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AP Images/InvisionWorking Title, the multi award-winning British powerhouse production banner behind Les Miserables, Love Actually and Anna Karenina, has extended its production deal with Universal Pictures for another five years. The new arrangement replaces the first-look deal expiring this year and brings the arrangement through 2020.
“Working Title is the biggest and best international production company in the world, and we’ve been privileged to be in business with them for many cherished years,” said Universal Pictures chief Donna Langley when she announced the renewed deal with Working Title’s co-chairs Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner. “Tim, Eric and their team have been incredible partners with whom we have celebrated much success and we look forward to repeating that success in the future.”
Since it was founded in 1984, Working Title’s catalog of titles — including last year’s The Theory of Everything — has been nominated for 43 Academy Awards, notching up 11 wins, more than 100 BAFTA nominations, with 37 wins, and a special BAFTA in 2004 for their outstanding contribution to the world of British cinema. Its relationship with Universal began in 1999 and has included more than 50 films grossing a total of $5 billion.
The company’s upcoming slate includes the hotly anticipated Lance Armstrong biopic, The Program, from Stephen Frears; Hail, Caesar!, by frequent collaborators The Coen Brothers and starring George Clooney; the Jake Gyllenhaal– and Josh Brolin-starring adventure epic Everest; and transgender drama The Danish Girl, from Oscar-winning director Tom Hooper and starring the Academy’s current best actor winner Eddie Redmayne.
Working Title’s Bevan and Fellner described the 16-year cooperation with Universal as an “amazing” relationship, adding that they were thrilled to continue collaborating for another five years.
“It’s important for us as a company to have partners that are interested in a wide variety of films and a desire to not only do great business but also to strive to make interesting films, and that’s what Ron, Jeff, Donna and everyone else at Universal do,” they said. We can’t thank them enough for their support in the past and for their ongoing belief in Working Title.”
