Spyglass Media Group

Spyglass Media Group, formerly Spyglass Entertainment (legally Spyglass Entertainment Holdings, LLC), is an American film production company founded by Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum in 1998.

Spyglass Entertainment Holdings, LLC
Spyglass Media Group
Formerly
Spyglass Entertainment (1998–2012)
Private
IndustryFilm
PredecessorCaravan Pictures
Founded1998
FounderGary Barber
Roger Birnbaum
HeadquartersCentury City,
Los Angeles, California
,
United States[1]
Key people
  • Gary Barber (Chairman & CEO)[1]
  • Lauren Whitney (president, TV)[2]
  • Damien Marin (president, worldwide distribution and acquisitions)[3]
ProductsMotion pictures
Owners
Websitespyglassmediagroup.com

History

Spyglass Entertainment

In August 1998, Gary Barber, former vice chairman and COO of Morgan Creek Productions, together with Roger Birnbaum, co-founder and former head of Caravan Pictures, founded Spyglass Entertainment. The startup company signed a five-year distribution agreement with Disney, which took an equity stake. Birnbaum previously left Caravan at the prompting of then Disney studio chief Joe Roth; with Disney cutting its yearly production output, Roth recommended forming a self-financing production firm similar to New Regency Productions. After Caravan's remaining three films were released, Caravan went inactive. Its slate of movie projects and an initial financial advance of $10 million to $20 million against future overages were also contributed by Disney.[4] Spyglass's operations were formed and based at the Walt Disney Studios. In October 1998, European media conglomerates Kirch Group and Mediaset invested in theatrical, video and television distribution rights to between 15 and 25 films in Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland and the former Soviet Union for over five years.[5] M. Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense (released 1999) was Spyglass's first film, collecting $661 million at the box office worldwide.[6]

By May 2000, Disney took a 10% equity stake in Spyglass, along with Svensk Filmindustri of Scandinavia and Lusomundo of Portugal.[7][8] In March 2003, Spyglass Entertainment agreed to a four-year distribution output deal with Village Roadshow for Australia, New Zealand and Greece.[9]

In 2002, Spyglass Entertainment launched a television division, and it was focused on small screen projects. Miracles is one of the planned projects supported by Spyglass for its television division.[10]

That same year, it attempted to merge with smaller independent distributor Intermedia, but it failed.[11]

In December 2003, Spyglass ended its deal with Disney and agreed to a four-year first-look non-exclusive co-financing and production deal with DreamWorks. This deal was never finalized and the relationship was not working well. Thus in September 2003, Spyglass instead made a similar deal with Sony Pictures. Spyglass did not move to the Sony lot, but to Murdoch Plaza in Westwood, Los Angeles.[6]

On December 20, 2010, Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum became co-chairmen and CEOs of the holding company of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which had at that time recently emerged from bankruptcy. The original plan had the Spyglass library being added to MGM, but it was later removed from the plan.[12]

Spyglass Media Group

On March 13, 2019, Barber and Lantern Entertainment revived the company as Spyglass Media Group, bringing in Eagle Pictures and Cineworld as investors. Lantern made a majority investment and also transferred its film library and rights to Miramax film sequels to the Spyglass. Barber owns the Spyglass trademark and the sequel and remake rights to the old Spyglass library, which he has contributed. The company plans to produce content for all platforms.[1][13] Spyglass closed the former Lantern Entertainment/TWC office in New York City while laying off 15 staff members across divisions.[14]

On April 1, 2019, Lauren Whitney, the president of television for Miramax, took on the same position for Spyglass.[2] Damien Marin followed Barber from MGM to be appointed Spyglass president of worldwide distribution and acquisitions in September 2019.[3]

AT&T's Warner Bros. in April 2019 bought an equity stake in Spyglass, which signed a first-look deal with the studio.[15] Spyglass was involved in August 2019 in a potential purchase of part of Miramax but dropped out in two weeks.[16][17]

Spyglass's first greenlit film since its revival is a revival of Hellraiser franchise announced in May 2019.[18] With the company winning the rights to the Stephen King's The Institute book in November 2019, Jack Bender and David E. Kelley were paired to development and produce the book as a mini-series. Also, Bender was signed by Spyglass to a TV first-look deal.[19]

MGM President of Physical Production Peter Oillataguerre was appointed President of Production for Spyglass Media Group reporting to Barber.[20]

