Thunder Road Films

Last updated
Thunder Road Films
Company type Private
Industry Film
Founded2000;24 years ago (2000)
Founder Basil Iwanyk
Headquarters Santa Monica, California
ProductsFilm and Television Production

Thunder Road Films is a film and television financing and production company founded by Basil Iwanyk. It is based in Santa Monica, California. [1]

Contents

Thunder Road's films have grossed over $3.8 billion worldwide and garnered nominations from the Academy Awards, Golden Globes, Producers Guild Awards, Writers Guild Awards, Directors Guild Awards, and AFI Awards. [2] The company is known for producing a diverse range of films, including action blockbusters, dramas, and thrillers. Some of their most successful films include John Wick , The Town, [3] and Sicario.

The company has developed a reputation for supporting the directorial debuts of established actors, with Taylor Sheridan, [4] Halle Berry, [5] and Dev Patel [6] directing their first films with the company.

Management

Producer Basil Iwanyk founded the film and television financing and production company Thunder Road Films in the mid-2000s. [7] In January 2012, Peter Lawson left The Weinstein Company to join Thunder Road as a President of Production, [8] and then left in January 2014 for a job as exec VP of production and acquisitions at Open Road Films. [9] In 2021, Erica Lee was named partner at Thunder Road, moving from her position as President of Production. [10] In 2022, Eric Sherman joined as Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel. [11]

Collaboration deals

In July 2011, after leaving Warner Bros. Television, Thunder Road signed a first-look deal with Sony Pictures Television to develop television projects. [12]

In May 2013, Thunder Road signed on a deal with Cutting Edge Group to finance the company's film music slate, and from that the first film getting covered was John Wick . [13]

In June 2014, Thunder Road and Christian Angermayer's Film House Germany signed a deal to strengthen Thunder Road's financial capability to develop projects. [14] In October 2014, Thunder Road and PalmStar Media signed on a deal in which the Thunder Road would receive $200 million annually to finance five to six $20–50 million budgeted indies within a year. [7] It would also enable the company to co-finance the development and production of larger studio projects. [7]

In May 2015, Thunder Road renewed its slate agreement with Cutting Edge Group and its investment arm, Conduct, which finances the music budgets of films and television programs in exchange for IP rights to each project's original music. [15]

In September 2020, Thunder Road teamed with Redbox on joint venture Asbury Park Pictures for the purpose of making 12 films over the next three years. The films we be budgeted in the range of $10 million-$12 million, and be distributed via Redbox kiosks and on demand service. [16]

Production

Thunder Road has been producing films since 2006, which included 2006's Firewall and We Are Marshall , 2009's Brooklyn's Finest , 2010's Clash of the Titans and The Town . [13] The company also produced the three installments of The Expendables series. [13]

Filmography

Film

Upcoming

Television

Related Research Articles

Orion Releasing, LLC is an American film production and distribution company owned by the Amazon MGM Studios subsidiary of Amazon. In its original operating period, the company produced and released films from 1978 until 1999 and was also involved in television production and syndication throughout the 1980s until the early 1990s. It was formed in 1978 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and three former senior executives at United Artists. From its founding until its buyout by MGM in the late 1990s, Orion was considered one of the largest mini-major studios.

Village Roadshow Pictures is an American film and television production company and subsidiary of the Australian co-producer and co-financier of major Hollywood motion pictures established in 1989. It is a division under Village Roadshow Entertainment Group (VREG), which in turn is majority owned by Vine Alternative Investments and Falcon Investment Advisors, with the Australian media company Village Roadshow currently holding a 20% minority stake. It has produced films including, The Matrix series, the Sherlock Holmes series, the Happy Feet series, the Ocean's series, The Lego Movie and Joker. The films in the Village Roadshow library have achieved 34 number-one U.S. box office openings and received 50 Academy Award nominations, 19 Academy Awards and six Golden Globe Awards.

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

Silver Pictures is an American film production company founded by Hollywood producer Joel Silver in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akiva Goldsman</span> American screenwriter, director and producer

Akiva Goldsman is an American filmmaker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joby Harold</span> British film director and screenwriter

Joby Harold is an English screenwriter, producer and director who runs Safehouse Pictures with his producing partner, Tory Tunnell. The company was co-founded in 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Bruckheimer Films</span> American film production company

Jerry Bruckheimer Films Inc. (JBF) is an American independent film production company formed by Jerry Bruckheimer in 1995, after cutting his ties with film producer Don Simpson before his death in 1996. It produces blockbuster films such as the Pirates of the Caribbean film series.

Skydance Media, LLC is an American production company based in Santa Monica, California. Founded by David Ellison in 2006, the company specializes in films, animation, television, video games, and sports.

Lionsgate Canada is a Canadian entertainment company and a subsidiary of Lionsgate Studios. Based in Toronto, Ontario, the company is primarily involved in the acquisition and production of films and television series.

Blumhouse Productions, LLC, doing business as Blumhouse, is an American independent film and television production company founded in 2000 by Jason Blum and Amy Israel.

Bron Studios is a Canadian motion picture company based in British Columbia owned by Bron Media Corporation. Bron's notable productions include Joker, Bombshell, Queen & Slim, Greyhound, Judas and the Black Messiah,The Mule, Henchmen, Roman J. Israel, Esq.,Rudderless, Welcome to Me, The Addams Family,TheWilloughbys, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

<i>John Wick</i> (film) 2014 American film directed by Chad Stahelski

John Wick is a 2014 American action thriller film directed by Chad Stahelski and written by Derek Kolstad. Keanu Reeves stars as John Wick, a legendary hitman who comes out of retirement to seek revenge against the men who killed his dog, a final gift from his recently deceased wife. The film also stars Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Adrianne Palicki, Bridget Moynahan, Dean Winters, Ian McShane, John Leguizamo, and Willem Dafoe.

