Michael Costigan Sets Up Shop at Sony

By Liza Foreman

Sony Pictures Entertainment has entered into a two-year exclusive first-look agreement with producer Michael Costigan and his company COTA Films, it was announced today by Doug Belgrad, president of Columbia Pictures, and Hannah Minghella, president of Production for the studio.

The deal reunites Costigan with Sony Pictures, where he previously served as a production executive.

Commenting on the announcement, Belgrad and Minghella said, “We couldn't be more excited to be back in business with Michael. He has a great eye for material, strong director and talent relationships and has been making interesting, original movies during his years with Scott Free. Of course he remains a great friend and we’re thrilled to be professionally reunited.”

Costigan most recently produced Stoker, Park Chan Wook’s English language debut starring Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman (pictured) and Matthew Goode, and The East, starring Brit Marling, Ellen Page and Alexander Skarsgard, and directed by Spirit Award nominee Zal Batmanglij. Both films premiered last week at Sundance to rave critical reviews and will be released later this spring.

For release this fall, Costigan produced Out of the Furnace, directed by Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart) and starring Christian Bale, Casey Affleck and Woody Harrelson.

Costigan served as President of Ridley and Tony Scott’s Scott Free Productions from 2005 until 2012. Under the Scott Free banner, Costigan executive produced Prometheus, The Counselor, Robin Hood, Body of Lies, and American Gangster, directed by Ridley Scott, and produced Mark and Jay Duplass’ Cyrus andWelcome to the Rileys.


Before joining Scott Free, Costigan executive produced Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain.

Joining Costigan is Ben Leclair, who most recently produced the critically acclaimed Upstream Color, directed by Shane Carruth, which premiered at Sundance. He previously worked as VP, Production for Mike White at Ripcord, where he was a producer of Year of the Dog and oversaw Jared Hess’ Gentlemen Broncos. He started his career at Scott Rudin Productions.

Costigan started his career at Sony Pictures, where he spent nine years. As Executive Vice President of Production, he acquired and developed films including Charlie’s Angels, Gattaca, The People Versus Larry Flynt, Girl Interrupted and Bottle Rocket.

LizaOnFilm: DreamWorks Finds Friends Overseas

LizaOnFilm: DreamWorks Finds Friends Overseas: By Liza Foreman DreamWorks Studios has concluded a further ten key partnership deals with leading independent distribution companies oversea...

DreamWorks Finds Friends Overseas

By Liza Foreman

DreamWorks Studios has concluded a further ten key partnership deals with leading independent distribution companies overseas, through its sales partner, Mister Smith Entertainment.

Mister Smith represents DreamWorks Studios' films for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

DreamWorks has entered into multi-year output agreements to distribute the company's films in all media with international distributors including: Acme in the Baltics; Blitz for Croatia/Slovenia/Serbia; Odeon in Greece; Sam Film in Iceland; United King in Israel; Andrea Leone Film in Italy; Monolith in Poland; Lusomundo in Portugal; through a joint venture between Tri Pictures & DeaPlaneta for Spain; and Fida Film in Turkey.

"On behalf of Steven Spielberg and Stacey Snider, we are delighted to now have in place our remaining key international distribution partners. We look forward to working with these premier companies as we expand the global reach of our films in the marketplace. Our thanks to David Garrett and his team at Mister Smith Entertainment who continue to be a key partner," said Jeff Small, DreamWorks President and COO.

As part of the Company’s strategy to create a network of partnerships for their product internationally with a view to additional financial flexibility and capitalizing on the expanding global market, DreamWorks previously announced partnerships with Constantin Film, Entertainment One (eOne), Nordisk Film, and Italia Film in Fall 2012. DreamWorks’ domestic distributor, The Walt Disney Company, will continue to handle North America, Latin America, Asia, Russia and Australia.

Reliance continues to finance production of DreamWorks’ films and hold distribution rights in India.

