Exclusive: Hasbro’s reshaping of eOne continues with multiple sources telling us that the latter will cease theatrical operations in the UK.
There will be staff reductions in the UK, which were factored into the cuts we’ve reported on in recent months. Hasbro’s cost-cutting plan, announced in January, involves shedding 15% of the company’s global workforce this year, or about 1,000 positions.
Hasbro declined to comment on the move to end UK theatrical.
This is the latest bitter pill to swallow in a UK market whose independent distribution landscape has been hammered in recent years.
Hit by Covid and inflation, as well as grappling with shifting viewing habits and strain on infrastructure, the sector hasn’t yet recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Last year, box office was almost 30% down from a few years ago and polarization increased to its highest level in more than a decade with the top 20 movies...
There will be staff reductions in the UK, which were factored into the cuts we’ve reported on in recent months. Hasbro’s cost-cutting plan, announced in January, involves shedding 15% of the company’s global workforce this year, or about 1,000 positions.
Hasbro declined to comment on the move to end UK theatrical.
This is the latest bitter pill to swallow in a UK market whose independent distribution landscape has been hammered in recent years.
Hit by Covid and inflation, as well as grappling with shifting viewing habits and strain on infrastructure, the sector hasn’t yet recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Last year, box office was almost 30% down from a few years ago and polarization increased to its highest level in more than a decade with the top 20 movies...
- 7/20/2023
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Festival
Raindance Film Festival, Britain’s largest independent film festival, will return to cinemas this year, reimagined and restructured with a host of new partners and new films. Running Oct. 27 – Nov. 6, this year’s in-person event will partner with several cinemas across London and offer online screenings in the U.K., facilitated by Curzon Home Cinema.
After seeing last year’s data, which showed that about 70% of the festival’s online audience was located outside of London, Raindance has made a concerted effort to continue fostering its online reach, resulting in the new partnership with Curzon, which will host pay-per-view screenings of official competition films on its iOS, Android and Smart TV apps.
Kicking off on Oct. 27, the Raindance opening gala will feature a screening of Lina Roessler’s “Best Sellers,” starring Academy Award winner Michael Caine, Cary Elwes and Aubrey Plaza. Bookending the event on Nov. 6, the closing gala...
Raindance Film Festival, Britain’s largest independent film festival, will return to cinemas this year, reimagined and restructured with a host of new partners and new films. Running Oct. 27 – Nov. 6, this year’s in-person event will partner with several cinemas across London and offer online screenings in the U.K., facilitated by Curzon Home Cinema.
After seeing last year’s data, which showed that about 70% of the festival’s online audience was located outside of London, Raindance has made a concerted effort to continue fostering its online reach, resulting in the new partnership with Curzon, which will host pay-per-view screenings of official competition films on its iOS, Android and Smart TV apps.
Kicking off on Oct. 27, the Raindance opening gala will feature a screening of Lina Roessler’s “Best Sellers,” starring Academy Award winner Michael Caine, Cary Elwes and Aubrey Plaza. Bookending the event on Nov. 6, the closing gala...
- 9/15/2021
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Evidence the sector is well-positioned to thrive in a post-pandemic, SVoD-driven market.
Producers dependent on UK independent distributors to finance their work and get it into cinemas have had a particularly anxious year. The pandemic has acclimatised audiences to watching films at home rather than in a cinema, and there have been major changes at some of the companies renowned for their commitment to the local film sector.
Zygi Kamasa has left Lionsgate UK, the company he co-founded as Redbus in 1997. Under Kamasa, Lionsgate UK was a staunch supporter of UK film, backing titles such as Bend It Like Beckham,...
Producers dependent on UK independent distributors to finance their work and get it into cinemas have had a particularly anxious year. The pandemic has acclimatised audiences to watching films at home rather than in a cinema, and there have been major changes at some of the companies renowned for their commitment to the local film sector.
Zygi Kamasa has left Lionsgate UK, the company he co-founded as Redbus in 1997. Under Kamasa, Lionsgate UK was a staunch supporter of UK film, backing titles such as Bend It Like Beckham,...
- 12/10/2020
- by Geoffrey Macnab
- ScreenDaily
Measure will deliver further blow to country’s cinemas as they lose evening screenings.
