Shout! Factory and China-based Ace Film HK Company Limited (ACE) have acquired the New Horizons Picture library, encompassing 270 Roger Corman films and an action sci-fi TV series from Roger and Julie Corman, the companies announced Thursday.
Popular Corman properties include “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School,” “Battle Beyond the Stars,” “Piranha,” “Galaxy of Terror,” “Bloodfist,” “Black Scorpion,” “Eat My Dust!,” “Humanoids from the Deep,” “Slumber Party Massacre” and “Forbidden World.”
The deal grants Shout! Factory all rights to the New Horizons library in North America, Europe, Australia, and Russia. ACE secured all rights for China, Asia, Africa and South America.
Shout! Factory and Ace Film plan to support these 270 titles with a long-term growth strategy that entails new content development, remakes, merchandise licensing programs, digital media initiatives, and content syndication (streaming, TV, EST, and VOD) to domestic and international territories.
Future endeavors on the movie/series remake of select film properties will be developed, produced and distributed either by Shout’s filmed entertainment production and distribution arm, Shout! Studios, or ACE and its various strategic partners in Asia.
“We’ve been huge fans of the Cormans. Their great ingenuity and independent spirit have inspired us throughout our careers. We’ve loved working with them over the last eight years and are thrilled to now be the custodians of these beloved films, making sure that film buffs and fans everywhere discover them like we did,” stated Shout! Factory’s founders in a joint statement.
“We have been fortunate to be professionally and personally associated with Roger and Julie for the past decade and the purchase of their film library means our relationships will not only continue, but accelerate,” said Henry Luk, CEO of ACE.
“During the past decade our personal and professional relationships with Shout! Factory’s Bob Emmer, Richard and Garson Foos, and Ace Film’s Henry Luk and Adam Yuchen Ren have shown us that their independent, entrepreneurial spirit, respect for our work and creative methods of distribution and production make them especially well-suited to carry on with the New Horizons film library.” stated Roger and Julie Corman.
The New Horizons Picture library acquisition follows Shout’s home entertainment and digital distribution endeavors for Roger Corman’s Cult Classics branded content since 2010, which demonstrates the company’s unique ability to identify, reinvigorate, and expand the financial potential of entertainment content, and to create additional long-term value for pop culture brands.
The saga of legendary producer-director Roger Corman, recipient of a 2009 Honorary Academy Award, ranks as one of the most amazing motion picture success stories. Having produced more than 350 films and directed 60 others, his influence on American film goes far beyond his own energetic, creative low-budget movies. He is arguably one of Hollywood’s most gifted and masterful filmmakers, having launched the careers of many others.
Noted for his keen ability to spot young talent, Corman’s most lasting legacy will undoubtedly be the legion of producers, directors, writers and actors he has fostered, among them: Jack Nicholson, Francis Ford Coppola, Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese, James Cameron, Ron Howard, Peter Fonda, Jonathan Demme, Gale Anne Hurd, Diane Ladd, Tommy Lee Jones, Harry Dean Stanton, Sandra Bullock, Bruce Dern, Talia Shire, Charles Bronson, Joe Dante, Peter Bogdanovich and Sally Kirkland.
Julie Corman’s career spans 45 years with New Horizons. As the producer of more than 35 films she has worked with: Jonathan Demme, John Sayles, Catherine Hardwicke, Robert King, Bill Pullman, Martin Sheen, Peter Billingsley, Jon Lovitz, and Mario Van Peebles, among others. She was Chair of the Graduate Film Department at NYU.
The deal was negotiated by Shout’s Bob Emmer and Bruce David Eisen of Media Advisory Services, Inc., for Shout! Factory, Henry Luk for ACE, and Alan Schwartz and Robert Sherman of Greenberg Traurig, LLP on behalf of Roger and Julie Corman.