Brent Montgomery’s media company Wheelhouse has secured its first outside round of funding, landing a minority investment from former Time Warner chief Jeff Bewkes’ investment firm Alignment Growth.
As part of the transaction, Bewkes — who founded Alignment with Alex Iosilevich and Kevin Tsujihara — will be joining Wheelhouse’s board of directors.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Wheelhouse says the size of the investment from Alignment “will enable Wheelhouse to build an infrastructure that attracts industry-leading talent and accelerates growth via strategic acquisitions.”
Founded in 2018 by Montgomery, who was then coming off his sale of Leftfield Entertainment to ITV in 2014, and Jimmy Kimmel, Wheelhouse assets currently include Spoke Studios, Campfire, Butternut, Wheelhouse UK and DNA. Additionally, Wheelhouse has production partnerships with Kimmel’s Kimmelot and celebrity chef David Chang’s Majordomo Media.
Wheelhouse-produced series include Netflix’s “King of Collectibles” from executive producer Peyton Manning, “Buying Beverly Hills” and “Players,...
As part of the transaction, Bewkes — who founded Alignment with Alex Iosilevich and Kevin Tsujihara — will be joining Wheelhouse’s board of directors.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Wheelhouse says the size of the investment from Alignment “will enable Wheelhouse to build an infrastructure that attracts industry-leading talent and accelerates growth via strategic acquisitions.”
Founded in 2018 by Montgomery, who was then coming off his sale of Leftfield Entertainment to ITV in 2014, and Jimmy Kimmel, Wheelhouse assets currently include Spoke Studios, Campfire, Butternut, Wheelhouse UK and DNA. Additionally, Wheelhouse has production partnerships with Kimmel’s Kimmelot and celebrity chef David Chang’s Majordomo Media.
Wheelhouse-produced series include Netflix’s “King of Collectibles” from executive producer Peyton Manning, “Buying Beverly Hills” and “Players,...
- 4/24/2024
- by Jennifer Maas
- Variety Film + TV
Brent Montgomery’s Wheelhouse has some new investors.
The company, which includes production companies including Campfire and Spoke Studios as well as partnerships with Jimmy Kimmel’s Kimmelot and David Chang’s Majordomo Media, has secured investment from Alignment Growth, the investment vehicle from Jeff Bewkes and Kevin Tsujihara.
Alignment Growth, which raised $360M to put into media and entertainment companies last year, has taken a minority stake in Wheelhouse.
The investment will allow Wheelhouse to make acquisitions and attract talent. It marks Wheelhouse’s first outside capital raise since Mongtomery, who sold 80% of Pawn Stars producer Leftfield Entertainment to ITV for $360M in 2014, founded in 2018.
Bewkes, who was formerly CEO and Chairman of the Board at Time Warner, will join Wheelhouse’s Board of Directors.
The company is behind series such as Netflix’s King of Collectibles and Buying Beverly Hills, Hulu’s Secret Chef with David Chang and...
The company, which includes production companies including Campfire and Spoke Studios as well as partnerships with Jimmy Kimmel’s Kimmelot and David Chang’s Majordomo Media, has secured investment from Alignment Growth, the investment vehicle from Jeff Bewkes and Kevin Tsujihara.
Alignment Growth, which raised $360M to put into media and entertainment companies last year, has taken a minority stake in Wheelhouse.
The investment will allow Wheelhouse to make acquisitions and attract talent. It marks Wheelhouse’s first outside capital raise since Mongtomery, who sold 80% of Pawn Stars producer Leftfield Entertainment to ITV for $360M in 2014, founded in 2018.
Bewkes, who was formerly CEO and Chairman of the Board at Time Warner, will join Wheelhouse’s Board of Directors.
The company is behind series such as Netflix’s King of Collectibles and Buying Beverly Hills, Hulu’s Secret Chef with David Chang and...
- 4/24/2024
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Director Sam Jones won plaudits earlier this year for his HBO documentary “Jason Isbell: Running With Our Eyes Closed,” one of the best-regarded music docs since his own “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart: A Film About Wilco” back in 2001. He also got attention this year for his HBO documentary series “Smartless: On the Road,” with Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes. But he doesn’t go on-camera himself with those particular doc projects, the way he did in his long-running talk show “Off Camera With Sam Jones,” which ran for 220 episodes on DirecTV from 2013 through 2020.
