Imagine Entertainment

Imagine Entertainment
Private partnership
Industry Film
Genre Film and Television Production company
Predecessor Imagine Films Entertainment
Founded 1986 (1986)
Founder Brian Grazer
Ron Howard
Headquarters Beverly Hills, California, United States
Key people
 Brian Grazer (Chairman)
Ron Howard (Chairman)
Michael Rosenberg (Co-Chairman)
Erica Huggins (President)[1]
Products Feature films, TV series
Owner Brian Grazer
Ron Howard
Website imagine-entertainment.com

Imagine Entertainment, formerly Imagine Films Entertainment, is an American film and television production company founded in 1986 by director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer.

Co-founders Ron Howard and Brian Grazer at a Tribeca Film Festival panel on A Beautiful Mind

Background

Brian Grazer and Ron Howard met in 1982 on Night Shift with Howard directing and Grazer co-producing. Then followed it up with working on 1984's Splash.[2]

History

Imagine Films Entertainment

Early on the company sealed a production and distribution deal with Universal Pictures[2] expiring in November 1992. Universal's deal was to fund 50% of 30 films. The company had an IPO in 1986 at $8 for a package of one share and one warrant. Shares rose to $19.25 before falling in the stock market crash in 1987 to $2.25. A pay television broadcast agreement was made with Showtime.[3]

By May 1992, 48% of the stock was public traded and worth $9.375. The duo agreed to a new six deal with Universal while concurrently offering $9 a share to buy the company's public outstanding share to start a new company with its assets. If not they planned to leave the company at their contract expiration in November to start the new company anyways. Universal was providing the cash for the buy out for an equity stake in the new company.[3]

Imagine Entertainment

In 2000, the partnership partnered for TV series development with 20th Century Fox, an agreement expiring at the end of 2016.[2] In 2011, the company had three weak box office performers with The Dilemma, Cowboys & Aliens and Tower Heist. Because of their weak financial pact renewal with Universal in January 2012, Imagine laid off 5 employees including production executive Jeremy Steckler.[4] This also moves Imagine from exclusive to a first look deal. By 2013, Imagine was considering other funding methods for the company's films including crowdfunding for a Friday Night Lights movie.[5]

In November 2013, Michael Rosenberg was promoted to Co-chairman followed in December 2013 with Erica Huggins being promoted to his previous position of president.[1] Industry insiders indicated in late January 2016 that a deal with Raine Group was in the works that would have Raine become a partner of the production company while contributing $100 million.[2]

Feature-film division

The feature-film division has participated in over sixty productions and is associated with Universal Pictures,[6] which has distributed many of Imagine's productions, some with other studios. Erica Huggins was hired as senior vice president of motion pictures and was elevated to exec vice president in 2006 then in 2010 to co-president of production.[1]

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2017
  • “The Dark Tower” with Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey[2]
  • “Mena,” a Tom Cruise movie entangling drug runners and the CIA[2]

Television division

Its television division, Imagine Television has participated in at least twenty productions and is associated with 20th Century Fox Television.

Television productions

Year(s) Title Network/Channel Notes
1998 From the Earth to the Moon
HBO
1998–2000 Sports Night
ABC
1998–2002 Felicity
The WB
1999–2001 The PJs
FOX
2000 Wonderland
ABC
2001 The Beast
2001–10 24[2]
FOX
2003 Miss Match
NBC
2003–06 Arrested Development[5]
FOX
2004 The Big House
ABC
2004–05 Quintuplets
FOX
2005 The Inside
FOX
since 2006 Curious George
PBS
2006 Treasure Hunters
NBC
2006–08 Shark
CBS
2006–11 Friday Night Lights[5]
NBC
2008 24: Redemption
FOX
2009–11 Lie to Me
FOX
2010–15 Parenthood
NBC
2012 The Great Escape
TNT
2013 Arrested Development
Netflix[5]
2013 How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)
ABC
2014 24: Live Another Day
FOX
2015Empire[2]
FOX
2015Marietta
FOX
2015The Bastard Executioner
FX
TBAProblem Child
NBC

References

  1. 1 2 3 McNary, Dave (December 9, 2013). "Ron Howard, Brian Grazer Promote Erica Huggins to President of Imagine". Variety. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Rainey, James (January 28, 2016). "Raine Group to Invest $100 Million-Plus in Imagine, Partners Eye Expansion". Variety. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Fabrikant, Geraldine (May 19, 1992). "COMPANY NEWS; Chiefs of Imagine Films Seek to Take It Private". New York Times. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 THR Staff (January 12, 2012). "Imagine Entertainment Lays Off Staff". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Fleming Jr, Mike (May 16, 2013). "Cannes: Brian Grazer, Ron Howard Introduce Imagine 2.0; A Pele Pic On The Croisette, A Crowd-Funded ‘Friday Night Lights’, ‘Dark Tower’, Jay-Z And One Angry White Whale". Deadline Hollywood (Penske Business Media). Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Imagine Entertainment Company Profile – Yahoo! Finance". Biz.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2011-05-17.

External links

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