Ben Affleck and Matt Damon‘s Artists Fairness has solely been round for 3 years, however in that span the corporate has created various starry initiatives designed to create extra fairness for the artists that really create them (therefore the identify). However after bouncing round between distributors and taking time to discover a residence for a few of their extra formidable initiatives, they’ve now settled down and tied the knot with a studio.
Artists Fairness has entered into an general theatrical characteristic movie cope with Sony Photos, a three-year deal that can see Sony finance and theatrically distribute globally something that Affleck and Damon’s firm develops and produces. Artists Fairness will even have the choice to co-finance particular person initiatives.
The corporate was based in response to giving artists a bigger share of streaming income, however they’ve now landed with a studio in Sony that can decide to theatrical releases for all of their titles and doesn’t have a streamer of its personal. No initiatives below the present deal have been introduced simply but.
“Artists Fairness, within the quick span of its existence, has confirmed remarkably adept at creating and producing prime quality business movies,” mentioned Tom Rothman, Chairman & CEO of Sony Photos’ Movement Image Group. “This isn’t a shock to me as I’ve recognized the 2 artistic ‘Professionals from Dover’ for a few years and at all times admired their smarts, expertise, and moxie. Now that Ben and Matt and their crew have set their sights firmly on the excessive bar of the theatrical market, Sony is fortunate as hell to be partnering with them. We sit up for making a bunch of hit movies collectively.”
Affleck added in an announcement: “It’s an enormously significant landmark for Artists Fairness to be making movies for theatrical launch with Sony Photos and particularly with Tom Rothman, with whom Matt and I’m going again greater than 20 years. Tom has each a deep and abiding love for motion pictures and an understanding of and appreciation for a way they’re made. I can’t consider a greater accomplice than Sony, which is absolutely in on the theatrical expertise, as Artists Fairness seeks to make movies expressly meant to be seen within the cinema, with an viewers. It’s an honor to make movies for the magical darkish room the place we come along with strangers to undertaking our innermost secrets and techniques onto a display screen, surrendering to a narrative collectively, agreeing to share the identical flickering dream. I’m grateful for the chance to deliver motion pictures to a worldwide viewers, with all the knowledgeable Sony crew.”
Thus far, nearly all of Artists Fairness’s releases have been streaming exclusives, and that will probably be true for a few of their upcoming options. Up subsequent for the studio is “RIP,” which is a Netflix motion movie starring Damon, Affleck, Teyana Taylor, and Scott Adkins and is directed by Joe Carnahan. Netflix can also be releasing the subsequent movie to be directed by Affleck, “Animals,” during which he additionally stars alongside Gillian Anderson, Steven Yeun, and Kerry Washington. The studio’s “Kiss of the Spider Lady,” an adaptation of the Broadway musical directed by Invoice Condon and starring Jennifer Lopez, Diego Luna, and Tonatiuh, is being launched by Lionsgate.
Of their prior releases, Amazon MGM used the corporate’s first movie “Air” as its take a look at balloon of types to see how theatrical may bolster the eventual launch of one thing on streaming down the highway. Although the film carried a $90 million manufacturing price range, it additionally introduced in that a lot in its theatrical run and proved a streaming hit as properly. Solely “Small Issues Like These” with Cillian Murphy and “The Accountant 2” have additionally gotten theatrical runs, whereas “The Instigators” and “Unstoppable” have been streaming exclusives.
On Sony’s finish although, it persistently places the corporate in enterprise with main stars like Affleck and Damon at a time when theatrical relies on starry, occasion movies.
