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MRC (company)

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MRC II Distribution Company, L.P.
MRC
FormerlyMedia Rights Capital (2006–2013)
Company typePrivate
IndustryFilm
Television
Founded2006; 18 years ago (2006)
FoundersModi Wiczyk
Asif Satchu
Headquarters9601 Wilshire Boulevard, ,
U.S.
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Modi Wiczyk (co-CEO and co-chairman)
Asif Satchu (co-CEO and co-chairman)
Scott Tenley (COO)
OwnerEldridge Industries (minority)
Websitewww.mrcentertainment.com
Footnotes / references
[1]

MRC II Distribution Company, L.P.,[2] doing business as MRC (formerly Media Rights Capital), is an American film and television studio. Founded by Mordecai (Modi) Wiczyk and Asif Satchu, the company funds and produces film and television programming.

The company's divisions include MRC Film, MRC Non-Fiction, and MRC Television. In 2018, the company merged with Todd Boehly's media assets under Valence Media, with the company as a whole taking on the MRC name in 2020; this included Dick Clark Productions (briefly known as MRC Live & Alternative), audience data firm Luminate (the former Nielsen SoundScan), and the entertainment industry publications Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter. Boehly (through Eldridge Industries) re-acquired most of these assets in August 2022.

Productions by the company have included the Netflix series House of Cards and Ozark, and the films Baby Driver, Knives Out, and Ted.

History

Early history

MRC was founded by Modi Wiczyk and Asif Satchu in 2006.[3] Its early investors included Guggenheim Partners, AT&T, WPP Group, Goldman Sachs and ABRY Partners.[4][5] In 2007, it funded filmmakers such as Robert Rodriguez, Ricky Gervais, Walter Salles, Ryan Murphy, Richard Kelly, Bennett Miller and Todd Field.[6] The same year, it entered into an agreement with Warner Bros. Pictures to allow Warner to distribute three of the eight pictures over a $250 million feature production funding.[7] MRC launched a television division of the studio in early 2008.[8]

In 2008, The CW leased its Sunday-night schedule to MRC beginning in the 2008-09 television season. MRC scheduled the reality show In Harm's Way and the dramas Valentine and Easy Money.[9] In November 2008, after all four shows drew poor viewership, The CW announced that it would withdraw from the agreement.[10] The network returned the Sunday timeslots to its affiliates in the 2009–10 season.[11] In 2010, MRC made a bid to buy Focus Features from NBCUniversal but was unable to close the deal. That same year, MRC struck a 5-year, 20-picture distribution deal with Universal Pictures.[12] After acquiring rights to produce a U.S. remake of the BBC miniseries House of Cards, MRC would sell the series to the streaming service Netflix in 2011.[13][14][15]

On February 1, 2018, Eldridge Industries, a holding company owned by former Guggenheim Partners president Todd Boehly, announced that it would contribute its media assets — including The Hollywood Reporter, Dick Clark Productions, and Billboard, and merge them with MRC into a new company known as Valence Media.[16] In October 2018, MRC formed a joint venture with United Talent Agency known as Civic Center Media, which seeks to back projects involving its members via MRC.[17][18]

2019–2022: Valence Media and PMRC

In December 2019, Valence Media acquired Nielsen Holdings' music data business, with the division being rebranded as MRC Data.[19]

In 2020, Valence Media rebranded as MRC.[20]

On September 23, 2020, it was announced that Penske Media Corporation, owner of The Hollywood Reporter's main competitor Variety, would assume operations of the MRC Media & Info publications under a joint venture with MRC known as PMRC. In turn, MRC will form a second joint venture that will develop content tied to PMRC publications.[21]

In September 2021, former E! president Adam Stotsky became the new president of MRC Live & Alternative, replacing the outgoing Amy Thurlow. At this time, Dick Clark Productions was folded into MRC Live & Alternative and discontinued as a brand.[22]

2022–present: Unwinding of the Valence merger

In August 2022, Eldridge agreed with Wiczyk and Satchu to divide MRC's assets, effectively undoing the 2018 Valence Media merger. Eldridge re-acquired the company's live and alternative division (which resumed business as Dick Clark Productions), as well as MRC's share of the PMRC joint venture, Luminate (the former MRC Data), and investments in studios including A24 and Fulwell 73. The remaining MRC entity, in which Eldridge will retain a minority stake, will retain its scripted film and TV production entity as well as investments in Civic Center Media and T-Street Productions.[23] Wiczyk and Satchu became chairmen of the company in 2023.[24]

SpinMedia

SpinMedia (formerly Buzz Media) was an American digital publisher that owned a number of pop culture websites, including Spin, Stereogum, Vibe, and The Frisky.[25] It was founded in 1999 by Anthony Batt , Marc Brown, Kevin Woolery, and Steve Haldane under the name Buzznet,[26] and by 2006, Buzznet had a total of nine employees in the Los Angeles, California, area.[26] The Buzz Media name was created as the company started to acquire more pop-culture and music blogs.