Foreign distributor

Production filmography

1990s
Title Release date Distributor Notes Budget Gross
Instinct June 4, 1999 Buena Vista Pictures Disney label released as Touchstone Pictures; co-production with Barbara Boyle/Michael Taylor Productions; first film $80 million $34.1 million
The Sixth Sense August 6, 1999 Disney label released as Hollywood Pictures; co-production with The Kennedy/Marshall Company and Barry Mendel Productions $40 million $672.8 million
The Insider November 5, 1999 Disney label released as Touchstone Pictures; co-production with Forward Pass and Eric Roth Productions $68 million $60.2 million

2000s
Title Release date Distributor Notes Budget Gross
Mission to Mars March 10, 2000 Buena Vista Pictures Disney label released as Touchstone Pictures; co-production with Jacobson Company $100 million $111 million
Keeping the Faith April 14, 2000 Disney label released as Touchstone Pictures; co-production with Birnbaum/Barber Productions, Koch Co., Blumberg/Norton Productions and Triple Threat Talent $29 million $59.9 million
Shanghai Noon May 26, 2000 Disney label released as Touchstone Pictures; co-production with Birnbaum/Barber Productions and Jackie Chan Films Ltd. $55 million $100.5 million
Out Cold November 21, 2001 Disney label released as Touchstone Pictures; co-production with Birnbaum/Barber Productions and The Donners' Company $24 million $14.8 million
The Count of Monte Cristo January 25, 2002 Disney label released as Touchstone Pictures; co-production with Birnbaum/Barber Productions $35 million $75.4 million
Dragonfly February 22, 2002 Universal Pictures co-production with Gran Via Productions and Shady Acres Entertainment; international distribution through Buena Vista International $60 million $52.3 million
Reign of Fire July 12, 2002 Buena Vista Pictures Disney label released as Touchstone Pictures; co-production with Birnbaum/Barber Productions and The Zanuck Company $60 million $82.2 million
Abandon October 18, 2002 Paramount Pictures co-production with Lynda Obst Productions; international distribution through Buena Vista International $25 million $12.3 million
The Recruit January 31, 2003 Buena Vista Pictures Disney label released as Touchstone Pictures; co-production with Birnbaum/Barber Productions and Epsilon Motion Pictures $46 million $101.2 million
Shanghai Knights February 7, 2003 Disney label released as Touchstone Pictures; co-production with Birnbaum/Barber Productions and Jackie Chan Films Ltd. $50 million $88.3 million
Bruce Almighty May 23, 2003 Universal Pictures co-production with Shady Acres Entertainment and Pit Bull Productions; international distribution through Buena Vista International $81 million $484.6 million
Seabiscuit July 7, 2003 co-production with DreamWorks Pictures, The Kennedy/Marshall Company and Larger Than Life Productions; international distribution through Buena Vista International $87 million $148.3 million
The Perfect Score January 30, 2004 Paramount Pictures co-production with Roger Birnbaum Productions, MTV Films and Tollin/Robbins Productions N/A $10.8 million
Connie and Carla April 16, 2004 Universal Pictures co-production with Birnbaum/Barber Productions $27 million $11.3 million
Mr. 3000 September 17, 2004 Buena Vista Pictures Disney label released as Touchstone Pictures; co-production with Dimension Films, Birnbaum/Barber Productions and The Kennedy/Marshall Company $30 million $21.8 million
The Pacifier March 4, 2005 Disney label released as Walt Disney Pictures; co-production with Birnbaum/Barber Productions $56 million $198.6 million
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy April 29, 2005 Disney label released as Touchstone Pictures; co-production with Birnbaum/Barber Productions, Hammer & Tongs and Everyman Pictures $45–50 million $104.5 million
The Legend of Zorro October 28, 2005 Sony Pictures Releasing Sony label released as Columbia Pictures; co-production with Amblin Entertainment and Parkes/MacDonald Productions $65 million $142.4 million
Memoirs of a Geisha December 9, 2005 Sony label released as Columbia Pictures; co-production with DreamWorks Pictures, Amblin Entertainment and Red Wagon Entertainment; international distribution through Buena Vista International $85 million $162.2 million
Eight Below February 17, 2006 Buena Vista Pictures Disney label released as Walt Disney Pictures; co-production with Mandeville Films and The Kennedy/Marshall Company $40 million $120.5 million
Stay Alive March 24, 2006 Disney label released as Hollywood Pictures; co-production with Endgame Entertainment, Wonderland Sound and Vision and Birnbaum/Barber Productions; international distribution through Universal Pictures $20 million $27.1 million
Stick It April 28, 2006 Disney label released as Touchstone Pictures; co-production with Birnbaum/Barber Productions, Gail Lyon Productions and Jessica Bendinger Productions $20 million $31.9 million
The Lookout March 30, 2007 Disney label released as Miramax Films; co-production with Laurence Mark Productions, Parkes-MacDonald Productions and Birnbaum/Barber Productions $16 million $5.4 million
The Invisible April 27, 2007 Disney label released as Hollywood Pictures, co-production with Birnbaum/Barber Productions and MacariEdelstein Productions N/A $26.8 million
Evan Almighty June 22, 2007 Universal Pictures co-production with Relativity Media, Original Film, Shady Acres Entertainment and Birnbaum/Barber Productions $175 million $173.4 million
Underdog August 3, 2007 Buena Vista Pictures Disney label released as Walt Disney Pictures; co-production with Birnbaum/Barber Productions, Jay Polstein Productions and Classic Media $25 million $65.3 million
Balls of Fury August 29, 2007 Rogue Pictures co-production with Intrepid Pictures and Birnbaum/Barber Productions N/A $41.1 million
27 Dresses January 18, 2008 20th Century Fox Fox label released as Fox 2000 Pictures; co-production with Birnbaum/Barber Productions and Dune Entertainment III, LLC $30 million $160.3 million
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins February 8, 2008 Universal Pictures co-production with Stuber-Parent Productions $35 million $43.6 million
The Ruins April 4, 2008 Paramount Pictures Paramount label released as DreamWorks Pictures; co-production with Red Hour Films $8 million $22.3 million
The Happening June 13, 2008 20th Century Fox co-production with Dune Entertainment, UTV Motion Pictures and Blinding Edge Pictures $48 million $163.4 million
The Love Guru June 20, 2008 Paramount Pictures co-production with Nomoneyfun Films and Michael de Luca Productions $62 million $40.9 million
Wanted June 27, 2008 Universal Pictures co-production with Relativity Media, Marc Platt Productions, Kickstart Productions and Top Cow Productions $75 million $341.4 million
Ghost Town September 19, 2008 Paramount Pictures Paramount label released as DreamWorks Pictures; co-production with Pariah $20 million $27.1 million
Flash of Genius October 3, 2008 Universal Pictures co-production with Birnbaum/Barber Productions and Strike Entertainment $20 million $4.8 million
Four Christmases November 26, 2008 Warner Bros. Pictures Warner label released as New Line Cinema; co-production with Birnbaum/Barber Productions, Wild West Picture Show Productions and Type A Films $80 million $163.7 million
Star Trek May 8, 2009 Paramount Pictures co-production with Bad Robot Productions $150 million $385.7 million
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra August 7, 2009 co-production with Hasbro and di Bonaventura Pictures $175 million $302.5 million
Invictus December 11, 2009 Warner Bros. Pictures co-production with Revelations Entertainment, Mace Neufeld Productions and Malpaso Productions $50–60 million $122.2 million