Mister Smith CEO David Garrett said: “It is a true affirmation to the Olympian status of DreamWorks Studios that they have been able to secure partnerships with the cream of the independents across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Every single one of these partners are leaders in their field, and this is reflected in their undoubted professionalism, and their shared passion for movies. These strategic partnerships create an outstanding network of distribution for the upcoming DreamWorks Studios slate.”

Upcoming features under the DreamWorks deal with Mister Smith Entertainment include: "Delivery Man" with Vince Vaughn (pictured), which is currently in post-production, the Wikileaks drama "The Fifth Estate" (Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Bruhl, Laura Linney, Anthony Mackie, David Thewlis, Peter Capaldi, Dan Stevens, Alicia Vikander and Carice van Houten, Dir. Bill Condon) currently in production, and "Need for Speed" (Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper, Imogen Poots, Dir. Scott Waugh) which starts principal photography in April.

LizaOnFilm: Jane Campion to Judge Cannes Shorts

LizaOnFilm: Jane Campion to Judge Cannes Shorts: By Liza Foreman It’s that time of year again! Jane Campion is to head up the Cinéfondation and Short Film Jury of the 66th Ca...

Jane Campion to Judge Cannes Shorts

By Liza Foreman

It’s that time of year again! Jane Campion is to head up the Cinéfondation and Short Film Jury of the 66th Cannes Film Festival (15 – 26 May 2013), taking over the role from past toppers, Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Michel Gondry, Hou Hsiao Hsien, Martin Scorsese and John Boorman.

Originally from New Zealand, Campion has made a mark since the beginning with her films. In 1986 she won short film Palme d’Or for “Peel” and garnered the interest of critics internationally for “Sweetie,” the first feature she presented in competition at the Festival de Cannes. After “An Angel at my Table,” she returned to Cannes with “The Piano,” which won the Palme d’Or in 1993, as well as the best actress award for Holly Hunter.

LizaOnFilm: EFM: Johnny Depp Tops Berlin Slate

LizaOnFilm: EFM: Johnny Depp Tops Berlin Slate: By Liza Foreman And in more Berlinale news,  Johnny Depp is confirmed to star in Cross Creek's crime thriller "Black Mass," as Boston’s ...

EFM: Johnny Depp Tops Berlin Slate

By Liza Foreman

And in more Berlinale news,  Johnny Depp is confirmed to star in Cross Creek's crime thriller "Black Mass," as Boston’s most notorious gangster, Whitey Bulger. Sales for the film will begin at the European Film Market.

The film will be to co-produced and co-financed with Exclusive Media, and directed by Barry Levinson. "Black Mass" will be released by Universal Pictures in the U.S. through Cross Creek’s distribution deal with the studio. The film is scheduled for a May 2013 start date.

The film will beproduced by Brian Oliver, Tyler Thompson, Nigel Sinclair, Tobin Armbrust, John Lesher, and Christi Dembrowski. Cross Creek Pictures Sr. VP of Production Adam Kassan, will oversee production for the company. Alex Walton, Exclusive Media’s President of International Sales and Distribution, will introduce the film to overseas buyers at the market.

Cross Creek recently purchased the New York Times bestselling book "Black Mass: The True Story of an Unholy Alliance Between the FBI and the Irish Mob," written by former Boston Globe reporters Dick Lehr and Gerald O’Neill and published in 2001 by Harper Collins.

O'Neill is a Pulitzer, Hancock and Loeb prizes winner and Lehr, a Pulitzer finalist, has also won the Hancock and Loeb awards. Writer Mark Mallouk wrote a completely new screenplay adaptation of the book, following the June 2011 capture of Bulger, who had been on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list for more than a decade.

"Black Mass" tells the true story of Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who became an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family invading his turf. However, after the Feds closed in on their targets, they double crossed Bulger and ultimately prosecuted him, along with his partner in crime and the original FBI agent working with him.

The deal was negotiated by Tracey Jacobs, Jake Bloom and Micheal Schenkman for Depp and Jeremy Zimmer and Barry Hirsch for Levinson as well as Eric Greenfeld on behalf of Cross Creek and Exclusive Media.