Motion Pictures
March 4, 2005
Warner Bros. Pictures And Graham King Sign First-Look Producing Deal
(March 4, 2005 - Burbank, CA) - Warner Bros. Pictures has signed a first-look agreement with Graham King that will begin by bringing King in immediately as producer on two projects at the Studio. In addition, King’s company, Initial Entertainment Group, will shift its deals with two other production companies, Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way and Johnny Depp’s Infinitum Nihil, to Warner Bros. Pictures. The announcement was made jointly today by Jeff Robinov, President of Production, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Graham King, President and CEO of Initial Entertainment Group.
King, whose most recent credit is the multi-Oscar nominated “The Aviator,” is beginning production on “The Departed” along with producer Brad Pitt for Plan B, and executive producers Doug Davison, Roy Lee, Gianni Nunnari and G. Mac Brown. “The Departed” is directed by Martin Scorsese and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg and Vera Farmiga; principal photography begins April 18 and will be located in Boston and New York. Vice President of Production Dan Lin is supervising the production for Warner Bros. Pictures.
King will next produce “Shantaram,” with Johnny Depp’s Infinitum Nihil and Plan B also producing. Depp will star in the movie, which is being adapted by Gregory Roberts from his own novel. Executive Vice President of Production Kevin McCormick is overseeing the development and production of “Shantaram” for Warner Bros. Pictures.
Said Robinov, “Graham’s passion for making movies, his great taste in material and his outstanding relationships with filmmakers like Martin Scorsese and actors like Johnny and Leo is a tremendous asset to us. We had an excellent experience working with him on ‘The Aviator’ and know he’ll bring that expertise to ‘The Departed,’ with its acclaimed ensemble cast and Martin Scorsese directing, and ‘Shantaram,’ a big movie with a sweeping story, as well as to all the other projects we make together at the Studio. I also want to acknowledge Kevin McCormick, whose relationships with Graham, Leo and Johnny played a key role in bringing them to Warner Bros. Pictures.”
“I am thrilled to be expanding my ongoing relationship with Warner Bros. Pictures through this deal,” enthused King. “I’ve had a wonderful experience working with them on ‘The Aviator’ and preparing to shoot ‘The Departed’; Alan Horn, Jeff Robinov and Kevin McCormick and their team have tremendous appreciation for the filmmaking process and I’m certain that we’ll accomplish great things together.”
Initial will remain an international sales entity for projects that King does not produce. He and partner Colin Cotter will continue ownership of Initial, with King serving as President and CEO and Cotter as COO. King established Initial in 1995, and has been responsible for bringing to life "Traffic," directed by Steven Soderbergh and the winner of four Academy Awards; Michael Mann's "Ali"; and Martin Scorsese’s "Gangs of New York," starring Leonardo DiCaprio, which received two Golden Globes. King recently produced the critically acclaimed Howard Hughes biopic “The Aviator,” directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio. “The Aviator” earned 11 Academy Award nominations and won five awards.
Other Initial titles include the Pierce Brosnan and Julianne Moore starrer "Laws of Attraction"; Robert Altman's "Dr T. and The Women"; "The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys," produced with Jodie Foster's Egg Pictures; the acclaimed drama "Savior," starring Dennis Quaid; the black comedy "Very Bad Things," starring Cameron Diaz and Christian Slater; "The Ballad of Jack and Rose," directed by Rebecca Miller and starring Daniel Day-Lewis; and "An Unfinished Life," starring Robert Redford and directed by Lasse Hallstrom.
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