Alison Smith
Cutting Edge Invests in Robert De Niro's "The Comedian"
Music publishing rights specialist Cutting Edge Group and investment arm Conduct have invested in Cinelou Films’ “The Comedian,” starring Robert De Niro and Leslie Mann, Variety has learned exclusively.
Cutting Edge also invested in two other Cinelou titles — “Yellow Birds” staring Tye Sheridan, Alden Ehrenreich, Jack Huston, Jennifer Aniston, Toni Collette and Jason Patric; and “Burn Your Maps,” starring Jacob Tremblay and Vera Farmiga.
Cinelou was formed by producers Mark Canton and Courtney Solomon in 2014 as a production-distribution company. Its first title was Jennifer Aniston’s “Cake.”
“These are really high quality award-winning projects that Cinelou has put together,” said Cutting Edge CEO Philip Moross. “Courtney and Mark are premiere producers and we are delighted to be in business with them”.
Warner Bros. has picked up the three titles for the majority of international territories.
Cutting Edge Group recently renewed its slate deal with Basil Iwanyk’s Thunder Road Pictures, closed a 12-picture deal with Brian Oliver’s Cross Creek Pictures and a five-picture deal with QED. The company continues to invest on slate development deals and about 30 single pictures a year against the use of music rights.
The deal was brokered by Conduct’s James Gibb, and Cinelou’s Scott Karol and Ian Brereton.
Seven-year-old CEG has invested in “Everest,” “Whiplash,” “Fury,” “John Wick,” “The King’s Speech,” “Drive,” “Looper” and “End of Watch” in exchange for music publishing rights. It handles scoring, clearances and music supervision in films, then recoups from soundtrack and sheet-music sales; licensing and royalties from international ticket sales and TV deals; and rights in TV commercials.
Read full Variety article here
Ryan Gosling, Russell Crowe’s Comedy ‘Nice Guys’ Gets Investment From Cutting Edge (Variety)
Music publishing rights specialist Cutting Edge Group and its financial arm, Conduct, have made an investment in the Ryan Gosling-Russell Crowe comedy “The Nice Guys,” Variety has learned exclusively.
Warner Bros. opens “The Nice Guys,” directed by Shane Black, on May 20.
CEG has also announced new investments in “The Infiltrator,” starring Bryan Cranston and being released theatrically by Broad Green; “Limehouse Golem” from Number 9 Films, toplined by Olivia Cooke and Douglas Booth; and “In Their Finest Hour and a Half,” Lone Scherfig’s WWII comedy with Sam Claflin, Gemma Arterton, Jack Huston and Bill Nighy.
Seven-year-old CEG has invested in “Carol,” “Sicario,” “Whiplash,” “Fury,” “The King’s Speech,” “Drive,” “Looper” and “End of Watch” in exchange for music publishing rights. It handles scoring, clearances and music supervision in films, then recoups from soundtrack and sheet-music sales; licensing and royalties from international ticket sales and TV deals; and rights in TV commercials.
“Both are brilliant,” said CEG’s CEO Philip Moross. “Both deserve the Oscar! These two films scores are a fantastic addition to our high quality catalogue of music rights.”
CEG is the executive music producer of “Sicario” and “Carol.” The scores from Johann Johannsson for “Sicario” and Carter Burwell for “Carol” have both been nominated for Academy Awards.
Cutting Edge Group recently renewed their slate deal with Basil Iwanyk’s Thunder Road Pictures and closed an overall deal with Cross Creek Pictures. The company is looking to invest into a handful of A-list producers on development deals and around 25 single pictures a year against the use of music rights.
Read full Variety article here
Cutting Edge Invests in Tom Cruise’s ‘Mena,’ ‘Hunter’s Prayer’
Music publishing rights specialist Cutting Edge Group and its investment arm Conduct have come on board four upcoming movies, including Tom Cruise thriller “Mena,” directed by Doug Liman.
The deals, unveiled at the Toronto Film Festival, also include Sam Worthington’s “The Hunter’s Prayer,” directed by Jonathan Mostow; “Ninth Life of Louis Drax,” the Alexandre Aja thriller from Miramax: and “Yoga Hosers,” the Kevin Smith comedy which co-stars Johnny Depp.
“We’re excited to be involved with films of such high quality,” said James Gibb, Conduct managing director. “Its been was a very productive TIFF for us so far, we have the check book out and we’re looking for more!”
Cutting Edge has investments in “Remember” and “Sicario,” which are both screening at Toronto. The company recently renewed its slate deal with Basil Iwanyk’s Thunder Road Pictures and closed a 12-picture deal with Brian Oliver’s Cross Creek Pictures and a five-picture deal with QED.
Seven-year-old CEG has invested in “Everest,” “Whiplash,” “Fury,” “John Wick,” “The King’s Speech,” “Drive,” “Looper” and “End of Watch” in exchange for music publishing rights. It handles scoring, clearances and music supervision in films, then recoups from soundtrack and sheet-music sales; licensing and royalties from international ticket sales and TV deals; and rights in TV commercials.
Read full Variety article here
Cutting Edge Invests in ‘Everest,’ ‘Dirty Grandpa’
Music publishing rights specialist Cutting Edge Group and its investment arm Conduct have come on board six upcoming movies — “Everest,” “Message From the King,” “Dirty Grandpa,” “November Criminals,” “Unlocked” and “Army of One.”
“Everest,” due out September 18 from Universal, recaps the 1996 multi-expedition assault on Everest that left eight climbers dead. Jake Gyllenhaal, Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin and John Hawkes star.
“Dirty Grandpa,” due out February 26 from Lionsgate, stars Robert De Niro and Zac Efron.
Seven-year-old CEG has invested in “Whiplash,” “Fury,” “John Wick,” “The King’s Speech,” “Drive,” “Looper” and “End of Watch” in exchange for music publishing rights. It handles scoring, clearances and music supervision in films, then recoups from soundtrack and sheet-music sales; licensing and royalties from international ticket sales and TV deals; and rights in TV commercials.
“It was a very productive Cannes for us this year and we’re excited about the quality and talent associated with these films,” Conduct managing director James Gibb said. “We’re also not done with at least another six deals in the works and more beyond that.”
Cutting Edge recently renewed its slate deal with Basil Iwanyk’s Thunder Road Pictures.
Read full Variety article here