Now Jones putting himself back in the formal host role with a new series he’s begun shooting intermittently at the Hotel Café club in Hollywood, titled “The Talent Show.” The types of guests he has and the strength of his interviewing chops will seem recognizable to anyone familiar with “Off Camera,...
Now Jones putting himself back in the formal host role with a new series he’s begun shooting intermittently at the Hotel Café club in Hollywood, titled “The Talent Show.” The types of guests he has and the strength of his interviewing chops will seem recognizable to anyone familiar with “Off Camera,...
- 9/17/2023
- by Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
After years of friendship that goes way beyond the two A-listers making it big in Hollywood, actors Bradley Cooper and Will Arnett are coming on to develop the film ‘Is This Thing On?’. Both will star in the film with Cooper also directing it. Arnett penned the script with Mark Chappell. The film is still in early development, and while Arnett turned in a draft before the WGA strike commenced, Cooper likely will take a crack at script with Arnett and Chappell and won’t be able to till after strike ends, reports Deadline.
Cooper also is producing through his Lea Pictures banner, along with Arnett and Kris Thykier. John Bishop will serve as executive producer. Plot details are being kept under wraps.
Cooper is a nine-time Oscar nominee for writing, producing and/or starring in ‘American Sniper’, ‘American Hustle’, ‘Silver Linings Playbook’, ‘Nightmare Alley’, ‘Joker’ and ‘A Star Is Born...
Cooper also is producing through his Lea Pictures banner, along with Arnett and Kris Thykier. John Bishop will serve as executive producer. Plot details are being kept under wraps.
Cooper is a nine-time Oscar nominee for writing, producing and/or starring in ‘American Sniper’, ‘American Hustle’, ‘Silver Linings Playbook’, ‘Nightmare Alley’, ‘Joker’ and ‘A Star Is Born...
- 6/15/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Exclusive: After years of friendship that goes way beyond the two A-listers making it big in Hollywood, Bradley Cooper and Will Arnett are coming on to develop the Searchlight pic Is This Thing On?, with both set to co-star in the film with Cooper also directing. Arnett penned the script with Mark Chappell. The film is still in early development, and while Arnett turned in a draft before the WGA strike commenced, Cooper likely will take a crack at script with Arnett and Chappell and won’t be able to till after strike ends.
Cooper also is producing along with Arnett and Kris Thykier, who is through his Archery Pictures banner. John Bishop will exec produce. Plot details are being kept under wraps.
Cooper is a nine-time Oscar nominee for writing, producing and/or starring in American Sniper, American Hustle, Silver Linings Playbook, Nightmare Alley, Joker and A Star Is Born,...
Cooper also is producing along with Arnett and Kris Thykier, who is through his Archery Pictures banner. John Bishop will exec produce. Plot details are being kept under wraps.
Cooper is a nine-time Oscar nominee for writing, producing and/or starring in American Sniper, American Hustle, Silver Linings Playbook, Nightmare Alley, Joker and A Star Is Born,...
- 6/14/2023
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
‘Daddy Ball’: Jason Bateman To Direct & Star In New Netflix Series About Rival Little League Fathers
“Ozark” ended last year and finished its run as probably the most critically-acclaimed project in Jason Bateman’s career. Not only did he earn rave reviews for his lead performance, but he also directed multiple episodes and was a creative force behind the scenes. It appears Netflix isn’t ready to be done with Bateman, as the streaming service has snatched up his next TV project, “Daddy Ball.”
Read More: ‘Smartless: On The Road’ Trailer: Will Arnett, Jason Bateman & Sean Hayes’ Popular Podcast Gets The Doc Series Treatment In May
According to Deadline, Netflix has purchased the rights to “Daddy Ball,” a new eight-episode limited series that will feature Jason Bateman as the star and director.
Continue reading ‘Daddy Ball’: Jason Bateman To Direct & Star In New Netflix Series About Rival Little League Fathers at The Playlist.
Read More: ‘Smartless: On The Road’ Trailer: Will Arnett, Jason Bateman & Sean Hayes’ Popular Podcast Gets The Doc Series Treatment In May
According to Deadline, Netflix has purchased the rights to “Daddy Ball,” a new eight-episode limited series that will feature Jason Bateman as the star and director.
