“I am excited to begin this new chapter for Red Hour,” says Ben Stiller
Ben Stiller’s Red Hour announced today that it is partnering with Bold Films to produce a new slate of both comedic and dramatic film, television and digital projects. Veteran producer and executive Nicky Weinstock has joined Ben Stiller and Stuart Cornfeld for an agreement that enables the company to be fully independent and capable of supplying studios, networks and the digital and independent markets an expanded diversity of movies and shows. The deal will also allow for financing of Red Hour’s own projects in both features and TV. As part of the new creative partnership, Red Hour will be relocating its offices within Bold Films in both NY and LA. Bold Films will provide the overhead, as well as development and production financing on the independent projects.
“I am excited to begin this new chapter for Red Hour,” says Stiller. “Nicky Weinstock brings tons of experience and talent in partnering with Stuart and I in LA. With Bold, Michel Litvak and Gary Michael Walters, we are partnering with like-minded filmmakers who have shown they are committed to making daring and original movies. If it doesn’t work out we are all opening an accounting firm — Stiller, Litvak, Weinstock, Cornfeld & Walters. So it’s a no lose proposition.”
Red Hour recently completed its overall deal with 20th Century Fox, and is currently in postproduction on the highly-anticipated Zoolander 2, distributed by Paramount Pictures.
“Ben Stiller is not only a brilliant actor, director and producer who has entertained huge audiences throughout the world, but also a savvy and visionary businessman,” adds Litvak. “We are thrilled to work together to expand the scope of Ben’s activities and help fulfill his artistic and professional ambitions.”
“Joining forces with Red Hour and its outstanding executive team allows Bold to muscle up its global presence in film and television, and establish a digital media division that will be a phenomenal incubator of new talent and a hotbed of innovation,” says Walters.
“As a longtime admirer of Ben’s phenomenal creative powers, I am thrilled to partner with him and my friend Stuart to launch a company so uncommonly empowered to have freedom and fun,” says Weinstock. “Our financial backing from Bold enables us to put together films and shows both inside and outside the traditional studio and network systems — giving us a flexibility, and the means to go full-tilt on our projects, that’s all too rare these days. We’re grateful and excited to get moving.”
Mike Rosenstein will continue to executive produce ongoing and new projects. Rosenstein will play an integral role in the new partnership. TV exec Debbie Liebling is leaving her day-to-day role at Red Hour, but will continue to oversee all current Red Hour TV projects, including Comedy Central’s “Another Period,” starring Natasha Leggero, Michael Ian Black, Paget Brewster and Christina Hendricks (which just got picked up for a second season), and “The Meltdown” with Jonah and Kumail, starring Kumail Nanjiani and Jonah Ray.