2010s
Title Release date Distributor Notes Budget Gross
Leap Year[21] January 8, 2010 Universal Pictures co-production with BenderSpink and Birnbaum/Barber Productions $19 million $32.6 million
Get Him to the Greek[22] June 4, 2010 co-production with Relativity Media and Apatow Productions $40 million $91.3 million
Dinner for Schmucks[23] July 30, 2010 Paramount Pictures Paramount label released as DreamWorks Pictures; co-production with Parkes/MacDonald Productions, Reliance Big Pictures and Everyman Pictures $69 million $86.9 million
The Tourist[24] December 10, 2010 Sony Pictures Releasing Sony label released as Columbia Pictures; co-production with GK Films, Birnbaum/Barber Productions and StudioCanal $100 million $278.3 million
No Strings Attached[25] January 21, 2011 Paramount Pictures Paramount label released as DW Studios, co-production with Cold Spring Pictures and The Montecito Picture Company $25 million $149.2 million
Footloose[26] October 14, 2011 co-production with MTV Films, Dylan Sellers Productions, Zadan/Meron Productions and Weston Pictures $24 million $63.5 million
The Vow[27] February 10, 2012 Sony Pictures Releasing Sony label released as Screen Gems; co-production with Birnbaum/Barber Productions $30 million $196.1 million

