LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Relativity Media today announced that it has secured $400 million in equity film financing from Michael Wexler and Tove Christensen’s Maple Leaf Films. The two companies have executed a binding agreement for Maple Leaf Films to finance 75 percent of future Relativity Media films on an annual basis for the next five years.
“We are excited to have the support of Michael and Tove as we continue to identify, develop and produce groundbreaking films,” said a Relativity spokesperson. “And we very much look forward to the opportunity to work alongside Maple Leaf on future projects. We value their creative perspective and their investment in Relativity.”
“Tove and I believe in the leadership and vision of Ryan, Dana and the Relativity team, and are proud to partner with them as they forge a new path forward creating formidable films,” said Maple Leaf Films’ Michael Wexler. “We believe Ryan is assembling the right teams to take advantage of their existing infrastructure and position in the marketplace, both foreign and domestic,” added Maple Leaf Films’ Tove Christensen.
Maple Leaf Films is part of the Maple Leaf Capital Group of companies focusing on hedge funds, real estate, and film finance through their offices in London, Hong Kong, and Los Angeles. Maple Leaf began its involvement in film finance in 2005, as producer and financier providing equity, debt, or both, for small to medium size independent films.
2016 projects in post-production include The Tank for Open Road; and Jonathan Mostow’s Hunter’s Prayer starring Sam Worthington and Odeya Rush – and January saw the release of Standoff starring Laurence Fishburne. With several projects in development, the focus is on studio output deals and co-financing agreements with budgets of $20-60 million as well as producing content suitable to foreign markets such as China.
ABOUT RELATIVITY
Relativity (relativitymedia.com) is a next-generation global media company engaged in multiple aspects of content production and distribution, including movies, television, sports, digital and music. More than just a collection of entertainment-related businesses, Relativity is a content engine with the ability to leverage each of these business units, independently and together, to create content across all mediums, giving consumers what they want, when they want it.
Relativity Studios, the Company’s largest division, has produced, distributed or structured financing for more than 200 motion pictures, generating more than $17 billion in worldwide box-office revenue and earning 60 Oscar nominations. Relativity’s films include Oculus, Safe Haven, Act of Valor, Immortals, Limitless, and The Fighter.
ABOUT MAPLE LEAF FILMS
Maple Leaf Films is part of the Maple Leaf Capital group of companies, founded in 2002 which manages assets in the areas of volatility trading, liquid and illiquid securities, real estate, and film finance. Over the last 10 years the company has funded, developed, and acquired real estate assets globally while also advising and executing the disposition of non-performing loans. The firm’s largest hedge fund, the Maple Leaf Macro Volatility Fund, peaked with assets of US$ 1 billion in 2008. Maple Leaf Revolver Fund executes a liquid quantitative long/short volatility strategy across equity indices, commodities, currencies, and fixed income globally.