Open Road Films
Open Road Films, LLC (formerly known briefly as Global Road Entertainment) is an American independent film production and distribution company based in Los Angeles, California. It was founded by Tom Ortenberg on March 26, 2011, as a joint venture between the two largest American theatrical exhibitors, AMC Theatres and Regal Entertainment Group, which both owned the company until it was bought out by Tang Media Partners, a media company owned by Donald Tang, in August 2017.
Not to be confused with Open Road Integrated Media, an ebook publisher.Formerly
Global Road Entertainment, LLC (2017–2018)
March 26, 2011
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
James Masciello
Matt Sidari
Raven Capital Management[1]
After Tang's purchase, both companies Open Road and IM Global merged and formed "Global Road Entertainment".[2] In September 2018, Open Road declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The bankruptcy did not affect TMP, IM Global or IM Global TV.
On November 6, 2018, Open Road agreed to be purchased by Raven Capital Management. Raven completed its acquisition in February 2019.[1]
Company history[edit]
Open Road Films (first incarnation)[edit]
In March 2011, rival theater chains AMC Entertainment and Regal Entertainment Group announced the hiring of Tom Ortenberg as chief executive officer of a new company, Open Road Films. Ortenberg, previously an executive of Lionsgate and The Weinstein Company,[3] filled out his executive team with the April 2011 hirings of Jason Cassidy (president of marketing), Elliott Kleinberg (General Counsel and executive vice president of operations and business affairs), Steven Andriuzzo (chief financial officer), and Ben Cotner (senior vice president of acquisitions).[4]
Open Road's titles are distributed in the home entertainment market by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (UPHE), a deal that was signed in June 2011.[5] In June 2011, a few months after it started operations, Open Road Films signed a pay-TV deal with Netflix,[6] which expired in 2016. After Showtime expires in 2020, Netflix re-added Open Road movies in 2020.
The studio released its first film, Killer Elite, on September 23, 2011, directed by Gary McKendry and starring Jason Statham, Clive Owen and Robert De Niro.[7] Open Road's 2015 film Spotlight received six Academy Award nominations and became the surprise winner for Best Picture at the 88th Academy Awards, also winning for Best Original Screenplay. These were the first Oscar wins for the company.[8]
In October 2013, the studio signed a pay-TV deal with Showtime that began in 2017 and expires in 2020.[9] Open Road and UPHE extended its home distribution deal in February 2014 through 2017.[10]
On October 30, 2014, Open Road announced an international deal with FilmNation Entertainment. The deal would allow the company to purchase worldwide rights and FilmNation selling and servicing international distribution.[11]
Management[edit]
In August 2017, Rob Friedman was named Global Road's chairman and CEO after Eric Hohl left the company.[40][19] Rodolphe Buet was named president of international in October 2017,[15] and the following month Lynn Harris was named president of worldwide production.[41][42] In early 2018, Jack Pan was named president of worldwide theatrical marketing.[43]
In March 2018, the company announced several new hires to their international operations division, including Charlotte Van Weede as President of International Sales (replacing Michael Rothstein); Brad Kembel as Executive Vice President of Distribution and Operations; Melissa Martinez as Executive Vice President of International Marketing; and Sarah Genazzani as Director of International Marketing, with Executive Vice President of International Sales Tatyana Joffe extending her contract to work with the new team.[44]