Chernin Entertainment

Chernin Entertainment
Company typeDivision
IndustryFilm production company
FoundedFebruary 24, 2009; 15 years ago (2009-02-24)
FounderPeter Chernin
HeadquartersLos Angeles, California
Key people
ProductsMotion Pictures
ParentThe Chernin Group (2009–2022)
The North Road Company (2022–present)

Chernin Entertainment is an American film and television production company owned by The North Road Company that is based in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on February 24, 2009 by producer and former media executive Peter Chernin, who is chairman and chief executive officer of the company. Jenno Topping is the president of film and television, with David Ready as executive vice president of film and TV. Kristen Campo is executive vice president of television.[1] Twenty-seven films have been produced by the company, most of them with 20th Century Fox (now known as 20th Century Studios).[2]

History

Chernin Entertainment was founded by Peter Chernin after he stepped down as president of Fox's then-parent company News Corporation in 2009. The firm's first film was Rise of the Planet of the Apes in 2011.[2] Chernin Entertainment's five-year first-look deal for the film and television was signed with 20th Century Fox and 20th Century Fox Television in 2009.[3]

In March 2011, after leaving Maguire Entertainment, Jenno Topping joined the company as executive Vice President of film division,[4] and then in February 2013 she was promoted to President of films, vacated by Dylan Clark.[5][6] David Ready was hired as Senior VP to report to Topping.[5] In June 2015, the company's TV division's president Katherine Pope left the company, while Topping was promoted to President of Film and Television.[7][8] In August 2015, Dante Di Loreto was hired and appointed as President of Television at the company, reporting to Topping. Kristen Campo joined the company in 2016 to run television after Di Loreto's departure.[9]

In November 2014, the company signed an extension of the first-look deal with 20th Century Fox for film at a less lucrative terms. With only one hit TV show, New Girl, the TV pact was being shopped around.[3] In June 2015, Chernin signed its television production deal for two years with NBCUniversal, in which Chernin would develop and produce projects for NBC though Universal Television.[7] That deal was followed with one with Endeavor Content for a scripted drama pact in 2017.[2]

On January 17, 2020, 20th Century Studios, now under the operation of Walt Disney Studios, ended its production deal with Chernin Entertainment, which had about four years remaining. The move was cited to Disney's preference of self-financing its films, and the studio's mandate of having 20th Century refocus on its franchises. Chernin will continue to work with Disney and 20th Century on the Planet of the Apes franchise and about 9 other films with the studio, while taking 70 out of 80 films in development in the split.[2] On April 7, Chernin made a multi-year first-look deal with Netflix to make films.[10]

In September 2020, Chernin Entertainment signed a multi-year partnership agreement with Spotify to allow the former to adapt films and TV shows from Spotify's original podcast catalog.[11][12][13]

In February 2021, Chernin Entertainment announced that they've launched a non-scripted documentary production studio that could produce documentaries both inside and outside the sports genre named Words + Pictures with former ESPN content chief Connor Schell with him becoming the chief executive officer of the new unscripted company with Chernin Entertainment's president Jenno Tapping overseeing the company's relationship with them.[14][15][16]

On October 27, 2021, Nancy Utley, former veteran of Searchlight Pictures had started Lake Ellyn Entertainment, with a first-look affiliate deal at the studio, and Netflix.[17]

In April 2022, Chernin Entertainment announced that they hired former chairman and CEO of Red Arrow Studios and the president of Westbrook International Jan Frouman in an unspecified role as Chernin Entertainment announced that they were going to expand their film and television operations with them eyeing the acquisition of German production and distribution company Red Arrow Studios from ProSiebenSat.1 Media.[18]

