20th Century Fox, VICE launch VICE FILMS
December 11, 2014
VICE, the global youth media company and content creation studio, and 20th Century Fox today announced the launch of VICE FILMS.
The joint venture film label will develop, produce, finance, market, acquire and distribute narrative films from emerging directors around the world, drawn from the talent pool and content that VICE has pioneered.
Fox and VICE will each contribute resources to VICE FILMS. Fox will bring its best-in-class global film development, production and distribution capabilities in all media while VICE will lead creative development and leverage its global marketing and online activation expertise. VICE also will utilise its vast global network of digital channels to reach as wide an audience as possible.
VICE’s existing heritage and pedigree for releasing bold and daring films and documentaries, is born out of the youth media brands unparalleled pedigree for storytelling through the visual medium. In 2014 VICE released the Sundance winning Fishing Without Nets, the critically acclaimed skateboard documentary All this Mayhem and forthcoming Iranian vampire film, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night.
VICE FILMS intends to produce at least two films internally a year, and the partnership will look to both theatrical and new digital business models for distribution. As part of this joint venture VICE will also have a first-look production deal with 20th Century Fox giving VICE the opportunity to develop larger budgeted films as well. In addition, Fox will have an opportunity to develop material based on VICE’s vast library of unique stories for potential feature films.
The joint venture was the brainchild of 20th Century Fox Chairman & CEO Jim Gianopulos and VICE Chief Executive Officer Shane Smith and Chief Creative Officer Eddy Moretti. Moretti will serve as the head of VICE FILMS. VICE Executive Creative Director Danny Gabai will head up development and oversee creative on production and marketing. Sanford Panitch, the president of Fox International Productions, and Salil Mehta, president of Content Management, will oversee VICE FILMS for 20th Century Fox.
Eddy Moretti said: “VICE Films is the beginning of an exciting new chapter for VICE. The success of “Fishing Without Nets,” “A Girl Walk Home Alone At Night,” and “All This Mayhem” showed us that we can play a vital role supporting exciting, bold, and visionary filmmaking. In partnership with Jim and his excellent team at Fox, we will build a new global home for cinematic creativity, supporting filmmakers from development to distribution, and creating a new business model for the industry along the way. But at the heart of this partnership is our love of cinema; VICE is committed to the enduring artistic and cultural relevance of the 2-hour narrative.”