Katana VentraIP

Company type

2005 (2005)

2009 (2009)

Closed

History[edit]

Establishment and early years[edit]

Virtual Studios was founded by film producer Benjamin Waisbren in 2005 as a film financier and media company. The funding was backed by the hedge fund Stark Investments, where he worked at the time of founding.

Film industry[edit]

The companies first film production and financing credits were the comedy-romance film Duane Hopwood and the dystopian political thriller film V for Vendetta in 2005. In 2006 they signed a deal to produce and finance films in association with Warner Bros.[1] Their next films (Poseidon, V for Vendetta, The Good German and 300) were all distributed by Warner Bros. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford was their last film they co-produced for Warner Bros. and the deal was signed off. Their last film was Bangkok Dangerous and the company was left dormant after the film became a box-office flop.

Virtual Films[edit]

Virtual Studios started a film distribution company called Virtual Films in early 2006. The company was short-lived and only lasted a year, and it was shut down in 2007. First Born was the only film Virtual Films distributed.

Closure[edit]

Virtual Studios ultimately closed in 2009 after being dormant for a year due to Waisbrein leaving the company to pursue other ventures. He later worked for LStar Capital's film funding company LSC Film Corporation on their deal with Sony Pictures, and also currently owns and operates Virtually There Holdings LLC since 2014.[2][3]