In 2010, AOL acquired the company for approximately ...
, August 23, 2016. In its first year (2015), Surreal produced over 70 immersive VR experiences
featuring
Gordon Ramsay
Gordon James Ramsay (; born ) is a British chef, restaurateur, television personality and writer. His restaurant group, Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, was founded in 1997 and has been awarded 17 Michelin stars overall; it currently holds a tot ...
,
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...
,
Jon Hamm
Jonathan Daniel Hamm (born March 10, 1971) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Don Draper in the period drama television series ''Mad Men'' (2007–2015), for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Televisi ...
,
Jimmy Kimmel
James Christian Kimmel (born November 13, 1967) is an American television host, comedian, writer, and producer. He is the host and executive producer of ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'', a late-night talk show that premiered on ABC on January 26, 2003, ...
,
Wolfgang Puck
Wolfgang Johannes Puck (born July 8, 1949) is an Austrian-American chef and restaurateur.
Early life and career
Puck was born in Sankt Veit an der Glan, Austria. He learned cooking from his mother, who was a pastry chef. He took the surname o ...
and
Wiz Khalifa
Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by his stage name Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. He released his debut album, ''Show and Prove'', in 2006 and signed to Warner Bros. Records in 200 ...
among others.
In 2017, STX Surreal was nominated for an interactive
Daytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...
for the
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television television channel, channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its List of assets owned by Param ...
short ''Nickelodeon's Ultimate Halloween Haunted House 360 Challenge'' and won a
Shorty Award
The Shorty Awards (also known as “The Shortys”) honors the most innovative work globally in digital and social media by brands, agencies, nonprofits and creators. The Shortys’ mission is to celebrate, inspire and push the boundaries of exce ...
for Best Use of 360 Video for their 360° production of the
68th Emmy Awards, in collaboration with the
Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), also colloquially known as the Television Academy, is a professional honorary organization dedicated to the advancement of the television industry in the United States. It is a 501(c)(6) non-prof ...
and
Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
. In June 2017, STX Surreal announced a partnership with media services agency Horizon Media to develop and produce VR and immersive content for the brand's new UNCVR unit. In 2018, STX Surreal announced a slate of original projects including ''New Tricks'', directed and produced by
Ed Helms
Edward Parker Helms (born January 24, 1974) is an American actor and comedian. From 2002 to 2006, he was a correspondent on Comedy Central's ''The Daily Show with Jon Stewart''. He played paper salesman Andy Bernard in the NBC sitcom ''The Offic ...
;
[Anita Busch]
"STXSurreal Unveils Development Slate With Ed Helms, Dave Bautista, Peter Berg, And Kevin Smith's 'Jay And Silent Bob'"
Deadline.com, April 4, 2018. ''The Kiev Exchange'', a spin-off of STX Films' ''
Mile 22
''Mile 22'' is a 2018 American espionage action thriller film directed by Peter Berg and screenplay by Lea Carpenter, from a story by Carpenter and Graham Roland. The film stars Mark Wahlberg, Iko Uwais, John Malkovich, Lauren Cohan, and Ronda R ...
'';
''
Jay and Silent Bob
Jay and Silent Bob are fictional characters portrayed by Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith, respectively, in Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse, a fictional universe created and used in most of the films, comics, and television programs written and produc ...
VR'', written, produced, and directed by
Kevin Smith
Kevin Patrick Smith (born August 2, 1970) is an American filmmaker, actor, comedian, comic book writer, author, YouTuber, and podcaster. He came to prominence with the low-budget comedy buddy film ''Clerks'' (1994), which he wrote, directed, co ...
;
and untitled projects from
Dave Bautista
David Michael Bautista Jr. (born January 18, 1969) is an American actor and retired professional wrestler. He had several stints in WWE between 2002 and 2019. In his acting career, he is most widely known for his portrayal of Drax the Destro ...
and
Derek Kolstad
Derek Kolstad (born April 4, 1974) is an American screenwriter and film producer. He is the creator of the ''John Wick'' franchise, which began in 2014. He continued to write for the first two sequels of the franchise and is mainly known as a s ...
