Picturehouse, the full-service independent film marketing and distribution company started in 2005, has today announced that it will be reopening its doors with founder Bob Berney at the helm. Berney will serve as CEO and Jeanne Berney will serve as President of the re-launched company, which will continue to be based in New York.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be back in business under the Picturehouse banner,” said Mr. Berney, who recently acquired the trademark and logo from Warner Bros. “We worked very hard to build it into a brand known for acquiring exciting, challenging and entertaining films from the U.S. and around the world, and helping them find their audiences.”
Picturehouse’s first new release will be Metallica Through The Never, a feature film starring members of the iconic rock band and Dane DeHaan (Chronicle, The Amazing Spider-Man 2). DeHaan plays a young band crew member who is sent out on an urgent mission while the band is playing a rousing live set in front of a sold-out crowd and unexpectedly finds his world turned completely upside down. The film, written and directed by Nimród Antal (Kontroll, Predators), is due in theaters August 9. One of the bestselling rock acts of all time, Metallica has sold over 105 million albums worldwide.
“Nim and the band have made a film that really captures the spirit of Metallica and their millions of loyal fans,” said Mr. Berney. “It’s an entertaining genre film with a concert inside it, a fun ride featuring an exciting young actor, Dane DeHaan. It’s a very cool project to reboot Picturehouse with.”
Added Metallica drummer and founding member Lars Ulrich: “Metallica’s way of doing things is to jump into unexplored creative endeavors with no safety net whatsoever. Putting this movie together for the last couple of years has been a pretty wild ride, and we’ve definitely done our share of flying without a net! Bringing Bob and Jeanne and the new Picturehouse team in at this point provides us with a much needed level of security for the distribution of the film. Their spirit of independence and desire to work outside the box is something we can relate to in every way, and this makes them both a welcome addition and a natural fit in the Metallica family.”
Picturehouse will acquire, market and theatrically distribute independent films from the U.S. and around the world. The company expects to release two or three films this year, increasing its output to four or five in 2014 and six or seven in subsequent years.
The company recently signed an exclusive, multi-year output deal with Netflix, the world’s leading Internet television network. Picturehouse films will come to Netflix exclusively in the United States shortly after theatrical release.
“Bob and Jeanne are legendary tastemakers and innovators who were early partners with Netflix in bringing amazing movies like Pan’s Labyrinth and La Vie en Rose to our service,” said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos. “Netflix members love independent films and the Berneys have indisputably great taste.”
In addition, Picturehouse has secured a first look relationship with Warner Bros. Pictures International for films to which it has international distribution rights.
