Evolution Entertainment

Last updated
Evolution Entertainment
Industry Entertainment
Founded1998
Founder Mark Burg
Oren Koules
Gregg Hoffman
Key people
Oren Koules (President 1999–2011)
Michael Menchel (President 2011–present)
ProductsMotion pictures, television programs, entertainment management
Subsidiaries Twisted Pictures

Evolution Entertainment is an American independent entertainment management and film production company. The company was founded in 1998 by Mark Burg and Oren Koules [1] and is best known for executive producing the Saw film series.

Contents

History

Gregg Hoffman joined the company in 2003 as Head of Production. [2] The box office success of the horror film Saw led to a distribution deal with Lionsgate and the formation of Twisted Pictures. [1] Hoffman unexpectedly died on December 4, 2005. [3]

In August 2005, the lead actor in Saw, Cary Elwes, filed a lawsuit against Evolution Entertainment, who were his managers at the time, stating he was promised a minimum of one percent of the producers' net profits of the film and did not receive the full amount. [4] The case eventually was settled out of court and in 2010, Elwes reprised his role in Saw 3D .

In June 2011, after twelve years, Koules departed from the company; Burg purchased his 50% of the company. [5] Burg chose CAA agent-turned-producer Michael Menchel as the new president.

The company's clients include Charlie Sheen and at one time Shawnee Smith and Danny Glover. [5] [6] [7]

Filmography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cary Elwes</span> British actor (born 1962)

Ivan Simon Cary Elwes is an English actor. He is known for his leading film roles as Westley in The Princess Bride (1987), Robin Hood in Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993), and Dr. Lawrence Gordon in the Saw film series.

Dimension Films is an American film and television production and distribution company owned by Lantern Entertainment. It was formerly used as Harvey and Bob Weinstein's label within Miramax, which was acquired by The Walt Disney Company on June 30, 1993, and it later became a part of The Weinstein Company (TWC) from 2005 until 2018. The company produces and releases independent films and genre titles, specifically horror and science fiction films.

Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation, doing business as Lionsgate, is a Canadian-American global mass media and entertainment company. Originally a Canadian company, it was formed by Frank Giustra on July 10, 1997, domiciled in Vancouver, British Columbia, and is currently headquartered in Santa Monica, California. In addition to its flagship Lionsgate Films division, its other divisions include Lionsgate Television and Lionsgate Interactive. It owns a variety of subsidiaries such as Summit Entertainment, Debmar-Mercury, and Starz Inc.

<i>Saw</i> (2004 film) American film by James Wan

Saw is a 2004 American horror film directed by James Wan, in his feature directorial debut, and written by Leigh Whannell from a story by Wan and Whannell. It is the first installment in the Saw film series, and stars Whannell alongside Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Monica Potter, Michael Emerson, and Ken Leung.

<i>Saw II</i> 2005 film by Darren Lynn Bousman

Saw II is a 2005 horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and written by Leigh Whannell and Bousman. It is the sequel to 2004's Saw and the second installment in the Saw film series. The film stars Donnie Wahlberg, Franky G, Glenn Plummer, Beverley Mitchell, Dina Meyer, Emmanuelle Vaugier, Erik Knudsen, Shawnee Smith, and Tobin Bell. In the film, a group of ex-convicts are trapped by the Jigsaw Killer inside a house and must pass a series of deadly tests to retrieve the antidote for a nerve agent that will kill them in two hours.

Gregg Hoffman was a film producer responsible for developing Saw and Saw II. He studied communications, law and economics at American University in Washington, D.C. Hoffman was working on Saw III, Saw IV, and other films for Twisted Pictures when he died in a hospital in Hollywood, California of natural causes. He was 42 years old at his death. The movie Dead Silence (2007) was dedicated to him. He was also thanked in the film Gross Misconduct, mentioned as dedicatee for Saw III, and posthumously credited with producing the Saw films from 2007 through 2023.

<i>Saw III</i> 2006 film by Darren Lynn Bousman

Saw III is a 2006 horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman from a screenplay by Leigh Whannell and a story by Whannell and James Wan. It is the third installment in the Saw film series and a sequel to 2005's Saw II, starring Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith, Angus Macfadyen, Bahar Soomekh, and Dina Meyer.

<i>Saw</i> (franchise) American horror media franchise

Saw is an American horror media franchise created by James Wan and Leigh Whannell, which began with the eponymous 2004 film and quickly became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into various films and other media, including a television series, video games, comic books, music, theme park attractions, and merchandising including toys, masks, and clothing. Saw is the fifth highest-grossing horror franchise.

Lionsgate Films is a Canadian-American film production and film distribution studio founded in Canada, now a division of Lionsgate Entertainment headquartered in Santa Monica. It is the largest and most successful mini-major film studio in North America.