.
Robert Rodriguez
Robert Anthony Rodriguez (; born June 20, 1968) is an American filmmaker, composer, and visual effects supervisor. He shoots, edits, produces, and scores many of his films in Mexico and in his home state of Texas. Rodriguez directed the 1992 ac ...
's live-action short-form
VR film ''The Limit'', starring
Michelle Rodriguez
Mayte Michelle Rodriguez (born July 12, 1978) is an American actress.
Rodriguez began her career in 2000, playing a troubled boxer in the independent sports drama film ''Girlfight'' (2000), where she won the Independent Spirit Award and Gotha ...
, was released by STX Surreal on major mobile headsets and on
Android
Android may refer to:
Science and technology
* Android (robot), a humanoid robot or synthetic organism designed to imitate a human
* Android (operating system), Google's mobile operating system
** Bugdroid, a Google mascot sometimes referred to ...
phones with cardboard viewers in November 2018. It is also going to be released on
iOS
iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also includes ...
,
PlayStation VR
The PlayStation VR (PS VR, known by its code name Project Morpheus during development) is a virtual reality headset developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, which was released in October 2016.
It is fully functional with the PlayStation 4 an ...
, and
Windows Mixed Reality
Windows Mixed Reality is a platform introduced as part of the Windows 10 and 11 operating system, which provides augmented reality and virtual reality experiences with compatible head-mounted displays.
Its flagship device, Microsoft HoloLens, wa ...
. The Academy Award-winning visual effects studio
DNEG
DNEG (formerly known as Double Negative) is a British visual effects, computer animation, and stereo conversion studio that was founded in 1998 in London, and rebranded as DNEG in 2014 after a merger with Indian VFX company Prime Focus.
The c ...
worked on the film in post-production.
In December 2017,
Dick Clark Productions
Dick Clark Productions (DCP, stylized in lowercase as dick clark productions or dcp) is an American multinational television production company founded by radio and TV host Dick Clark.
The studio primarily produces award shows and other music en ...
sold Chinese distribution rights to the
Golden Globe Awards
The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
and ''
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve
''Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve'' (''NYRE'') is an annual New Year's Eve television special broadcast by ABC. The special broadcasts primarily from New York City's Times Square and prominently features coverage of its annual ball drop ev ...
'' to STX Digital. STX partnered with
Tencent Video
Tencent Video (, also called WeTV outside of China) is a Chinese video streaming website owned by Tencent. The website was launched in April 2011, and is one of China's largest online video platforms. As of March 2022, Tencent Video has over 1.2 ...
to be its distribution partner for both programs, including the production of a Chinese-language red carpet program for the Chinese feed of the Golden Globes.
In December 2018, it was reported that the renamed division, now called STX Alternative, signed a first-look development and production deal with
Tracey Edmonds
Tracey Elaine Edmonds (née McQuarn; born February 18, 1967) is an American businesswoman, television producer and personality. She is the CEO of Edmonds Entertainment Group Inc and Alrightnow.com and is a former host of the television show ''Ex ...
, to co-produce and co-develop scripted and unscripted content for traditional and alternative platforms. The first project, ''
Games People Play'', based on the book ''Games Divas Play'' by
Angela Burt-Murray
Angela Burt-Murray is an American author, journalist, and editor. In March 2017, Burt-Murray was named Deputy Editor of '' Glamour''. She was formerly editor-in-chief of ''Essence'' (2005–2010), executive editor of ''Teen People'' (2003–2005), ...
, premiered on
BET
Black Entertainment Television (acronym BET) is an American basic cable channel targeting African-American audiences. It is owned by the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global via BET Networks and has offices in New York City, Los A ...
on April 23, 2019.
