Franchise Pictures, LLC was a short-lived American independent motion picture studio, production and distribution company based in Los Angeles, California, founded in 1997 by Elie Samaha, Ashok Amritraj, and Andrew Stevens. They were known for their production in the action film genre, and for producing passion projects by actors which major studios passed on. The company also had a short-lived video game arm, Franchise Interactive.
In 2004, in a case heard before a jury in a Los Angeles federal courtroom, Intertainment Licensing GmbH v. Franchise Pictures, et al., Judge Stotler awarded a plaintiff's verdict for $121.7 million against Franchise Pictures and Elie Samaha for fraudulent accounting. Samaha vowed to appeal but the fraud judgment destroyed Franchise's viability; the company and its subsidiaries all filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy petitions on August 18, 2004.
As of 2021, half of the Franchise Pictures library, along with that of ThinkFilm, is now owned by Orange Holdings LLC. Another half of the Franchise Pictures library is owned by Revolution Studios (via Morgan Creek Entertainment).
History Franchise Pictures was started in October 1997, with Phoenician Entertainment serving as subsidiary for lower-budget films. Its initial employees were Elie Samaha and Ashok Amritraj, who would leave two years later to start Hyde Park Entertainment.
On October 8, 1998, they signed a distribution agreement with Morgan Creek Productions and Warner Bros. Pictures, in which Franchise paid the distribution rights to both Morgan Creek and Warner Bros. for North America and the United Kingdom, while 20th Century Fox handling the distribution rights in select territories for three films. Summit Entertainment would also handle the international sales of their films. On May 19, 1999, the company had signed a deal with Intertainment in order to bring all 60 motion pictures that Franchise had been receiving to Germany. A month later, Intertainment had struck a distribution deal with Warner Bros. Pictures, in order to secure the rights to 60 motion pictures for worldwide distribution. The company's first film, A Murder of Crows, began shooting in December 1997, and it was released in the United States in July 1999, with the British release occurring in December 1998. In December 1997, Franchise also started shooting If... Dog... Rabbit..., which was directed by actor Matthew Modine. However, this film didn't receive a wide release in the United States until 2002, when it was released on home video.
On July 2, 2001, Morgan Creek and its CEO James G. Robinson sued Franchise Pictures for breach of contract, resulting in Morgan Creek ending their partnership with Franchise Pictures after the release of Heist (2001).
During Franchise's partnership with Morgan Creek, by 2000, the companies had financial success with the film The Whole Nine Yards. However, they also suffered a huge flop with Battlefield Earth starring John Travolta, which received bad word-of-mouth and grossed $29.7 million on a $75 million budget.Battlefield Earth movie
Bankruptcy
Filmography Release date Title Notes July 6, 1999 A Murder of Crows First Franchise Pictures productionAlso distributor September 10, 1999 Storm Catcher Released under Phoenician Entertainment October 9, 1999 Five Aces Released under Phoenician Entertainment December 29, 1999 The Third Miracle First theatrical releaseCo-production with Sony Pictures Classics January 21, 2000 The Boondock Saints DistributionAlso co-producer20th Century Fox handled select international distribution rights. February 11, 2000 Mercy Distributed by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment February 18, 2000 The Whole Nine Yards Co-production with Warner Bros. and Morgan Creek EntertainmentFirst film under Morgan Creek pact and the first to be released by Warner Bros. Pictures.20th Century Fox handled select international distribution rights.Directed by Jonathan Lynn. April 28, 2000 The Big Kahuna Co-production with Lionsgate Films May 12, 2000 Battlefield Earth Co-production with Warner Bros. and Morgan Creek EntertainmentDirected by Roger ChristianWinner of the Razzie Award for Worst Picture July 4, 2000 Jill Rips Co-production with Columbia TriStar Home VideoAlso distributor August 25, 2000 The Art of War Co-production