Continue reading ‘Daddy Ball’: Jason Bateman To Direct & Star In New Netflix Series About Rival Little League Fathers at The Playlist.
- 6/14/2023
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
Actors and podcasters Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes allowed the cameras to turn on them during their celebrity-filled North American tour — the result of which is Smartless: On The Road, a limited series currently streaming on Max. (You can watch the trailer here.)
Directed by Sam Jones, the six-part docuseries provides fly-on-the-wall, intimate access of the three friends as they traveled through Boston, Brooklyn, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Madison, Wisconsin, and Los Angeles on their sold-out live tour.
As part of a recent Deadline FYC House + HBO Max Series, Jones talked about how the docuseries came together and what we may learn about the three men that we didn’t know before.”
Deadline: How did this docuseries come about?
Sam Jones: Jason asked me if he thought there was a documentary in there. I kind of...
Directed by Sam Jones, the six-part docuseries provides fly-on-the-wall, intimate access of the three friends as they traveled through Boston, Brooklyn, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Madison, Wisconsin, and Los Angeles on their sold-out live tour.
As part of a recent Deadline FYC House + HBO Max Series, Jones talked about how the docuseries came together and what we may learn about the three men that we didn’t know before.”
Deadline: How did this docuseries come about?
Sam Jones: Jason asked me if he thought there was a documentary in there. I kind of...
- 5/25/2023
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
On the 23rd day (of May), David Zaslav created Max. But how do us plebeian HBO Max subscribers access this brave new world?
It’s still early days for the not quite merger between HBO Max and Discovery+; so early in fact that that you could briefly still access the original HBO Max via your browser window during the first few hours of Max’s launch. But the old Max is now officially gone, so if you’re dying to watch the two decades in the making “Clone High” reboot or see Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes in “SmartLess: On the Road,” then you’re going to have to accept HBO Max’s passing and make the transition to the new service. Luckily, it’s pretty easy to do so.
To access Max’s website, simply go to www.max.com. If you already subscribe to HBO Max,...
It’s still early days for the not quite merger between HBO Max and Discovery+; so early in fact that that you could briefly still access the original HBO Max via your browser window during the first few hours of Max’s launch. But the old Max is now officially gone, so if you’re dying to watch the two decades in the making “Clone High” reboot or see Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes in “SmartLess: On the Road,” then you’re going to have to accept HBO Max’s passing and make the transition to the new service. Luckily, it’s pretty easy to do so.
To access Max’s website, simply go to www.max.com. If you already subscribe to HBO Max,...
- 5/23/2023
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
May 23, 2023 is a day for the streaming history books; the day Warner Bros. Discovery launched “Max,” and the purple hued king that was HBO Max was taken from the public forever, lost to the web archives of the world.
Sort of. Although Wbd promised that today would be the day that the Max streamer replaces the original HBO Max, for a few hours after Max launched, it was still possible to access its predecessor via the internet. That’s since been fixed, and going to HBO Max’s website now redirects you to a page imploring you to go to Max.com, but it gave us ample opportunity to compare the changes between the two streamers, and what has and hasn’t changed.
So HBO Max isn’t available anymore?
In the hours it was still up, HBO Max still had all of the content it already had on the site,...
Sort of. Although Wbd promised that today would be the day that the Max streamer replaces the original HBO Max, for a few hours after Max launched, it was still possible to access its predecessor via the internet. That’s since been fixed, and going to HBO Max’s website now redirects you to a page imploring you to go to Max.com, but it gave us ample opportunity to compare the changes between the two streamers, and what has and hasn’t changed.
So HBO Max isn’t available anymore?
In the hours it was still up, HBO Max still had all of the content it already had on the site,...
- 5/23/2023
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
This morning, Warner Bros. Discovery officially transformed HBO Max into Max.
The rebranded and refreshed streaming service, which was first unveiled in April at an event on the company’s Burbank lot, features a slate of new original programming (known as Max Originals) and an updated user interface that includes content hubs for HBO and HGTV.
The transition began rolling out late in the evening on Monday and early Tuesday, which did result in a small spike of user issues reported on Down Detector in the early hours around 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. The rollout is expected to continue into Tuesday across the U.S.
HBO Max subscribers don’t need to do anything to transition
To ease the transition, most existing HBO Max subscribers will see their HBO Max apps automatically update to the Max app, though a few users will be prompted to download the app. Existing...
