Peter Young for Variety
Amazon MGM Studios has entered into a multi-year film partnership with Scott Stuber, the former head of film at Netflix. As part of the agreement, the streaming platform and studio will finance and release films from Stuber’s new production company under United Artists, a dormant brand that used to operate under MGM. In its heyday, United Artists released films such as “The Pink Panther,” “Rocky,” “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” “Network” and the James Bond films. The agreement calls for Stuber and his soon-to-be-launched company to produce multiple films per year. They will be released in theaters and on Prime Video, Amazon’s streaming service.
Stuber’s new company will be based in Culver City, where Amazon MGM Studios will be the company’s founder. The agreement is a first-look deal, giving Amazon MGM Studios the first opportunity to profit from projects developed by Stuber. Additionally, Stuber will be involved in all projects released by the new Amazon MGM Studios.
“With his proven track record of delivering global hits and his vision for theatrical releases, Scott’s experience and vision are a perfect fit for our cinema strategy,” said Jennifer Salke, president of Amazon MGM Studios. “We are incredibly proud to welcome him to our fold and partner with him in the relaunch of the legendary UA brand, as we work to leverage existing and new IP into large-scale, compelling films that resonate with audiences around the world.”
“I have had the pleasure of working with Mike Hopkins, Jane Salkey and Courtenay Valenti over the years, and I am thrilled to partner with them to produce a slate of films and relaunch the iconic UA brand with its rich history of cinematic storytelling,” said Stuber. “During this dynamic and transformative time for our industry, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with partners who are committed to telling stories that reach and resonate with global audiences. I look forward to producing a wide range of films with great filmmakers, using both original story concepts and MGM and United Artists’ impressive library of existing intellectual property.”
At Netflix, Stuber helped boost the company’s original film productions, recruiting big-name directors like Martin Scorsese (“The Irishman”), Jane Campion (“Power of the Dog”), Alfonso Cuarón (“Roma”) and Bradley Cooper (“Maestro”) to make films for the streaming service. He left Netflix in January, replaced by producer Dan Lin as head of films as the streaming service looks to rein in costs and focus on more popular fare.
Prior to joining Netflix, Stuber founded and headed Bluegrass Films, which produced films such as “Ted,” “Central Intelligence” and “Safe House.” He was also the former vice president of worldwide production at Universal Studios, where he oversaw films such as “A Beautiful Mind,” “Meet the Parents,” the Bourne franchise and “Fast and the Furious.”
As for United Artists, it initially faltered with the box office disaster of 1980’s “Heaven’s Gate,” the critically panned Western epic directed by Michael Cimino. It was sold to MGM in the 1980s, and the studio tried to revitalize the brand with mixed results. Over the next decades, the company produced critically acclaimed hits like “The Birdcage,” “Leaving Las Vegas” and a remake of “The Thomas Crown Affair” starring Pierce Brosnan, as well as duds like “Showgirls.”
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