with Warner Bros. and Morgan Creek Entertainment20th Century Fox handled select international distribution rights September 14, 2000 Auggie Rose Distributed by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment October 6, 2000 Get Carter Co-production with Warner Bros. and Morgan Creek Entertainment October 13, 2000 Animal Factory Co-production with Phoenician EntertainmentDirected by Steve Buscemi January 19, 2001 The Pledge Co-production with Warner Bros. and Morgan Creek EntertainmentDirected by Sean Penn February 23, 2001 3000 Miles to Graceland Co-production with Morgan Creek EntertainmentNominee of the Razzie Award for Worst Picture March 2, 2001 The Caveman's Valentine Distributed by Universal Focus through Universal Pictures March 11, 2001 Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her Co-production with United Artists April 10, 2001 Agent Red Released under Phoenician Entertainment April 27, 2001 Driven Co-production with Warner Bros.Directed by Renny HarlinNominee of the Razzie Award for Worst Picture May 18, 2001 Angel Eyes Co-production with Warner Bros., Morgan Creek Entertainment and The Canton Company June 15, 2001 Viva Las Nowhere Co-production with Jason Bloom Productions November 9, 2001 Heist Co-production with Warner Bros. and Morgan Creek EntertainmentLast film under Morgan Creek pactDirected by David Mamet May 1, 2002 Green Dragon Co-production with Columbia PicturesReleased under Franchise Pictures Classics May 21, 2002 Desperate But Not Serious Released on DVD under the title Reckless + WildCo-production with Phoenician Entertainment July 9, 2002 Zig Zag Distribution onlyReleased under Franchise Pictures Classics August 30, 2002 FeardotCom North American, Japanese and Thailand co-distribution with Warner Bros.Co-production with Horrorhouse PicturesColumbia TriStar Film Distributors International handled the international distribution rightsDirected by William Malone August 30, 2002 Avenging Angelo Co-production with Martyn Burke ProductionsDistributed by Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment September 3, 2002 If... Dog... Rabbit... Distribution only September 6, 2002 City by the Sea Co-production with Warner Bros. and Brad Grey PicturesTouchstone Pictures handled the Spanish distribution rights through Buena Vista International September 20, 2002 Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever Co-production with Warner Bros.Dimension Films handled the Spanish distribution rights through Buena Vista InternationalDirected by Wych Kaosayananda November 15, 2002 Half Past Dead Co-production with Screen GemsDirected by Don Michael Paul November 22, 2002 The 4th Tenor Home media co-distribution with Warner Bros.Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer handled the theatrical distribution rights January 28, 2003 The Foreigner Co-production with TriStar PicturesDirected by Michael Oblowitz May 23, 2003 The In-Laws Co-production with Warner Bros. June 20, 2003 Alex & Emma Co-production with Warner Bros., Castle Rock Entertainment and Escape ArtistsDirected by Rob Reiner October 21, 2003 Final Examination Co-production with Artisan Entertainment and Horrorhouse Pictures March 12, 2004 Spartan Co-production with Warner Bros.Directed by David Mamet April 9, 2004 The Whole Ten Yards Co-production with Warner Bros.Sequel to The Whole Nine YardsDirected by Howard Deutch July 20, 2004 Out of Reach Distributed by Columbia TriStar Home EntertainmentDirected by Po-Chih Leong September 17, 2004 Funky Monkey Co-production with Warner Bros. and Harry Basil Productions January 14, 2005 Retrograde Distribution only February 15, 2005 Into the Sun Co-production with Destination Films September 2, 2005 A Sound of Thunder Co-production with Warner Bros.Last Franchise film to be released by Warner Bros. January 13, 2006 Tristan & Isolde Uncredited onlyCo-production with 20th Century Fox and Scott Free ProductionsDirected by Kevin ReynoldsFinal Franchise production May 18, 2007 The Wendell Baker Story Picked up by Möbius EntertainmentDistributed by ThinkFilm and Lionsgate FilmsDirected by Andrew & Luke Wilson February 19, 2008 Chaos Picked up by Möbius EntertainmentDistributed by Lionsgate FilmsDirected by Tony GiglioFinal Franchise Pictures release overall
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