Universal Pictures and Morgan Creek Productions have entered into an exclusive, three-year distribution arrangement, it was announced today by Stacey Snider, chairman, Universal Pictures, and James G. Robinson, chairman and CEO, Morgan Creek.
Under the terms of the new deal, Morgan Creek will produce and finance all their films for domestic distribution across all media by Universal. Since 1990, Morgan Creek has distributed its films through Warner Bros.
Ms. Snider said, “We’re very pleased to be in business with Morgan Creek. This arrangement allows us to expand our domestic release schedule while providing our audience with the most interesting and diverse slate of movies possible.”
Mr. Robinson said, “I look forward to our long and productive relationship with Universal. We are ready to maximize our production output.”
Guy McElwaine, president, Morgan Creek said, “We have a number of good friends at Universal and I am truly impressed with their energy, taste and success.”
Led by James G. Robinson, its founder and CEO, Morgan Creek Productions began in early 1988 and has become one off the leading independent production entities in today’s film business. Morgan Creek has produced numerous highly successful and critically acclaimed features, including: “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective;” “Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls;” “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves;” “Enemies, A Love Story;” “Pacific Heights;” “True Romance;” the “Major League” trio of movies; “Exorcist, The Beginning;” “Exorcist III;” and “The Last of the Mohicans.”
Morgan Creek International (MCI), a sister company to Morgan Creek Productions, was created in 1989. In addition to releasing many of Morgan Creek’s own product overseas, MCI acquired and distributed “The Last of the Mohicans.” Later Mr. Robinson launched Morgan Creek Music Group, which debuted with the original soundtrack from “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves,” which sold in excess of 3 million units worldwide.
With Howard Kaplan as CFO and Brad Luff, president of production, Morgan Creek recently completed filming on “Exorcist: The Beginning,” a prequel to the classic supernatural thriller, which Warner Bros. will release in next spring.
Among the projects Morgan Creek currently has in development are: “Flying Tigers,” being written by Academy Award(R) winner David Ward (“The Sting”); “Ace Ventura: Return of the Pet Detective;” “Man Alive,” being written by Larry Cohen (“Phone Booth”); “Babeus Americanus,” a teen comedy being written by Gustin Nash; “Twilight at Mac’s Place,” based on the novel by Ross Thomas; and a series of films based on Lawrence Sanders’ “O’Malley” novels.