<i>Saw IV</i> 2007 film by Darren Lynn Bousman

Saw IV is a 2007 horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman from a screenplay by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, and a story by Melton, Dunstan, and Thomas Fenton. It is the fourth installment in the Saw film series and a sequel to 2006's Saw III. The film stars Tobin Bell, Scott Patterson, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russell, and Lyriq Bent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Twisted Pictures</span> American independent production company

Twisted Pictures is an American production company and a division of Evolution Entertainment that specializes in horror and thriller films. The company was founded by Evolution's Gregg Hoffman, Oren Koules and Mark Burg in 2004. The company is known for producing the Saw film franchise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darren Lynn Bousman</span> American film director and screenwriter

Darren Lynn Bousman is an American film director and screenwriter, best known for his work in horror films. He has directed four of the Saw films: Saw II, Saw III, Saw IV, and Spiral. He also directed the horror musicals Repo! The Genetic Opera and The Devil's Carnival movies. Bousman is co-creator and writer of alternate reality games (ARG) and immersive experiences, The Tension Experience (2016), The Lust Experience (2017), Theatre Macabre (2018), iConfidant (2020), and One Day Die (2020).

<i>Saw V</i> 2008 film by David Hackl

Saw V is a 2008 horror film directed by David Hackl, in his directorial debut, from a screenplay by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan. It is the fifth installment in the Saw film series and a sequel to 2007's Saw IV. The film stars Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Scott Patterson, Betsy Russell, Mark Rolston, Julie Benz, Carlo Rota, and Meagan Good.

Mark Burg is an American film producer, manager and actor. He is the co-founder of Evolution Entertainment and produced the Saw film series as well as the CBS television series Two and a Half Men.

Oren Koules is an American entrepreneur and film producer. He is the co-founder of Evolution Entertainment and produced the Saw film series as well as the CBS television series Two and a Half Men. Koules is also the former owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Helena Bighorns.

<i>Saw VI</i> 2009 film by Kevin Greutert

Saw VI is a 2009 horror film directed by Kevin Greutert and written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan. The film stars Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russell, Mark Rolston, Peter Outerbridge, and Shawnee Smith. It is a sequel to 2008's Saw V and the sixth installment in the Saw film series.

<i>Saw 3D</i> 2010 film by Kevin Greutert

Saw 3D is a 2010 American 3D horror film directed by Kevin Greutert and written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan. It is a sequel to 2009's Saw VI and the seventh installment in the Saw film series. The film stars Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russell, Sean Patrick Flanery, and Cary Elwes.

<i>Jigsaw</i> (2017 film) Film directed by the Spierig Brothers

Jigsaw is a 2017 American horror film directed by the Spierig Brothers and written by Josh Stolberg and Peter Goldfinger. It is the eighth installment in the Saw film series and stars Matt Passmore, Callum Keith Rennie, Clé Bennett, and Hannah Emily Anderson. The plot follows a group of people who find themselves forced to participate in a series of deadly "games" inside a barn. Meanwhile, the police investigate a new series of murders that fit the modus operandi of the eponymous Jigsaw Killer, who has been dead for almost a decade.

<i>Spiral</i> (2021 film) American film by Darren Lynn Bousman

Spiral: From the Book of Saw is a 2021 American horror-thriller film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and written by Josh Stolberg and Peter Goldfinger. A spin-off, it is the ninth installment of the Saw film series. The film stars Chris Rock, Max Minghella, Marisol Nichols, and Samuel L. Jackson, and follows police efforts to stop a Jigsaw copycat killer. The original creators of the series, James Wan and Leigh Whannell, as well as Rock and series veteran Kevin Greutert, serve as executive producers.

<i>Saw X</i> 2023 film by Kevin Greutert

Saw X is a 2023 American horror film directed and edited by Kevin Greutert and written by Peter Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg. The film is the tenth installment in the Saw film series, serving as both a direct sequel to Saw (2004) and a prequel to Saw II (2005), starring Tobin Bell and Shawnee Smith who reprise their roles from the previous films, acting alongside Synnøve Macody Lund, Steven Brand, Renata Vaca, and Michael Beach, who play new characters. The film sees John Kramer (Bell) travelling to Mexico in hopes that an experimental procedure may cure him. John later discovers that the operation is a scam, prompting him to kidnap those responsible and subject them to his trademark death traps as retribution.

References

  1. 1 2 "Owner Bios" (PDF). NHL.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 5, 2012. Retrieved September 28, 2011.
  2. "Saw II Production Notes". Lionsgate. Archived from the original (1.40MB .DOC file) on September 29, 2011. Retrieved August 22, 2011.
  3. Newman, Kim (December 15, 2005). "Obituary: Gregg Hoffman". The Guardian . Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on November 10, 2011. Retrieved August 25, 2011.
  4. Mitchell, Peter (20 August 2005). "Not everyone happy with their cut from Saw". The Age . AAP. Archived from the original on 7 November 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  5. 1 2 Fleming, Mike (June 23, 2011). "Evolution's Mark Burg Cashes Out Oren Koules, Names Mike Menchel President". Deadline Hollywood . Mail.com Media . Retrieved September 21, 2011.
  6. McAuley, Jordan (December 1, 2005). The Celebrity Black Book 2006: Over 55,000 Accurate Celebrity Addresses. Mega Niche Media. p. 643. ISBN   0-9707095-7-9.
  7. Condit, Jon (December 2, 2004). "Glover, Danny & Smith, Shawnee (Saw)". DreadCentral. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2011.