Imagine Entertainment and Warner Music Group form wide-ranging, multi-project strategic partnership 06 Jul 2020
Companies to Co-Produce and Co-Finance Slate of Music-Centered Film and Television Projects
Imagine Entertainment Chairman Brian Grazer and Warner Music Group (WMG) today announced a multi-year strategic partnership to co-produce and co-finance a slate of music-centered projects across multiple mediums, including film, television, documentary, and other short-form content. By marrying Imagine’s 30-year success in producing premium entertainment with WMG’s global artists, songwriters, and world-class catalog, the partnership will accelerate capabilities to bring to the screen outstanding storytelling that crosses genres and decades.
"I’ve always looked for new ways to bring a story to life. This is my passion. Our new partnership with WMG gives us a new dimension to do exactly that - ignite emotion in stories,” explains Brian Grazer. “The content that lives inside songs gives life to a fresh sonic and cinematic power. Len Blavatnik is a visionary in the space and everyone at Imagine is thrilled to partner with him and his team. Thanks again to WMG, particularly Steve, Max and Charlie."
Warner Music Group CEO Steve Cooper said: “We’re excited to be partnering with Ron, Brian, and the stellar team at Imagine to bring to screens the captivating stories of our artists, our songwriters, and our labels. With a global roster of superstar talent and a rich musical history in our archives, we have great opportunities to marry music, narrative, and image through biopics, documentaries, and other visual platforms. I can’t wait to see what emerges from the collaboration between our team at Warner Music Entertainment, led by Charlie Cohen, and the inspired creativity of Imagine.”
Imagine and WMG first collaborated on “Genius: Aretha,” the Aretha Franklin biopic series set to premiere on National Geographic Channel this fall. The new partnership gives Imagine unprecedented access to a vast library of music and history across all of WMG’s record labels and its publishing arm, presenting a wealth of storytelling opportunities. Warner Music Entertainment, the TV & Film division of WMG, has been led since its inception in 2017, by Charlie Cohen, who was previously COO of MGM’s Motion Picture Group.
Imagine has long been recognized as one the most successful independent storytellers in the entertainment industry. The company has had a prolific history of creating timeless and culturally impactful films, television series and documentaries in the world of music, including the Academy Award-winning film “8 Mile,” the Grammy Award-winning documentary “The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years” and the Emmy-winning television drama “Empire.” The company also produced the film “Get On Up” about James Brown, the television series “Wu-Tang: An American Saga” and a number of documentaries, including “Jay Z’s Made in America,” “Katy Perry: Part of Me,” “Pavarotti,” and “Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band.” In addition to “Genius: Aretha,” Imagine is currently in production on a film version of the musical “tick, tick…Boom!,” with Lin-Manuel Miranda directing. The company is also developing a biopic on Gucci Mane, and documentaries on Louis Armstrong, Carlos Santana, and Tekashi 6ix9nine.
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THE HEADLINES
Should the state step in to save our live music scene? (see Features)
Gary Roden exits Co-op Live following troubled venue launch (see News)
Spotify talks growth, bundle royalties and short-video plans (see Digital)
BPI CEO calls on music industry and government to unite around 5 key priorities to support human artistry and sustainably promote British music (see News)
Hipgnosis Song Management fires back at Songs Fund board (see Business)
Blackstone bid for Hipgnosis receives backing from board (see Business)
Taylor Swift’s new album breaks Spotify records (see News)
Independence - what’s up with that BPI press release about 2023 music consumption? (see Comment)
Creator Remuneration Working Group meet for the first time (see News)
Concord's takeover of Hipgnosis (see Analysis)
Concord set to acquire Hipgnosis Songs Fund (see Business)
Is the music industry gaslighting artists? (see Comment)
BPI’s new Yearbook highlights an independent sector growing for a sixth consecutive year (see Reports)
Can’t cross the moat? Walk around it. (see Comment)
The conversation around Fandom needs to change (see Opinion)
Viagogo: Carrying on ticketing, despite the controversy (see News)