France is set to expand the reach of its 9pm to 6am curfew, aimed at slowing the spread of Covid-19, to more than half the country, in response to a further surge in cases of the virus over the past week.
French prime minister Jean Castex announced that another 38 departments would be subject to the measure as of Saturday evening (October 24) at a press conference on Thursday.
Under the move, 54 of France’s 94 departments are now under curfew and some 46million people out of the country...
France is set to expand the reach of its 9pm to 6am curfew, aimed at slowing the spread of Covid-19, to more than half the country, in response to a further surge in cases of the virus over the past week.
French prime minister Jean Castex announced that another 38 departments would be subject to the measure as of Saturday evening (October 24) at a press conference on Thursday.
Under the move, 54 of France’s 94 departments are now under curfew and some 46million people out of the country...
- 10/22/2020
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
Williams will step up to become chair when Paul Massara steps down in 2021.
Kezia Williams, managing director, film at Entertainment One UK, has been appointed to the newly created role of vice-chair of charity MediCinema.
She will work alongside current chair Paul Massara and then step into his shoes when he steps down in 2021.
Founded in 1999, MediCinema builds and runs state-of-the-art cinemas in NHS hospitals, where current cinema releases are screened for free to patients, families and carers. The cinemas are designed to accommodate hospital beds, wheelchairs and medical equipment.
It currently operates cinemas at six UK hospitals, with six...
Kezia Williams, managing director, film at Entertainment One UK, has been appointed to the newly created role of vice-chair of charity MediCinema.
She will work alongside current chair Paul Massara and then step into his shoes when he steps down in 2021.
Founded in 1999, MediCinema builds and runs state-of-the-art cinemas in NHS hospitals, where current cinema releases are screened for free to patients, families and carers. The cinemas are designed to accommodate hospital beds, wheelchairs and medical equipment.
It currently operates cinemas at six UK hospitals, with six...
- 10/22/2020
- by Charles Gant
- ScreenDaily
BAFTA Scotland has unveiled nominations for its 2020 British Academy Scotland Awards, which honor film, TV and games. Edith Bowman will host a socially distanced ceremony on December 8 to unveil the winners. Leading the way is mini-series Guilt, with 5 noms including for actor (Mark Bonhar and Jamie Sives), director (Rober McKillop), television scripted, writer (Neil Forsyth), as well as the Audience Award. Series Elizabeth Is Missing has four noms including actress TV (Glenda Jackson), director (Aisling Walsh), TV scripted, and writer (Andrea Gibb). Select further nominees include Deadwater Fell for TV scripted and director (Lynsey Miller) and Sex Eudcation star Ncuti Gatwa for TV actor. The further audience award nominees are Outlander, The Nest, Black And Scottish, River City, and Murder Trial: The Disappearance Of Margaret Fleming.
Entertainment One’s UK Manging Director Kezia Williams has been appointed to the newly created role of Vice Chair of the MediCinema Board, stepping...
Entertainment One’s UK Manging Director Kezia Williams has been appointed to the newly created role of Vice Chair of the MediCinema Board, stepping...
- 10/21/2020
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Sam Mendes’ WWI epic 1917 has become eOne’s highest grossing release ever in the UK, overtaking The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2, with a local grab of £36.2M ($46.9M) through Monday. The milestone hit this past weekend after 1917 dominated the BAFTA Awards on February 2, followed by Oscars this past Sunday for Cinematography, Sound Mixing and VFX.
The film had been embraced in Britain, even before its seven BAFTA wins which included Best Film, Director and Outstanding British Film. The UK is the highest grossing market on the title where it has been in theaters since January 10.
1917 is releasing via a combination of Universal and Amblin markets worldwide. The international box office cume through Sunday was $157.8M for $290.6M global.
Kezia Williams. Managing Director of UK film for eOne, calls this a “very proud moment” with the distibutor “thrilled that audiences across the country continue to flock to cinemas to...
The film had been embraced in Britain, even before its seven BAFTA wins which included Best Film, Director and Outstanding British Film. The UK is the highest grossing market on the title where it has been in theaters since January 10.
1917 is releasing via a combination of Universal and Amblin markets worldwide. The international box office cume through Sunday was $157.8M for $290.6M global.
Kezia Williams. Managing Director of UK film for eOne, calls this a “very proud moment” with the distibutor “thrilled that audiences across the country continue to flock to cinemas to...