2020s
Title Release date Distributor Notes
Scream 5 2021 Paramount Pictures, Spyglass (some markets) co-production with Paramount, Radio Silence, Project X[28]
Hellraiser[18] TBA co-production with Phantom Four Films
Perfect Strangers[29] co-production with Eagle Pictures, 3 Marys Entertainment and Issa Rae Productions
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gollark: Basically, it has nothing which has multiple egg versions.
gollark: Biome variants, I believe.
gollark: It's useful if you just need an uncommon quickly. I can't think of other uses.
gollark: *golds

References
  1. Lang, Brent (March 13, 2019). "Gary Barber Teams With Lantern Entertainment to Launch Spyglass Media Group". Variety. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
  2. Otterson, Joe (March 25, 2019). "Miramax President of TV Lauren Whitney Exits to Join Spyglass Media Group". Variety. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  3. Lang, Brent (September 3, 2019). "Spyglass Taps Damien Marin as Distribution and Acquisitions President". Variety. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  4. Eller, Clauida (August 21, 1998). "Spyglass Offers Disney Lower-Risk Deals". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  5. Mattzer, Marla (October 29, 1998). "European Firms to Invest in Spyglass". Los Angeles Times. p. C4. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  6. Dunkley, Cathy; Brodesser, Claude (September 23, 2003). "Spyglass splits". Variety. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  7. Eller, Claudia (May 23, 2000). "Spyglass Hopes for More Good 'Sense' in Future Projects". Los Angeles Times. p. C1. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  8. Eller, Claudia (December 10, 2002). "Spyglass Signs Deal With DreamWorks". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  9. Dunkley, Cathy (March 7, 2003). "Roadshow taking Spyglass pix to Oz". Variety. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  10. Adalian, Josef (2002-08-06). "Spyglass spiesTV prospects". Variety. Retrieved 2020-05-15.
  11. Meza, Dana Harris,Ed; Harris, Dana; Meza, Ed (2002-03-13). "Intermedia/Spyglass: A split decision". Variety. Retrieved 2020-05-15.
  12. McNary, Dave (20 December 2010). "MGM restructuring becomes official, Studio completes restructuring with $500 million in financing". Variety. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  13. Kilday, Gregg (March 13, 2019). "Gary Barber's Spyglass Media Group Takes Control of Former Weinstein Co. Assets". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 19, 2019.
  14. Friedman, Ryan (March 20, 2019). "Gary Barber's Spyglass Media Group Lays Off 15, Closes Lantern Entertainment's NYC Office". WrapPRO. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
  15. Lang, Brent (April 16, 2019). "Warner Bros. Invests in Spyglass Media". Variety. Retrieved April 18, 2019.
  16. Schwartzel, Benjamin Mullin and Erich (August 1, 2019). "Lions Gate, Spyglass Media, Viacom Are Leading Contenders to Buy Stake in Miramax". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  17. Sakoui, Anoshua (August 19, 2019). "Viacom and Lionsgate Go Head-to-Head in Fight for Miramax Stake". Bloomberg. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  18. McNary, Dave (May 6, 2019). "'Hellraiser' Revival in the Works With 'Dark Knight' Writer David S. Goyer". Variety. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  19. Thorne, Will (September 10, 2019). "David E. Kelley, Jack Bender Developing Stephen King's 'The Institute' as Limited Series". Variety. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  20. McNary, Dave (April 20, 2020). "Spyglass Hires MGM Veteran Peter Oillataguerre as President of Production". Variety. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  21. "Leap Year (2010)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  22. Rechtshaffen, Michael (October 14, 2010). "Get Him to the Greek – Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  23. "Dinner for Schmucks (2010)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  24. McCarthy, Todd (December 8, 2010). "Todd McCarthy's Review of 'The Tourist' With Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  25. McCarthy, Todd (January 16, 2011). "Film Review: 'No Strings Attached' Is Cutesy, Nowhere Near Hot Enough". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  26. "Footloose (2011)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  27. "The Vow (2012)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  28. Kroll, Justin (June 24, 2020). "New 'Scream' Movie From Spyglass Media Will Be Released by Paramount (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  29. McNary, Dave (December 4, 2019). "Issa Rae to Star in and Produce 'Perfect Strangers' Remake". Variety. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
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