Relativity Media had a pretty rough 2015. The floundering studio hit rock bottom in the summer, putting the company up for sale, and selling off titles including this month’s “Jane Got A Gun” (which will be released by The Weinstein Company) and this spring’s “The Bronze” (being handled by Sony Pictures Classics). The beleaguered company is still in the courts, trying to get everything sorted out, and still attempting to drum up money to stay alive. And it seems there’s one person in town who believes they can turn things around.
Relativity Media CEO Ryan Kavanaugh has acquired Kevin Spacey and his producing partner Dana Brunetti‘s Trigger Street Productions, and tapped them to run the studio. The duo have a strong track record behind, producing projects like “The Social Network” (they were a big driving force behind that one), “House Of Cards,” “Margin Call,” and “Captain Phillips” among others. Essentially, they have taste and a good track record. The actor will take the desk job next month, and along with Brunetti, they will be in charge of creative content and film production at Relativity.
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“They thought we were crazy when we chose to do ‘House of Cards’ with an online streaming service; they thought I was crazy when I went to run The Old Vic Theatre when no one thought it could be saved; and this move with Relativity will be proof for some that we really are crazy,” Spacey said in a statement, adding that it was “an incredible opportunity to make great entertainment” and the “next evolution in my career.”
So, sounds like a pretty sweet gig, but that presumes Relativity can get its act together, raise money, become viable, and step back from the brink of total collapse. That said, hiring someone like Spacey is exactly the kind of move that would make investors rest a bit more easily, as it seems clear a lot of people are done with Kavanaugh calling the shots. It’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out, and what kind of mandate and slate Spacey and his team put together. Can he save the studio? Time will tell. [Variety]
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