The rebranded and refreshed streaming service, which was first unveiled in April at an event on the company’s Burbank lot, features a slate of new original programming (known as Max Originals) and an updated user interface that includes content hubs for HBO and HGTV.
The transition began rolling out late in the evening on Monday and early Tuesday, which did result in a small spike of user issues reported on Down Detector in the early hours around 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. The rollout is expected to continue into Tuesday across the U.S.
HBO Max subscribers don’t need to do anything to transition
To ease the transition, most existing HBO Max subscribers will see their HBO Max apps automatically update to the Max app, though a few users will be prompted to download the app. Existing...
- 5/23/2023
- by J. Clara Chan
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After more than a year of fanfare caused by the 2022 merger of Warner Bros. and Discovery, David Zaslav’s Wbd has finally launched Max. Branded as “the one to watch,” the new streaming service combines the offerings of HBO Max and Discovery+ into one platform.
In April, Wbd held an event announcing the name, launch date, ethos and next steps of the brand. Along with unveiling flashy (and controversial) plans like a new “Harry Potter” series, company execs also explained the decision to drop the prestigious HBO name from the title of the service: In short, they want to be clear that the acclaimed but certainly adult-leaning programming HBO is famous for is only a portion of the content available on Max.
“Warner Bros. Discovery has some of the best-known kids’ characters, animation and brands in the industry. Not surprisingly, the category has not met his true potential on HBO Max,...
In April, Wbd held an event announcing the name, launch date, ethos and next steps of the brand. Along with unveiling flashy (and controversial) plans like a new “Harry Potter” series, company execs also explained the decision to drop the prestigious HBO name from the title of the service: In short, they want to be clear that the acclaimed but certainly adult-leaning programming HBO is famous for is only a portion of the content available on Max.
“Warner Bros. Discovery has some of the best-known kids’ characters, animation and brands in the industry. Not surprisingly, the category has not met his true potential on HBO Max,...
- 5/23/2023
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
On Tuesday, May 23, HBO Max is going away — when it will be reskinned as Max, stocked with more than twice the total amount of programming. Max’s expanded streaming menu includes the addition of hundreds of episodes of Discovery+ shows, and it’s set to get dozens of new TV shows and movies over the next month.
The new Max will feature 35,000 hours of programming, more than double what has been available on HBO Max. According to Warner Bros. Discovery, the service will be continuously updated with fresh content, averaging more than 40 new movie titles and TV seasons per month.
See Also: Max’s Priciest Plan Will Have 1,000-Plus Movies and Episodes in 4K Ultra HD
Max will continue to serve as the streaming home for HBO originals, Warner Bros. films, Max originals, the DC universe, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Adult Swim and Cartoon Network. On top of that,...
The new Max will feature 35,000 hours of programming, more than double what has been available on HBO Max. According to Warner Bros. Discovery, the service will be continuously updated with fresh content, averaging more than 40 new movie titles and TV seasons per month.
See Also: Max’s Priciest Plan Will Have 1,000-Plus Movies and Episodes in 4K Ultra HD
Max will continue to serve as the streaming home for HBO originals, Warner Bros. films, Max originals, the DC universe, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Adult Swim and Cartoon Network. On top of that,...
- 5/22/2023
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Three years and a questionable company merger later, and HBO Max will soon cease to exist as we know it. After the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery Inc. was finalized last year, a streaming service combining the offerings of HBO Max and Discovery+ was officially announced at the Warner Bros. Discovery Q2 earnings call on Aug. 4. In the months since, Warner Bros. Discovery has canceled projects at various stages of production and purged hours of original content from HBO Max as the company prepares to launch the recently dubbed “Max” this month.
Here’s everything you need to know about Max’s launch.
When Does HBO Max Become Max?
HBO Max will become Max on May 23 in the U.S. According to a press release from Warner Bros. Discovery, Max is set to launch later this year in Latin America and throughout 2024 in European and Asian countries that already have...
Here’s everything you need to know about Max’s launch.
When Does HBO Max Become Max?
HBO Max will become Max on May 23 in the U.S. According to a press release from Warner Bros. Discovery, Max is set to launch later this year in Latin America and throughout 2024 in European and Asian countries that already have...
- 5/18/2023
- by Brynnaarens
- Den of Geek
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