STX International
In April 2016, a dedicated international division opened to further expand global production and distribution capabilities; it was called STX International. Headquartered in London, the division is led by former
Film4
Film4 is a British free-to-air television network owned by Channel Four Television Corporation launched on 1 November 1998, devoted to broadcasting films. While its standard-definition channel is available on Freeview and Freesat platforms, it ...
head
David Kosse
David Kosse is a media executive and is currently the VP of international film for Netflix.
Career
Universal Pictures International
Kosse served as president of Universal Pictures International until 2014, and during his 10 years at Universal ...
. The division launched with a slate of six films that included
Andy Serkis
Andrew Clement Serkis (born 20 April 1964) is an English actor, director, and producer. He is best known for his performance capture roles comprising motion capture acting, animation, and voice work for computer-generated characters such as Goll ...
's directorial debut ''
Breathe'' (which opened the 2017
London Film Festival
The BFI London Film Festival is an annual film festival founded in 1957 and held in the United Kingdom, running for two weeks in October with co-operation from the British Film Institute. It screens more than 300 films, documentaries and shor ...
), ''
Home Again'' starring
Reese Witherspoon
Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon (born March 22, 1976) is an American actress and producer. The recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Golden Globe Awards, she ...
, and the thriller ''
Wind River'' starring
Jeremy Renner
Jeremy Lee Renner (born January 7, 1971) is an American actor and musician. He began his career by appearing in independent films such as '' Dahmer'' (2002) and ''Neo Ned'' (2005), then supporting roles in bigger films, such as ''S.W.A.T.'' (2 ...
and
Elizabeth Olsen
Elizabeth Chase Olsen (born February 16, 1989) is an American actress. Born in Sherman Oaks, California, Olsen began acting at age four. She starred in her debut film role in the thriller ''Martha Marcy May Marlene'' in 2011, for which she wa ...
. Additional titles on the slate include
Ridley Scott
Sir Ridley Scott (born 30 November 1937) is a British film director and producer. Directing, among others, science fiction films, his work is known for its atmospheric and highly concentrated visual style. Scott has received many accolades thr ...
's ''
All the Money in the World
''All the Money in the World'' is a 2017 biographical crime thriller film directed by Ridley Scott and written by David Scarpa. Based on John Pearson's 1995 book ''Painfully Rich: The Outrageous Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Heirs of J. Paul ...
'',
Morten Tyldum
Morten Tyldum (; born 19 May 1967) is a Norwegian film director. He is best known in his native Norway for directing the thriller film '' Headhunters'' (2011), based on the novel by Jo Nesbø, and internationally for directing the historical drama ...
's thriller ''
The Marsh King's Daughter
''The Marsh King's Daughter'' is a 2023 psychological thriller film directed by Neil Burger and written by Elle Smith and Mark L. Smith, based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Karen Dionne. It stars Daisy Ridley, Ben Mendelsohn, Garrett He ...
'' and Bart Layton's heist film ''
American Animals
''American Animals'' is a 2018 heist film written and directed by Bart Layton. Starring Evan Peters, Barry Keoghan, Blake Jenner, Jared Abrahamson, and Ann Dowd, it follows four college friends who plan a heist of their library. It tells the story ...
'', along with titles from the main STX Films slate.
STX bought the international distribution rights to ''
The Irishman
''The Irishman'' (subtitled onscreen as ''I Heard You Paint Houses'') is a 2019 American epic gangster film directed and produced by Martin Scorsese and written by Steven Zaillian, based on the 2004 nonfiction book '' I Heard You Paint Hou ...
'' for $50 million. Renamed ErosSTX International following the merger of Eros International and STX in 2020, the company reverted back to its former name in April 2022 following STX's sale to Najafi Companies.
Film library
Film
Television and digital
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:STX Entertainment
STX Entertainment
American film studios
American companies established in 2014
Film production companies of the United States
Entertainment companies based in California
Companies based in Los Angeles
Entertainment companies established in 2014
2014 establishments in California
Film distributors of the United States
2020 mergers and acquisitions
2022 mergers and acquisitions