The company acquired Spin Media, publisher of Spin magazine, in July 2012.[27] After shutting down the print version of the magazine, reducing its staff to about 200, and focusing on advertising, it rebranded itself as SpinMedia in March 2013.[28] At that time, Steve Hansen became its chief executive.[28] In April 2013, it acquired Vibe magazine.[29][30]

In 2014, M/C Partners became the primary owner of SpinMedia after an assignment for benefit of creditors.[31] That year, Buzz Media had also acquired music sites Property of Zack, AbsolutePunk.net, Under The Gun Review, and Punknews.org.[32]

In September 2016, SpinMedia sold Buzznet, Idolator, and PureVolume to startup corporation Hive Media.[33] In December of that year, Eldridge Industries acquired Spin, Vibe, Stereogum, and Death and Taxes via the Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group for an undisclosed amount, making Billboard the world's largest music brand in terms of digital traffic and audience share.[34][35] Celebuzz, The Frisky, and The Superficial were sold to CPX Interactive.[36][better source needed] In January 2020, Spin and Stereogum were sold to Next Management Partners and the site's management, respectively, as part of a larger focus on Vibe and a music data business.[37]

Filmography

Films projects

Films produced or co-financed by MRC have included:

Year Film Details
Director(s) Production companie(s) Distributor(s) Budget Gross
2006 Babel[38] Alejandro González Iñárritu Paramount Vantage
Anonymous Content
Zeta Film
Central Films
Paramount Pictures (English-speaking territories and Latin America)
StudioCanal (France)
Summit Entertainment (International)
$25 million $135.3 million
2008 Linha de Passe Walter Salles
Daniela Thomas
Universal Pictures
2009 Brüno Larry Charles Four by Two Films
Everyman Pictures
$42 million $138.8 million
Shorts Robert Rodriguez Imagenation Abu Dhabi
Troublemaker Studios
Warner Bros. Pictures $20 million $29 million
The Invention of Lying Ricky Gervais
Matthew Robinson
Radar Pictures
Lynda Obst Productions
Warner Bros. Pictures (United States)
Focus Features (International)
$18.5 million $32.7 million
The Box Richard Kelly Radar Pictures Warner Bros. Pictures (North America)
The Weinstein Company (International)
$30 million $33.3 million
2010 Devil John Erick Dowdle The Night Chronicles Universal Pictures $10 million $62.6 million
2011 The Adjustment Bureau[38] George Nolfi Gambit Pictures
Electric Shepherd Productions
$62 million $127.8 million
30 Minutes or Less Ruben Fleischer Columbia Pictures
Red Hour Productions
Sony Pictures Releasing $28 million $40.7 million
2012 Ted[38] Seth MacFarlane Fuzzy Door Productions
Bluegrass Films
Smart Entertainment
Universal Pictures $50–65 million $549.4 million
2013 Elysium Neill Blomkamp TriStar Pictures
QED International
Alphacore
Kinberg Genre
Sony Pictures Releasing $115 million $286.1 million
2014 A Million Ways to Die in the West Seth MacFarlane Fuzzy Door Productions
Bluegrass Films
Universal Pictures $40 million $87.2 million
22 Jump Street[39] Phil Lord
Christopher Miller
Columbia Pictures
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
LStar Capital
Original Film
Cannell Studios
Storyville
75 Year Plan Productions
Sony Pictures Releasing $50–84.5 million $331.3 million
Think Like a Man Too Tim Story Screen Gems
Will Packer Productions
$24 million $70.2 million
Sex Tape Jake Kasdan Columbia Pictures
LStar Capital
Escape Artists