- 2/11/2020
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
Entertainment One president of international film Alex Hamilton to depart in spring 2019 (exclusive)
Patrick Roy will broaden remit, becomes president of theatrical, film.
Entertainment One (eOne) president of international, film, Alex Hamilton will leave at the end of March 2019, signalling a shift by the company away from single-picture acquisitions and distribution to a greater focus on development and production.
Since joining in 2008 to launch eOne’s film business, Hamilton has presided over a slate that includes The Twilight Saga franchise, 12 Years A Slave, Dallas Buyers Club and Mr. Turner, among others.
He cemented the company’s reputation at the vanguard of UK independent distribution, and in recent years extended his purview across...
Entertainment One (eOne) president of international, film, Alex Hamilton will leave at the end of March 2019, signalling a shift by the company away from single-picture acquisitions and distribution to a greater focus on development and production.
Since joining in 2008 to launch eOne’s film business, Hamilton has presided over a slate that includes The Twilight Saga franchise, 12 Years A Slave, Dallas Buyers Club and Mr. Turner, among others.
He cemented the company’s reputation at the vanguard of UK independent distribution, and in recent years extended his purview across...
- 12/5/2018
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Entertainment One’s Alex Hamilton is stepping down from his post as president of international film at the end of March.
Hamilton joined eOne in 2008 to launch the company’s film business in the U.K. and oversaw the releases of “The Twilight Saga,” “12 Years a Slave,” “The Bfg,” and “I, Daniel Blake.” In recent years, he extended his purview across all eOne direct-distribution territories in Europe and Australia/New Zealand.
Patrick Roy will oversee all theatrical distribution as president of theatrical film. In the U.K., Kezia Williams has been promoted to managing director of film, reporting to Roy, and will work closely with Hamilton through a transition.
“Alex’s impact will be long felt at eOne, by our valued filmmaker partners and far beyond across the industry, and we can’t begin to thank him enough for his leadership and commitment over so many years,” said Steve Bertram,...
Hamilton joined eOne in 2008 to launch the company’s film business in the U.K. and oversaw the releases of “The Twilight Saga,” “12 Years a Slave,” “The Bfg,” and “I, Daniel Blake.” In recent years, he extended his purview across all eOne direct-distribution territories in Europe and Australia/New Zealand.
Patrick Roy will oversee all theatrical distribution as president of theatrical film. In the U.K., Kezia Williams has been promoted to managing director of film, reporting to Roy, and will work closely with Hamilton through a transition.
“Alex’s impact will be long felt at eOne, by our valued filmmaker partners and far beyond across the industry, and we can’t begin to thank him enough for his leadership and commitment over so many years,” said Steve Bertram,...
- 12/4/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Entertainment One’s international film president Alex Hamilton is to step down at the end of March 2019, the company has confirmed.
Hamilton currently serves as President, International, Film, alongside Patrick Roy. Roy will broaden his remit to oversee all theatrical distribution across eOne’s footprint as President, Theatrical, Film. In the UK, Kezia Williams, who has been leading eOne’s theatrical business under Hamilton, has been promoted to Managing Director, Film, UK, reporting to Roy.
UK-based Hamilton, a respected veteran of the global distribution biz, joined eOne in 2008 to launch the company’s UK operations and in recent years expanded his remit to include a handful of international markets. He spearheaded major UK releases for movies including The Twilight Saga franchise, 12 Years A Slave, The Bfg, and I, Daniel Blake.
The move speaks to the shifts in the global distribution market in which significant single picture acquisitions are become less frequent.
Hamilton currently serves as President, International, Film, alongside Patrick Roy. Roy will broaden his remit to oversee all theatrical distribution across eOne’s footprint as President, Theatrical, Film. In the UK, Kezia Williams, who has been leading eOne’s theatrical business under Hamilton, has been promoted to Managing Director, Film, UK, reporting to Roy.
UK-based Hamilton, a respected veteran of the global distribution biz, joined eOne in 2008 to launch the company’s UK operations and in recent years expanded his remit to include a handful of international markets. He spearheaded major UK releases for movies including The Twilight Saga franchise, 12 Years A Slave, The Bfg, and I, Daniel Blake.
The move speaks to the shifts in the global distribution market in which significant single picture acquisitions are become less frequent.
- 12/4/2018
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
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