Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s Imagine Entertainment has joined the list of Hollywood production companies who have signed development/production financing deals with Reliance Big Entertainment.
Reliance is the media and entertainment arm of Indian conglomerate Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (R-ADAG).
The first project under the deal will be the comedy "Mofos," about two unemployed 20-somethings who decide to start a business as Los Angeles’ most unlikely male escorts.
Grazer will produce "Mofos," which is written by Josh Berghaus and Jay Shore.
The deal was brokered by CAA on behalf of Reliance Big Entertainment and Berghaus and Shore.
Reliance is signing what it dubs Creative Partnerships with various Hollywood entities as it focuses on media investments outside its native India. Reliance recently backed the purchase of Dark Void by Brad Pitt’s Plan B and, on a larger scale, agreed to bankroll DreamWorks’ film production. It has deals with banners including George Clooney’s Smokehouse Productions, Tom Hanks’ Playtone Productions, Brett Ratner’s Rat Entertainment and Julia Roberts’ Red Om Films.
Reliance Big Entertainment said in a statement that it sees its development deals as the first major building block in the creation of a virtual studio, or new-generation media company. Reliance plans to build a fully integrated movie company with substantial holdings in production, distribution and exhibition, the company said.
In confirming the Imagine partnership, Reliance Big Entertainment chairman Amit Khanna said, "Brian Grazer and Ron Howard have forged Imagine as a major powerhouse in Hollywood and I’m delighted to have been able to close this deal. Our ‘creative partnerships’ have proven very attractive to filmmakers seeking innovative ways in which to develop and finance individual films. We are now looking forward to moving into the filmmaking stage on several projects."
In a statement, Grazer said, “Ron and I are very pleased to have signed this deal with our friends at Reliance. With their huge expertise in one of the most exciting film industries in the world, they bring a wholly different global perspective to our Hollywood-based industry, and we welcome the extra independence that their financing will give us.”