Wendy Mericle is an American television writer and producer. She is known for her work on the ABC dramedy Desperate Housewives and The CW's superhero series Arrow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alibaba Pictures</span> Chinese film company

Alibaba Pictures Group Limited is a Chinese film company under the Alibaba Group. The film company was formerly ChinaVision Media, of which Alibaba Group bought a majority stake in late 2014. It subsequently was renamed from ChinaVision to Alibaba Pictures Group. By April 2015, it was the largest Chinese film company by worth, with a market value of US$8.77 billion and by June of the same year it was worth US$9.6 billion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Basil Iwanyk</span> American film producer (born 1970)

Basil William Iwanyk is an American film producer. He is the founder of Thunder Road Films and most known for the films Sicario, The Town, Greenland and the John Wick franchise. His films have earned more than $2 billion internationally as of 2018. He is of Ukrainian descent.

PalmStar Media Capital is a film financing company based in Philadelphia. It was founded by its CEO, Kevin Frakes in 2010.

<i>Sicario: Day of the Soldado</i> 2018 film by Stefano Sollima

Sicario: Day of the Soldado is a 2018 American action-thriller film directed by Stefano Sollima and written by Taylor Sheridan. A sequel to 2015's Sicario, the film features Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin, Jeffrey Donovan, and Raoul Trujillo reprising their roles, with Isabela Moner, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, and Catherine Keener joining the cast. The story relates to human trafficking at the U.S.-Mexico border and an attempt by the United States government to incite increased conflict among the cartels.

Black Label Media is a Los Angeles based independent film production, television production, podcast, entertainment and finance company founded in 2013. The company had a 25 percent stake in La La Land (2016).

John Wick is an American neo-noir action film series and media franchise created by Derek Kolstad. It centers around the titular character portrayed by actor Keanu Reeves. Wick is a legendary hitman who is reluctantly drawn back into the criminal underworld after retiring. The franchise began with the release of John Wick in 2014, followed by three sequels: Chapter 2 in 2017, Chapter 3 – Parabellum in 2019, and Chapter 4 in 2023.

Shay Hatten is an American screenwriter and producer. He is best known for his work on John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019), Army of the Dead, Army of Thieves, John Wick: Chapter 4, Rebel Moon, and Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver (2024).

<i>Trigger Warning</i> (film) 2024 acton thriller film by Mouly Surya

Trigger Warning is a 2024 American action thriller film directed by Mouly Surya in her English-language film debut, and written by John Brancato, Josh Olson and Halley Gross. Produced by Thunder Road Films and Lady Spitfire, the film stars Jessica Alba and Anthony Michael Hall. The film follows a skilled Special Forces officer who takes ownership of her father's bar shortly after he dies, and soon finds herself at odds with the violent gang running rampant in her hometown.

References

  1. "Thunder Road Pictures". Yellow Pages. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  2. "Thunder Road Pictures' branch into marketing merges the film and advertising worlds » The Location Guide" . Retrieved 2023-04-19.
  3. "Film Producer on a Roll, With Fingers Crossed".
  4. Mumford, Gwilym (2017-09-08). "Taylor Sheridan: 'The big joke on reservations is the white guy that shows up and says: "My grandma is Cherokee"'". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  5. Setoodeh, Ramin (2020-09-09). "How Halle Berry Fought Her Way to the Director's Chair". Variety. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  6. Wiseman, Andreas (2021-03-12). "Netflix Strikes $30M Deal For Dev Patel's Buzzed-About Directorial Debut 'Monkey Man'". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-01-08.
  7. 1 2 3 Hall, Gina (October 22, 2014). "Thunder Road Pictures Gets $200 Million From PalmStar Media". TheWrap. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  8. Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 3, 2012). "Weinstein Vet Peter Lawson To Become Thunder Road Production President". Deadline. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  9. Stewart, Andrew (January 6, 2016). "Open Road Taps Peter Lawson as Head of Production, Acquisitions". Variety. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  10. D'Alessandro, Anthony (2021-07-21). "Basil Iwanyk's Thunder Road Names Erica Lee Partner". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
  11. Fleming, Mike Jr. (2022-02-01). "Eric Sherman Joins Thunder Road Films & game1 as Chief Legal Officer & General Counsel". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
  12. Andreeva, Nellie (July 21, 2011). "Feature Producer Basil Iwanyk Signs First-Look Deal With Sony Pictures TV". Deadline. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  13. 1 2 3 McNary, Dave (May 17, 2013). "Cutting Edge, Thunder Road In Slate Deal". Variety. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  14. McNary, Dave (June 23, 2014). "'Wrath of the Titans' Producer Thunder Road Allies With Film House Germany". Variety. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  15. Jaafar, Ali (May 14, 2015). "Basil Iwanyk's Thunder Road Renewing Its Slate Deal With Cutting Edge Group". Deadline. Retrieved February 5, 2016.
  16. "Basil Iwanyk's Thunder Road, Redbox Launch Asbury Park Pictures; Making 12 Modest Budget Action Films over Three Years". 8 September 2020.
  17. Vlessing, Etan (November 9, 2022). "'Falcon and the Winter Soldier' Director Kari Skogland to Helm 'Wind River' Sequel". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  18. Kroll, Justin (2023-07-18). "A24's Mother Mary & Faith-Based Series The Chosen Among Indie Projects Given SAG-AFTRA Waiver That Allows Them To Shoot During Strike". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 2023-08-17.