$40 million $126.3 million
2015 Chappie Neill Blomkamp Columbia Pictures
LStar Capital
Kinberg Genre
$49 million $102.1 million
Furious 7 James Wan Original Film
One Race Films
China Film Co., Ltd.
Universal Pictures $190 million $1.515 billion
Ted 2 Seth MacFarlane Fuzzy Door Productions
Bluegrass Films
$68 million $215.9 million
Hotel Transylvania 2 Genndy Tartakovsky Columbia Pictures
Sony Pictures Animation
LStar Capital
Sony Pictures Releasing $80 million $474.8 million
2017 Baby Driver Edgar Wright TriStar Pictures
Big Talk Productions
Working Title Films
$34 million $226.9 million
The Dark Tower Nikolaj Arcel Columbia Pictures
Imagine Entertainment
Weed Road Pictures
$66 million $113.2 million
2018 Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation Genndy Tartakovsky Columbia Pictures
Sony Pictures Animation
$65–80 million $528.6 million
Mortal Engines Christian Rivers Scholastic Entertainment
Silvertongue Films
Perfect World Pictures
WingNut Films
Universal Pictures $100–150 million $83.7 million
2019 Dora and the Lost City of Gold James Bobin Paramount Players
Nickelodeon Movies
Walden Media
Burr! Productions
Paramount Pictures $49 million $120.6 million
Knives Out Rian Johnson T-Street Productions
Ram Bergman Productions
Lionsgate $40 million $312.9 million
2020 The Lovebirds Michael Showalter Paramount Pictures
3 Arts Entertainment
Quinn's House
Netflix $16 million
2021 The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run[40] Tim Hill Paramount Animation
Nickelodeon Movies
United Plankton Pictures
Paramount Pictures (Canada and China)
Paramount+ (United States)
Netflix (International)
$60 million $4.8 million
The Sparks Brothers[41] Edgar Wright Complete Fiction Pictures Focus Features $1.2 million
Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway[40] Will Gluck Columbia Pictures
Animal Logic
2.0 Entertainment
Olive Bridge Entertainment
Sony Pictures Releasing $45 million $154 million
2022 Hotel Transylvania: Transformania Derek Drymon
Jennifer Kluska
Columbia Pictures
Sony Pictures Animation
Amazon Studios (worldwide)
Sony Pictures Releasing (China)
$75 million $18.5 million
Jerry & Marge Go Large David Frankel Paramount Players
Levantine Films
Paramount+
Persuasion[42] Carrie Cracknell Bisous Pictures
Mad Chance
Fourth and Twenty Eight Films
Netflix
The Last Rider Alex Holmes New Black Films Roadside Attractions (United States and Canada)
Dogwoof (International)
$253,770
2023 The Blackening Tim Story The Story Company
Tracy Yvonne Productions
Artists First
Catchlight Studios
Lionsgate $5 million $18.6 million
Fair Play Chloe Domont T-Street
Star Thrower Entertainment
Netflix
Milli Vanilli Luke Korem MTV Entertainment Studios
Keep on Running Pictures
Paramount+
Self Reliance Jake Johnson Clown Show
Lonely Island Classics
Walcott Productions
Hulu
Neon
Saltburn Emerald Fennell Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Lie Still
LuckyChap Entertainment
Amazon MGM Studios (United States)
Warner Bros. Pictures (United Kingdom/Ireland)
$21.1 million
American Fiction Cord Jefferson T-Street
Almost Infinite
3 Arts Entertainment
Orion Pictures(through Amazon MGM Studios) $10 million $23 million
The Contestant Clair Titley Misfits Entertainment Hulu
2024 The Greatest Night in Pop Bao Nguyen Republic Pictures
Dorothy Street Pictures
MakeMake Entertainment
Netflix
Snack Shack Adam Carter Rehmeier Paperclip Limited
T-Street
Republic Pictures $4.5 million $455,708

