Escape Artists Productions, LLC, commonly known as Escape Artists, is an American independently financed motion picture and television production company that has a first look non-exclusive deal at Sony Pictures Entertainment, headed by partners Steve Tisch, Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal and David Bloomfield.
The company's production office is located in the Astaire Building on the Sony Pictures Studios lot in Culver City, California.
History In 2000, The Steve Tisch Company merged with Todd Black and Jason Blumenthal's Black & Blu to form Escape Artists. It was originally a film financing company with a deal with Columbia Pictures, and other international backers such as Summit Entertainment and Constantin Film. The company made its origins in 1998 when Jason Blumenthal met Steve Tisch at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2001, David Alper had left New Line Cinema to join the company.
The first produced movie under the Escape Artists banner was A Knight's Tale, starring Heath Ledger in May 2001. In 2002, its relationship with Constantin Film ended and sold its stake. In the fall of 2005, Escape Artists released The Weather Man, directed by Gore Verbinski and starring Nicolas Cage and Michael Caine. Their next film, The Pursuit of Happyness, directed by Gabriele Muccino and starring Will Smith, was released in December 2006 and earned over $300 million in worldwide ticket sales, as well as best actor Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Will Smith. Seven Pounds, another Gabriele Muccino-directed film starring Will Smith, was released in December 2008. In 2009, Escape Artists released the Alex Proyas thriller Knowing, starring Nicolas Cage, and The Taking of Pelham 123, directed by Tony Scott and starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta. Escape Artists produced 'The Upside, which was directed by Neil Burger and starring Kevin Hart. It was released through STX Entertainment and Lantern Entertainment on January 11, 2019 in the United States. Escape Artists produced all three film adaptations of The Equalizer, with the most recent being the 2023 film The Equalizer 3. All three movies star Denzel Washington in the main role of Robert McCall.
In February 2013, 12-year veteran David Bloomfield was promoted to partner Escape Artists. In October 2014, the company inks its first-look pact with FX Productions. In August 2019, MGM Television signed its first-look deal with Escape Artists. January 30, 2026, Steve Tisch was revealed in the most recent government disclosure of the Epstein files.
List of films Year Title Production partners 2001 A Knight's Tale Sony Pictures Releasing 2003 Alex & Emma Warner Bros. Pictures, Franchise Pictures, Castle Rock Entertainment and Epsilon Motion Pictures 2005 The Weather Man Paramount Pictures 2006 The Pursuit of Happyness Sony Pictures Releasing and Overbrook Entertainment 2008 Seven Pounds 2009 Knowing Summit Entertainment The Taking of Pelham 123 Sony Pictures Releasing, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Scott Free Productions 2010 The Back-up Plan CBS Films 2012 Hope Springs Sony Pictures Releasing, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Mandate Pictures 2014 Sex Tape Sony Pictures Releasing The Equalizer Sony Pictures Releasing and Village Roadshow Pictures 2015 Unfinished Business 20th Century Fox and Regency Enterprises Southpaw The Weinstein Company 2016 The Magnificent Seven Sony Pictures Releasing, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Village Roadshow PicturesFences Paramount Pictures 2017 Roman J. Israel, Esq. Sony Pictures Releasing 2018 The Equalizer 2 Sony Pictures Releasing 2019The Upside STX Entertainment and Lantern Entertainment 2020Troop Zero Amazon StudiosMa Rainey's Black Bottom Netflix 2021Being the Ricardos Amazon Studios A Journal for Jordan Sony Pictures Releasing 2022 The Man from Toronto Netflix and Sony Pictures ReleasingEmancipation Apple TV+ 2023 The Equalizer 3 Sony Pictures Releasing Cassandro Amazon Studios 2024 The Piano Lesson Netflix 2025 Highest 2 Lowest Apple TV+ and A242026 Masters of the Universe Amazon MGM Studios, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Mattel Films, and Truenorth Productions Voicemails for Isabelle Netflix and Sony Pictures Releasing The Social Reckoning Sony Pictures Releasing and Alcon Entertainment Madden Amazon MGM Studios and Metro-Goldwyn-MayerTBA Masters of the Universe 2 Amazon MGM Studios, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Mattel Films, and Truenorth Productions Thomas & Friends Amazon MGM Studios, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Mattel Films, and 2DUX2 Viewmaster Sony Pictures Releasing and Mattel Films
List of television shows
Year Title Network Production partners 2019 Perpetual Grace, LTD Epix MGM Television, Chi-Town Pictures, Elephant Pictures and FXP 2019 Why We Hate Discovery Channel Amblin Television and Jigsaw Productions 2019–2023 Servant Apple TV+ Blinding Edge Pictures and Dolphin Black Productions 2021–2023 Dr. Death Peacock Universal Content Productions, Wondery and Littleton Road Productions 2023 Desperately Seeking Soulmate: Escaping Twin Flames Universe Amazon Prime Video Amazon Studios, MGM Television, Dorothy Street Pictures & PMZ Pictures 2025 Untamed Netflix Bee Holder Productions, John Wells Productions and Warner Bros. Television 2026 DTF St. Louis HBO MGM Television, Bravo Axolotl, Elephant Pictures and Aggregate Films
References
External links Official site