Industry Film Owners Brian Grazer, Ron Howard Type Privately held company | Founded 1986 Founders Ron Howard, Brian Grazer | |
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Genre Film and Television Production company Predecessor Imagine Films Entertainment Key people Brian Grazer (Chairman)
Ron Howard (Chairman)
Michael Rosenberg (Co-Chairman)
Erica Huggins (President) Products Feature films, TV series Website imagine-entertainment.com Headquarters Beverly Hills, California, United States Films produced Inferno, A Beautiful Mind, The Da Vinci Code, Dr Seuss' How the Grinch St, Angels & Demons | ||
Imagine Entertainment, formerly Imagine Films Entertainment, is an American film and television production company founded in 1986 by director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer.
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Imagine entertainment logo
Background
Brian Grazer and Ron Howard met in 1982 on Night Shift with Howard directing and Grazer co-producing. Then followed it up with working on 1984's Splash.
Imagine Films Entertainment
Early on the company sealed a production and distribution deal with Universal Pictures expiring in November 1992. Universal's deal was to fund 50% of 30 films. The company had an IPO in 1986 at $8 for a package of one share and one warrant. Shares rose to $19.25 before falling in the stock market crash in 1987 to $2.25. A pay television broadcast agreement was made with Showtime.
By May 1992, 48% of the stock was public traded and worth $9.375. The duo agreed to a new six deal with Universal while concurrently offering $9 a share to buy the company's public outstanding share to start a new company with its assets. If not they planned to leave the company at their contract expiration in November to start the new company anyway. Universal was providing the cash for the buy out for an equity stake in the new company.
Imagine Entertainment
In 2000, the partnership partnered for TV series development with 20th Century Fox, an agreement expiring at the end of 2016. In 2011, the company had three weak box office performers with The Dilemma, Cowboys & Aliens and Tower Heist. Because of their weak financial pact renewal with Universal in January 2012, Imagine laid off 5 employees including production executive Jeremy Steckler. This also moves Imagine from exclusive to a first look deal. By 2013, Imagine was considering other funding methods for the company's films including crowdfunding for a Friday Night Lights movie.
In November 2013, Michael Rosenberg was promoted to Co-chairman followed in December 2013 with Erica Huggins being promoted to his previous position of president. Industry insiders indicated in late January 2016 that a deal with Raine Group was in the works that would have Raine become a partner of the production company while contributing $100 million.
Feature-film division
The feature-film division has participated in over sixty productions and is associated with Universal Pictures, which has distributed many of Imagine's productions, some with other studios. Erica Huggins was hired as senior vice president of motion pictures and was elevated to exec vice president in 2006 then in 2010 to co-president of production.
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Television division
Its television division, Imagine Television has participated in at least twenty productions and is associated with 20th Century Fox Television.