Television projects

Year Show Details
Creator(s) Production companie(s) Network(s) Season(s) Episodes
2008–09 Seth MacFarlane's Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy Seth MacFarlane Fuzzy Door Productions
Main Street Pictures
YouTube 1 50
2008–12 The Life & Times of Tim Steve Dildarian HBO Entertainment
Insane Loon Productions
Warner Bros. Television
HBO 3 30
2008 In Harm's Way Craig Piligian Pilgrim Studios The CW 1 8
2008–09 Valentine Kevin Murphy Five & Dime Productions 1 8
2008–09 Easy Money Diane Frolov
Andrew Schneider
Hat Trick Productions 1 8
2008–09 Rita Rocks James Berg
Stan Zimmerman
Zimmerman-Berg
Lifetime Television
Lifetime 2 40
2009 Surviving Suburbia Kevin Abbott Acme Productions
NestEgg Productions
ABC 1 13
2009 Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire Peter A. Knight
Developed by: Peter A. Knight and Brad Johnson
Hat Trick Productions
Watson Pond Productions
Comedy Central (U.S.)
BBC Two / BBC HD (UK)
1 6
2009 The Goode Family Mike Judge
John Altschuler
Dave Krinsky
Ternion Pictures
3 Arts Entertainment
Judgemental Films
ABC 1 13
2009–10 Shaq Vs. Dick Clark Productions 2 10
2010–12 The Ricky Gervais Show Ricky Gervais
Stephen Merchant
Karl Pilkington
WildBrain Entertainment
HBO Entertainment
HBO (U.S.)
Channel 4/E4 (United Kingdom)
3 39
2011–12 How to Be a Gentleman David Hornsby CBS Productions CBS 1 9
2013–18 House of Cards Beau Willimon Trigger Street Productions
Wade/Thomas Productions
Knight Takes King Productions
Netflix 6 73
2015–16 Blunt Talk Jonathan Ames The Herring Wonder
Fuzzy Door Productions
Starz 2 20
2017–22 Ozark Bill Dubuque
Mark Williams
Aggregate Films
Zero Gravity Management
Headhunter Films
Man, Woman & Child Productions
Netflix 4 44
2017–19 Counterpart[43] Justin Marks Gilbert Films
Anonymous Content
Gate 34
Studio Babelsberg
Starz Originals
Starz 2 20
2020 The Outsider The Outsider
by Stephen King
Developed by: Richard Price
Aggregate Films
Temple Hill Entertainment
Pieface Inc.
Civic Center Media
HBO 1 10
2020–23 The Great Tony McNamara Thruline Entertainment
Echo Lake Entertainment
Lewellen Pictures
Macgowan Films
Piggy Ate Roast Beef Productions
Civic Center Media
Hulu 3 30
2021 The Shrink Next Door The Shrink Next Door
by Joe Nocera
Developed by: Georgia Pritchett
Gloria Sanchez Productions
Buckaroo
Small Mammal Productions
Semi-Formal Productions
Bloomberg Media
Wondery
Civic Center Media
Apple TV+ 1 8
2022 Shining Girls Silka Luisa Love & Squalor Pictures
Michelle MacLaren Entertainment
Appian Way Productions
1 8
2022 So You Think You Can Dance Simon Fuller
Nigel Lythgoe
Developed by: Simon Fuller
19 Entertainment
Dick Clark Productions
Fox 18 312
2022–present The Terminal List David DiGilio Amazon MGM Studios
Indivisible Productions
Fuqua Films
DiGilio Films
Civic Center Media
Amazon Prime Video 1 8
2023–present Poker Face Rian Johnson Animal Pictures
T-Street
Peacock 1 10
2023 Hello Tomorrow! Amit Bhalla
Lucas Jansen
Mortal Media
Froward Enterprise
Ceremony Pictures
Hooptie Filmed Entertainment
Apple Studios
Apple TV+ 1 10
2024–present Ted Seth MacFarlane Fuzzy Door Productions
Universal Content Productions
Peacock 1 7
2024 Time Bandits Jemaine Clement
Iain Morris
Taika Waititi
Waititi
Two Canoes Pictures
Anonymous Content
HandMade Films
Paramount Television Studios
Apple TV+ 1 10

