Chinese-owned film finance, production and distribution company The H Collective has appointed Nic Crawley as CEO, the company announced Thursday.
Crawley most recently served as President of International Marketing and Distribution at Paramount Pictures, where he oversaw the design, development and implementation of international sales, marketing and advertising strategies. Crawley is set to take on his new role in October.
“After 37 years at major studios, I am incredibly proud to take on the role of CEO at H Collective, where my global experience will help grow this dynamic new company,” said Crawley. “We have ambitious plans to build the company quickly and strategically through our network of finance partnerships, forthcoming executive hires and creative collaborations with leading filmmakers delivering a first-class slate of movies.”
Additionally, Song Ge, Chairman of Beijing Culture, will serve as a board member at the company following H Collective’s U.S. release of Beijing Culture’s “Wolf Warrior 2.” “Wolf Warrior 2” is China’s highest-ever grossing film, reeling in more than $866 million in the Middle Kingdom.
An insider told TheWrap H Collective’s majority owner is Kenny Huang, also the chairman of Huahua Media, which has a $1 billion slate financing deal with Paramount alongside Shanghai Film Group. Huahua was sold to Oriental Times Media in July, and the company and Shanghai Film Group missed a recent payment on its slate deal. Paramount CEO Jim Gianopulos floated the possibility of a “replacement plan” at an investor conference last week.
Huahua has served as a financing and marketing partner on several Paramount films, including “Transformers: Age of Extinction” and “xXx: Return of Xander Cage,” working with Crawley in his role overseeing international marketing.
The H Collective’s upcoming slate includes the fourth installment of the “xXx” film franchise, drama “A Children’s Song,” horror-thriller “Raven Road,” action-comedy “White House Chef,” and dramatic-thriller “The Parts You Lose.”
Matt Pressberg contributed reporting to this article.