In July 2022, Peter Chernin announced that he was launching a global independent and production content studio named The North Road Company along with his film & television production company Chernin Entertainment becoming part of his new company and announced that they've acquired the US assets of German entertainment and international distribution company Red Arrow Studios from ProSiebenSat.1 Media along with the acquisition of the remaining 50% stake in unscripted documentary production company Words + Pictures with Peter Chernin becoming the CEO and chairman of the new company with Chernin Entertainment veteran Jenno Topping continued to be the president of The North Road Company's division Chernin Entertainment overseeing The North Road Company's scripted film and television operations alongside Words + Pictures founder Connor Schell continued to run the unscripted company taking on The North Road Company's unscripted operations. Jan Frouman who joined Chernin Entertainment back in April became The North Road Company's president and former AMC Networks executice Kirstin Jones became The North Road Company's president of international film & television and the two will run North Road's new international division with their international office being based in London, England.[19][20][21][22]

In June 2023, The North Road Company announced that they had acquired Istanbul and LA-based Turkish/American film and television production company Karga Seven Pictures marking The North Road Company's first international acquisition and their first international expansion along with their expansion of their international operations with Karga Seven Pictures founders and producers Sarah Wetherbee, Emre Sahin and Kelly McPherson continued to be the leaders of the acquired company with Sarah Wetherbee and Emre Sahin becoming global CEOs and Ömer Müjdat Özgüner was hired by Karga Seven Pictures and became the new CEO of the company.[23][24][25]

In November 2023, Chernin Entertainment's parent company The North Road Company had announced that they had acquired a majority stake in Los Angeles-based production company Two One Five Entertainment which was led by the co-founders of the hip hop band The Roots Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson with The North Road Company financing Two One Five Entertainment's future film and television projects along with North Road expanding Two One Five into the scripted business.[26][27][28]

In November 2023, The North Road Company announced that they'd acquired documentary production company Little Room Films thrus expanding The North Road Company's unscripted operations and will be placed under North Road's unscripted arm Words + Pictures with founder and director Jason Hehir continued remaining the president of Little Room Films.[29][30]

Production

Chernin Entertainment produces for television and film.

The company's first feature film Rise of the Planet of the Apes, was released in August 2011[2] and has grossed more than $480 million at the worldwide box office.[31][32] It has also produced Parental Guidance, a comedy starring Billy Crystal and Bette Midler, which was released in December 2012,[33] the sci-fi thriller from Joseph Kosinski, Oblivion, starring Tom Cruise,[34] and The Heat, starring Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock.[35]

Filmography

Feature films

2010s

Year Title Director Distributor Notes Budget Gross
2011 Rise of the Planet of the Apes[2] Rupert Wyatt 20th Century Fox co-production with Dune Entertainment, Big Screen Productions and Ingenious Film Partners $93 million $481.8 million
2012 Parental Guidance[33] Andy Fickman co-production with Walden Media, Face Productions and Dune Entertainment $25 million $120.8 million
2013 Oblivion[34] Joseph Kosinski Universal Pictures co-production with Relativity Media, Monolith Pictures and Radical Studios $120 million $286.2 million
The Heat[35] Paul Feig 20th Century Fox co-production with TSG Entertainment $43 million $229.9 million
2014 Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Matt Reeves $170–235 million $710.6 million
The Drop Michael R. Roskam Fox Searchlight Pictures $12.6 million $18.7 million
St. Vincent Theodore Melfi The Weinstein Company co-production with Crescendo Productions $13 million $54.8 million
Exodus: Gods and Kings Ridley Scott 20th Century Fox co-production with Scott Free Productions and TSG Entertainment $140–200 million $268.2 million
2015 Spy Paul Feig co-production with Feigco Entertainment and TSG Entertainment $65 million $235.7 million
2016 Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates Jake Szymanski co-production with TSG Entertainment $33–35 million $77.1 million
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children Tim Burton co-production with Tim Burton Productions, TSG Entertainment, Scope Pictures, St. Petersburg Clearwater Film Commission and Ingenious $110 million $296.5 million
Hidden Figures[2] Theodore Melfi co-production with Fox 2000 Pictures and Levantine Films $25 million $236 million
2017 Snatched Jonathan Levine co-production with Feigco Entertainment and TSG Entertainment $42 million $60.8 million
War for the Planet of the Apes Matt Reeves co-production with TSG Entertainment $150 million $490.7 million
The Mountain Between Us Hany Abu-Assad co-production with Fox 2000 Pictures $35 million $62.8 million
The Greatest Showman[2] Michael Gracey co-production with Laurence Mark Productions and TSG Entertainment $84 million $435 million
2018 Red Sparrow Francis Lawrence co-production with TSG Entertainment $69 million $151.6 million
2019 Tolkien Dome Karukoski Fox Searchlight Pictures $20 million $9 million
Ford v Ferrari[2] James Mangold 20th Century Fox co-production with Turnpike Films and TSG Entertainment $97.6 million $225.5 million
Spies in Disguise[2] Nick Bruno Troy Quane co-production with 20th Century Fox, Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox Animation[36] $100 million $171.6 million