References

  1. ^ "About MRC". Media Rights Capital. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  2. ^ "MRC II DISTRIBUTION COMPANY, L.P." OpenCorporates. November 30, 2006. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  3. ^ "Media Rights Capital Duo to Lead Revamped Hollywood Reporter Parent Company". The Hollywood Reporter. February 1, 2018. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  4. ^ Bond, Paul (February 13, 2013). "Media Rights Capital Raises $175 Million to Co-Finance Movies". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  5. ^ Shaw, Lucas (May 6, 2014). "Guggenheim Invests $240 Million in 'House of Cards' Producer Media Rights Capital". The Wrap. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  6. ^ Fleming, Michael (September 5, 2007). "Media Rights to fund top directors". Variety. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  7. ^ Thielman, Sam; Garrett, Diane (December 5, 2007). "Media Rights Capital, WB pact". Variety. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  8. ^ Fleming, Michael (May 6, 2008). "Metzger moves to Media Rights". Variety. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  9. ^ "MRC Unveils Four Shows for CW Sunday". zap2it.com. Archived from the original on May 29, 2008. Retrieved August 29, 2008.
  10. ^ Carter, Bill (November 20, 2008). "CW Says It Is Retaking Control of Its Sunday TV Lineup". The New York Times.
  11. ^ de Morales, Lisa (May 21, 2009). "For Fall, CW Brings On the Suds -- and Vampires". The Washington Post.
  12. ^ Waxman, Sharon (May 27, 2010). "Universal Strikes 5-Year Deal to Distribute MRC Films". The Wrap. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  13. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 15, 2011). "Netflix To Enter Original Programming With Mega Deal For David Fincher-Kevin Spacey Series 'House of Cards'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 16, 2011. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
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  16. ^ Andrew Wallenstein (February 1, 2018). "Media Rights Capital, Dick Clark Prods., THR-Billboard Combine Company". Variety. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  17. ^ Hipes, Patrick (October 10, 2018). "UTA Teams With MRC On TV Studio Joint Venture Dubbed Civic Center Media". Deadline. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  18. ^ Ng, David (October 10, 2018). "United Talent Agency jumps into TV production in deal with studio behind 'House of Cards'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
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  22. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (September 12, 2021). "Adam Stotsky Named President Of MRC Live & Alternative As Dick Clark Prods. Name Is Phased Out". Deadline. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  23. ^ Earl, William (August 5, 2022). "MRC Chiefs Modi Wiczyk and Asif Satchu Part Ways With Eldridge, PMRC Joint Venture". Variety. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  24. ^ "MRC Names Jenna Santoianni Head of TV as Elise Henderson Exits". March 7, 2023.
  25. ^ "BUZZMEDIA Acquires Top Women's Entertainment & Lifestyle Website The Frisky from Turner Broadcasting". Reuters. February 11, 2011. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  26. ^ a b Ben Kuo (May 10, 2006). "Interview with Anthony Batt, Co-Founder, Buzznet". SoCal Tech" High Tech News and Information for Southern California. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  27. ^ "BUZZMEDIA Buys Spin". SoCal Tech" High Tech News and Information for Southern California. July 10, 2012. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  28. ^ a b "Buzzmedia Rebrands Itself SpinMedia". Billboard. March 25, 2013. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  29. ^ "Vibe Magazine Purchased by SpinMedia, Will Probably Go Online-Only". Billboard. April 25, 2013. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  30. ^ Sisario, Ben (April 25, 2013). "Vibe Magazine Is Sold and Likely to Become Online Only". The New York Times. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  31. ^ "SpinMedia LLC Acquired By New Investors as SpinMedia Group Receives $10M" (Text). Billboard. February 3, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
  32. ^ Bruce Houghton (August 27, 2012). "Fresh Off Spin Magazine Purchase, BUZZMEDIA Buys 4 Top Punk Rock Sites". Retrieved August 27, 2012.
  33. ^ Rys, Dan (September 21, 2016). "SpinMedia Sells Idolator, Buzznet & PureVolume to Hive Media". Billboard. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  34. ^ "The Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group Acquires SpinMedia's Music Brands, Including SPIN, VIBE, and Stereogum". Spin. December 22, 2016. Retrieved December 10, 2020.
  35. ^ "Billboard Buys Spin and Vibe in a Quest to 'Own the Topic of Music Online'". Adweek. December 22, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  36. ^ "More SpinMedia sites sold (RIP SpinMedia)". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
  37. ^ "Billboard-The Hollywood Reporter Media Group Sells Spin, Agreement in Place for Sale of Stereogum". Billboard. January 16, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  38. ^ a b c McClintock, Pamela (September 20, 2011). "Media Rights Capital Closes Five-Year $350 Million Credit Facility". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
  39. ^ "22 Jump Street". mrcstudios.com. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  40. ^ a b Goldsmith, Jill (July 22, 2020). "THR Parent Valence Media Rebrands As MRC". Deadline. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  41. ^ Debruge, Peter (December 15, 2020). "Sundance Film Festival Lineup Features 38 First-Time Directors, Including Rebecca Hall and Robin Wright". Variety. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  42. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 20, 2021). "Dakota Johnson Set To Star In Netflix & MRC Film's Jane Austen Update 'Persuasion'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  43. ^ "JK Simmons To Star In Starz Drama Series From 'The Imitation Game' Director". Deadline Hollywood. April 22, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2015.