LOS ANGELES & STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ashok Amritraj’s Hyde Park Entertainment, Image Nation Abu Dhabi, and WWE Studios (NYSE:WWE) announced today that they are joining up again to co-produce a comedy with the temporary working title, UNTITLED CELEBRITY DEATH POOL. Ken Jeong (THE HANGOVER, COMMUNITY) has signed on to star in the satire which centers on a struggling nightclub owner who after amassing a large debt from a loan shark, sets out to win his long-running celebrity death pool by attempting to kill his chosen celebrity, David Hasselhoff. Darren Grant (DIARY OF A MAD BLACK WOMAN) will direct from a script written by Peter Hoare.
In addition to Hasselhoff, legendary WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan® and an increasing number of other celebrities have signed on for various supporting roles and cameo appearances. Pre-production for the film commences this September in Los Angeles, with a theatrical release anticipated for 2015.
WWE Studios President Michael Luisi and Hyde Park’s Amritraj are producing the picture along with Hasselhoff, Michele Berk, Patrick Hughes and Warren Zide. Eric Gardner is Executive Producing. Hyde Park International will handle international sales with WWE Studios set to leverage its extensive multi-platform reach to promote the film.
Bradley Buchanan, SVP of Business Affairs, negotiated the deal on behalf of WWE Studios and Allen Babakhanloo, VP of Business Affairs, negotiated the deal on behalf of Hyde Park Entertainment.
Jeong is currently shooting RIDE ALONG 2 with Ice Cube and Kevin Hart for Universal Pictures.
About Hyde Park - Image Nation
Hyde Park Entertainment Group, founded by Chairman and CEO Ashok Amritraj, is a cutting-edge independent alternative to the traditional Hollywood studio system, a progressive global company that incorporates the most essential elements of a full-fledged studio. Hyde Park’s offerings encompass live-action, animation and cross-cultural cinema, and is capable of developing, producing and financing projects, as well as handling international sales and marketing.
Amritraj’s Hyde Park and Image Nation Abu Dhabi partnered in November 2008 on a $250 million financing deal to develop, produce, and distribute up to 20 feature films over seven years.
The company’s projects currently in production include 99 HOMES from acclaimed director Ramin Bahrani and starring Andrew Garfield and Michael Shannon, the family adventure MIDNIGHT SUN, from Award Winning Director Roger Spottiswoode, and the soon to be released LIFE OF CRIME starring Jennifer Aniston, Tim Robbins, John Hawkes, Yasiin Bey (Mos Def), Isla Fisher and Will Forte, which was selected as the 2013 Toronto Film Festival’s Closing Night Film.
Additionally, Hyde Park Entertainment has produced over 100 films including box office hits like GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE, starring Nicolas Cage, PREMONITION, starring Sandra Bullock, and BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE, starring Steve Martin, along with critically acclaimed films like BLUE VALENTINE, starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, and SHOPGIRL, starring Steve Martin and Claire Danes.
About WWE Studios
WWE Studios develops and produces feature films, as well as television and digital content. Its diverse slate is released theatrically, direct to home, and/or across digital platforms, and is co-produced & distributed through partnerships with premiere global entertainment companies including Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox and Lionsgate. WWE’s film division, led by President Michael Luisi, is headquartered in Santa Monica, CA.
Recent films from WWE Studios include The Call with Halle Berry and WWE Superstar David Otunga®, Oculus directed by Mike Flanagan starring Karen Gillan and Katee Sackhoff, Dead Man Down with Colin Farrell and WWE Superstar Wade Barrett®, No One Lives starring Luke Evans and WWE Superstar Brodus Clay™, and Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery, which paired WWE Superstars with Scooby and the gang.
Upcoming films from WWE Studios include Term Life starring Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, and Hailee Steinfeld in a Universal Pictures release, Incarnate starring Aaron Eckhart and featuring WWE Superstar Mark Henry® in a Universal Pictures release of a Blumhouse production, The Flintstones which joins Fred, Barney and the whole Bedrock gang with stone age versions of WWE Superstars and Divas in a Warner Bros. Home Entertainment release, Jingle All the Way 2 starring Larry The Cable Guy and WWE Superstar Santino Marella® in a Fox Home Entertainment release, and Leprechaun: Origins directed by Zach Lipovsky and starring WWE Superstar Hornswoggle® in a Lionsgate release.
About WWE
WWE <http://corporate.wwe.com/company/overview.jsp>, a publicly traded company (NYSE:WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 150 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 650 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Dubai, Munich, Dubai and Tokyo.
Additional information on WWE (NYSE:WWE) can be found at wwe.com<http://wwe.com> and corporate.wwe.com<http://corporate.wwe.com>. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.
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Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks relating to entering into, maintaining and renewing key agreements, including television and pay-per-view programming and our new network distribution agreements; risks relating to the launch and maintenance of our new network; the need for continually developing creative and entertaining programming; the continued importance of key performers and the services of Vincent McMahon; the conditions of the markets in which we compete and acceptance of the Company's brands, media and merchandise within those markets; uncertainties relating to regulatory matters; risks resulting from the highly competitive and fragmented nature of our markets; uncertainties associated with international markets; the importance of protecting our intellectual property and complying with the intellectual property rights of others; the risk of accidents or injuries during our physically demanding events; risks associated with producing and travelling to and from our large live events, both domestically and internationally; risks relating to our film business; risks relating to new businesses and strategic investments; risks relating to our computer systems and online operations; risks relating to general economic conditions and our exposure to bad debt risk; risks relating to litigation; risks relating to market expectations for our financial performance; risks relating to our revolving credit facility specifically and capital markets more generally; risks relating to the large number of shares of common stock controlled by members of the McMahon family and the possibility of the sale of their stock by the McMahons or the perception of the possibility of such sales; the relatively small public float of our stock; and other risks and factors set forth from time to time in Company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results could differ materially from those currently expected or anticipated. In addition, our dividend is dependent on a number of factors, including, among other things, our liquidity and historical and projected cash flow, strategic plan (including alternative uses of capital), our financial results and condition, contractual and legal restrictions on the payment of dividends, general economic and competitive conditions and such other factors as our Board of Directors may consider relevant.
