Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Entertainment One have signed a deal for SPHE to distribute films from eOne’s specialty label, Momentum Pictures, across physical and digital home entertainment platforms globally (excluding Canada). Momentum Pictures’ current release slate includes The Program, from director Stephen Frears and All Roads Lead to Rome, starring Sarah Jessica Parker. SPHE will also manage U.S. distribution for eOne television titles on DVD and Blu-ray, including Haven and Bitten.
Rick Eid has signed a two-year overall deal he has signed with Universal TV. He will also be joining Law & Order: SVU, produced by Universal TV, as executive producer and showrunner for the upcoming 18th season. Previously Eid worked with SVU producer Dick Wolf when he served as co-executive producer on the mothership Law & Order series and co-created Conviction for NBC. Eid’s recent credits include CBS’ Hostages and showrunner on TNT’s Dark Blue.
Sony Pictures Television acquired a minority stake in UK’s Fable Pictures. The company was founded by Faye Ward who was previously at Alison Owen’s Ruby. Per the deal she will develop film and TV projects. She is currently producing Stan and Ollie, starring Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly, about Laurel and Hardy’s august days as an iconic if faded act. Also upcoming is Country Music with Karen Gillan attached. Previously Ward produced the film Suffragette.
MarVista Entertainment is signed a deal with SpectreVision on four films over two years where MarVista will finance and co-produce horror and thrillers genre films. MarVista’s films include Most Likely to Die, Satanic, and A Deadly Adoption starring Will Ferrell and Kristin Wiig. They are also in production on the thriller The Deep End. SpectreVision was founded by Elijah Wood, Daniel Noah, and Josh C. Waller. The company’s credits include Cooties bought by Lionsgate and A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night acquired by KinoLorber. The two companies plan to go into production on their first project this summer.
Entertainment One has inked an overall first-look deal with veteran reality television producer Chris Deaux and his Two Fifteen West Entertainment. Under the pact, Deaux will develop and produce unscripted programming with eOne. Prior to founding Two Fifteen West Entertainment, Deaux served as SVP of Development at Intuitive Entertainment, SVP of Development at Film Garden Entertainment and was head of development for Banyan Productions.
Love Nature and Smithsonian Earth are partnering with Plimsoll Productions on the natural history project, Camp Zambia, 50 hours of 4K wildlife and nature programs over the next two years. The production will utilize a new facility in Africa. Content will range from footage of animal behavior to character-led series, showcasing the breadth of African wildlife, for Love Nature’s Canadian and international SVOD and TV offerings and Smithsonian Networks’ streaming service.