WWE® STUDIOS AND WESLEY SNIPES’ MAANDI MEDIA DMM
SIGN MULTI-PICTURE DEAL
Partnership to Develop and Produce Elevated Branded Content
Los Angeles, Calif. (April 25, 2016) -
WWE Studios has entered into a multi-picture deal with Wesley Snipes,
and his Maandi Media DMM production banner, to develop and produce
elevated branded content. The recently announced film, TEMPLE, staring
Snipes, Anne Heche, Dave Annable and WWE Superstar Seth Rollins®,
which is currently in production, is the first picture under the
partnership. It is anticipated that the second picture under the deal
will go into production later this year.
“We
are always looking for the ideal talent to extend our brand and Wesley
is the right combination of action movie star and savvy producer," said
Michael Luisi, President of WWE Studios. “We look forward to creating
exciting new content with the perfect partner.”
“The
action genre has been a very big and important part of my career. There
is no better way to extend my love for dynamic action based
entertainment than with a company like WWE, who have been entertaining
fans for decades with incredible visuals and deliciously entertaining
storylines,” commented Snipes. “Maandi strives to create elevated
multi-media content that appeals to all demographics worldwide - from
childhood fan to feature film collaborators. Wow, sooo cool! We are
all incredibly excited to share visions.”
WWE
Studios will be handling worldwide rights and will leverage WWE’s
extensive platforms – including weekly TV shows, digital and social
media and WWE Network.
Bradley Buchanan handled negotiations on behalf of WWE Studios.
ABOUT WWE STUDIOS
WWE
Studios develops and produces feature films, as well as television and
digital content. Its diverse slate is released theatrically, direct to
home, and/or across digital platforms, and is co-produced &
distributed through partnerships with premier global entertainment
companies. WWE’s film division, led by President Michael Luisi, is
headquartered in Santa Monica, CA. WWE® Studios recently launched genre
label EREBUS PICTURES with KISS Icon Gene Simmons. Films from WWE®
Studios include The Call with Halle Berry and WWE Superstar David
Otunga®, Oculus directed by Mike Flanagan starring Karen Gillan and
Katee Sackhoff, and Dead Man Down with Colin Farrell and WWE Superstar
Wade Barrett®. Upcoming films from WWE® Studios include Incarnate
starring Aaron Eckhart and featuring WWE Superstar Mark Henry®,
Brother’s Blood starring Trey Songz and WWE Superstar R-Truth, Killing
Hasselhoff starring Ken Jeong and David Hasselhoff, and The Resurrection
of Gavin Stone starring Brett Dalton, Anjelah Johnson-Reyes and WWE
Legend Shawn Michaels®.
ABOUT MAANDI MEDIA DMM
Snipes’
Maandi Media is currently working with a group of artists and content
producers on cross-cultural I.P. for a worldwide audience. The
production banner most recently inked a first-look deal with Sony
Pictures Television to develop and produce a diverse slate of projects
that appeal to his international audience.
Snipes
most recently joined the starring ensemble cast of Temple, the feature
thriller from Erebus Pictures and WWE Studios. Gene Simmons, Anne
Heche, Dave Annable and WWE superstar Seth Rollins round out the cast
whose story centers on a team of trained operatives who find themselves
trapped inside an isolated military compound after its artificial
intelligence is suddenly shut down. His numerous notable credits
include the critically acclaimed Spike Lee Joint, Chi Raq -- opposite
Sam Jackson, Teyonah Paris, Dave Chappelle and John Cusak, the Blade
trilogy of movies, New Jack City, Waiting To Exhale, Too Wong Foo Thanks
For Everything Julie Newmar, White Men Can’t Jump, Murder at 1600 and
One Night Stand. Snipes and Maandi Media are repped by APA.
ABOUT WWE
WWE,
a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media
organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company
consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original
content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family
friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view,
digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming reaches more
than 650 million homes worldwide in 25 languages. WWE Network, the
first-ever 24/7 over-the-top premium network that includes all live
pay-per-views, scheduled programming and a massive video-on-demand
library, is currently available in more than 180 countries. The company
is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los
Angeles, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Dubai, Munich
and Tokyo.
Forward-Looking Statements:
This
press release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe
harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which
are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and
uncertainties include, without limitation, risks relating to: WWE
Network; major distribution agreements; our need to continue to develop
creative and entertaining programs and events; the possibility of a
decline in the popularity of our brand of sports entertainment; the
continued importance of key performers and the services of Vincent K.
McMahon; possible adverse changes in the regulatory atmosphere and
related private sector initiatives; the highly competitive, rapidly
changing and increasingly fragmented nature of the markets in which we
operate and greater financial resources or marketplace presence of many
of our competitors; uncertainties associated with international markets;
our difficulty or inability to promote and conduct our live events
and/or other businesses if we do not comply with applicable regulations;
our dependence on our intellectual property rights, our need to protect
those rights, and the risks of our infringement of others’ intellectual
property rights; the complexity of our rights agreements across
distribution mechanisms and geographical areas; potential substantial
liability in the event of accidents or injuries occurring during our
physically demanding events including, without limitation, claims
relating to CTE; large public events as well as travel to and from such
events; our feature film business, including anticipated release, marketing or involved talent for upcoming titles and productions;
our expansion into new or complementary businesses and/or strategic
investments; our computer systems and online operations; a possible
decline in general economic conditions and disruption in financial
markets; our accounts receivable; our revolving credit facility;
litigation; our potential failure to meet market expectations for our
financial performance, which could adversely affect our stock; Vincent
K. McMahon exercises control over our affairs, and his interests may
conflict with the holders of our Class A common stock; a substantial
number of shares are eligible for sale by the McMahons and the sale, or
the perception of possible sales, of those shares could lower our stock
price; and the relatively small public “float” of our Class A common
stock. In addition, our dividend is dependent on a number of factors,
including, among other things, our liquidity and historical and
projected cash flow, strategic plan (including alternative uses of
capital), our financial results and condition, contractual and legal
restrictions on the payment of dividends (including under our revolving
credit facility), general economic and competitive conditions and such
other factors as our Board of Directors may consider relevant.
Forward-looking statements made by the Company speak only as of the date
made and are subject to change without any obligation on the part of
the Company to update or revise them. Undue reliance should not be
placed on these statements. For more information about risks and
uncertainties associated with the Company’s business, please refer to
the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and
Results of Operations” and “Risk Factors” sections of the Company’s SEC
filings, including, but not limited to, our annual report on Form 10-K
and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.
LOS ANGELES, April 26, 2016 – Wizard World, Inc. today announced the appointment of John D. Maatta as its President and Chief Executive Officer. Wizard
World is the leading producer in North America of events and comic
conventions that celebrate the very best of pop culture, celebrity, movies, TV shows, gaming, technology and live music. 
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