2020s

Year Title Director Distributor Notes Budget Gross
2020 Underwater[2] William Eubank 20th Century Fox co-production with TSG Entertainment and 20th Century Fox $50–80 million $40.9 million
2021 Fear Street Part One: 1994 Leigh Janiak Netflix
Fear Street Part Two: 1978
Fear Street Part Three: 1666
2022 Slumberland Francis Lawrence
2023 Luther: The Fallen Sun Jamie Payne co-production with BBC Film
Dicks: The Musical Larry Charles A24
2024 Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes[37] Wes Ball 20th Century Studios uncredited; co-production with OddBall Entertainment and Jason T. Reed Productions $160–165 million $129 million
Rez Ball[38] Sydney Freeland Netflix co-production with SpringHill Company, Wise Entertainment and Lake Ellyn Entertainment

Upcoming

Year Title Director Distributor Notes
2025 Back in Action Seth Gordon Netflix co-production with Exhibit A and Good One Productions
Fear Street: Prom Queen[39] Matt Palmer
TBA Mega Man Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman co-production with Capcom[40]
The Goon Patrick Osbourne co-production with Netflix Animation, Blur Studio and Dark Horse Entertainment[41]
Sidekicks TBA Paramount Pictures co-production with Twin Ink[42]
Popeye 20th Century Studios co-production with King Features[43]
Altar Egor Abramenko A24 [44]

Television

2010s

Years Title Creator(s) Network Notes Seasons Episodes
2011–2012 Breakout Kings Nick Santora
Matt Olmstead 		A&E co-production with Matt Olmstead Productions, Blackjack Films and Fox 21 2 23
Terra Nova[45] Kelly Marcel
Craig Silverstein 		Fox co-production with Amblin Television, Kapital Entertainment, Siesta Productions and 20th Century Fox Television 1 13
2011 Allen Gregory Jonah Hill
Andrew Mogel
Jarrad Paul 		co-production with Bento Box Entertainment, Jonah Hill Films, A J. Paul/A. Mogel/D. Goodman Piece of Business and 20th Century Fox Television 7
2011–2018 New Girl[46] Elizabeth Meriwether co-production with Elizabeth Meriwether Pictures, American Nitwits and 20th Century Fox Television 7 146
2012–2013 Touch[47] Tim Kring co-production with Tailwind Productions and 20th Century Fox Television 2 26
Ben and Kate Dana Fox co-production with Hemingway Drive Productions and 20th Century Fox Television 1 16
2019–2022 See Steven Knight Apple TV+ co-production with about:blank, Quaker Moving Pictures, Endeavor Content and Nebula Star 3 24
2019–2023 Truth Be Told Nichelle Tramble Spellman co-production with Orit Entertainment, Hello Sunshine, Endeavor Content and With a N 3 28

2020s

Year Title Creator(s) Network Notes Seasons Episodes
2020–present P-Valley Katori Hall Starz season 1 only; co-production with Kat Buggy Productions and Lionsgate Television (season 2) 2 18
2024–present Exploding Kittens[48] Matthew Inman and Shane Kosakowski Netflix co-production with Chomp City and Bandera Entertainment 1 9

Upcoming

Year Title Creator(s) Network Notes Seasons Episodes
TBA Chief of War[49] Jason Momoa and Thomas Pa'a Sibbett Apple TV+ co-production with about:blank and Fifth Season 1 8

References

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