 Logo used since 1994 | |
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film |
| Founded | August 1989; 36 years ago (August 1989) |
| Headquarters | Sydney, Australia Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
Key people | Mel Gibson Bruce Davey |
| Products | Motion pictures |
| Website | www |
Icon Productions, also formerly referred to asIcon Entertainment International, is an Australian-Americanproduction company founded in August 1989 by actor/directorMel Gibson and Australian producing partnerBruce Davey. Icon Productions LLC's headquarters were established inSanta Monica, California, before opening branches inSydney, Australia, and in the UK, and expanding into the business offilm distribution.
Between 2008 and 2009, the company's UK operations were sold toAccess Industries, and in March 2018, Icon Film Distribution UK was sold to Kaleidoscope Film Distribution UK. As of 2025[update], the parent company Dendy Icon Group in Australia, still held by Gibson and Davey, owns Icon Productions, Icon Film Distribution,Dendy Cinemas, and Icon Film Finance. There is also an Icon Productions office in Santa Monica, run by Vicki Christianson.
Icon started when Gibson was having trouble in financing his filmHamlet.[1] Gibson and Davey co-founded Icon Productions in August 1989[2][3] in order to fund the film.[4]
Gibson has explained that the company's name was chosen because icon means "image" in Greek, and that the inspiration came from a book on Russian icons in his den. The logo's artwork originally features a sketch ofMichael the Archangel in 1993, but now features a small crop of the mother's left eye from theTheotokos of Vladimiricon, anEastern Orthodox icon ofMary, mother of God.
Unlike most other independents, Icon financed most of its development and packaging costs internally, mainly by Gibson, allowing it to retain creative control of projects through production.[4][5]
In late 1996, New Zealand producerTimothy White became founding head of a co-production venture between Fox and Gibson,[6] called Fox-Icon, based atFox Studios Australia inSydney. The company failed to produce a single film, shutting down in December 1999.[7]
In August 1999, the UK division signed a home video deal withWarner Home Video.[8]
In 2000, Icon established afilm distribution company for in Sydney, Australia, headed by Mark Gooder. A UK subsidiary for distribution was also established. Gooder moved toLos Angeles (Santa Monica) in 2006 to manage production, acquisition, and distribution operations there.[9][10] After the financial success ofThe Passion of the Christ (2004), there was frequent mention of the ability of Icon to function as a mini-studio. However, Davey downplayed those expectations, saying, "The last thing we want is to become a studio. We don't want to become that top-heavy. We want to be independent and passionate. We don't want to lose the magic".[1]
Icon Productions owned a library of over 250 film titles.[11]
At the beginning of 2008, Icon was co-financing and co-selling the thrillerPush, withSummit Entertainment. It also had stakes inThe Black Balloon, an Australian drama starringToni Collette, and the horror comedyInfestation.[9]
In January 2008, Mark Gooder, then president of acquisitions and development, overseeing Icon Productions, Icon Entertainment International as well as the distribution companies in Australia and the UK, was appointed CEO in place of Davey. Gooder also became board member, along withCOO andCFO Vicki Christianson. Davey's role as CEO of Icon Productions ended on 1 January 2008, but he continued as chairman of the board.[9] Gooder managed Icon Productions' international sales and the UK distribution company from Los Angeles, at the same time running Icon in Australia.[10]
In February 2008, it was reported that screenwriterBenedict Fitzgerald was suing Mel Gibson, along with Vicki Christianson, Icon Productions, Icon Distribution, Marquis Films, and Airborne Productions, for defrauding him of millions of dollars, as well as incorrectly taking co-writing credit for the screenplay ofPassion of the Christ.[12] In May 2009, Gibson agreed to an undisclosed settlement with Fitzgerald. Details of the settlement, agreed atLos Angeles County Superior Court, were not released.[13]
In February 2008, Icon entered the exhibition business for the first time by purchasingDendy Cinemas, Australia's largest independent film distributor andart house cinema chain.[14]
In September 2008, Davey and Gibson started negotiations for the sale of the Icon international sales and film distribution arms along with the Majestic library. UK operations were sold to US-based industrial groupAccess Industries (founded byLeonard Blavatnik), with formerUK Film Council chairmanStewart Till as newCEO and equity holder in the business. The new company would continue to use the Icon name and would have a three-year first-look deal with Icon Productions to handle the international rights to its productions.[15][16] The sale was completed in November 2009. The deal included Icon's international sales company, the distribution operation based in the UK, and the Majestic Films & Television library, but not theLos Angeles operation Icon Productions LLC, which Gibson still owned outright with Davey, who relocated to Australia, the distribution operation based in Australia and theDendy Cinemas operation were also not part of the acquisition deal.[5]
In November 2011, Icon announced it was closing its UK distribution wing to focus on financing and producing films, withLionsgate UK taking over distribution and was said to be in talks to buy its back catalogue.[17] In late 2012, Icon Entertainment International re-acquired a majority of theProducers Sales Organization library fromLionsgate. In 2013, it was announced that Icon UK could get backing from film fund Prescience. Earlier, the unit hired Exclusive Media (later AMBI Group) to represent its library.[18] In September 2013, Icon Film Distribution UK was purchased by investment company New Sparta.[19]
In August 2012 Mark Gooder left Icon, after being appointed president of acquisitions and Australian operations forThe Weinstein Company.[10]
In September 2017, after a string ofbox-office bombs back in 2016, Icon Film Distribution UK was put up for sale by New Sparta. In March 2018, New Sparta sold Icon Film Distribution UK to Kaleidoscope Film Distribution.[20]
In 2017, Icon Productions LLC in the US sued the producer of their filmThe Professor and the Madman for breach of contract,[21] but on 19 June 2018, Judge Ruth Kwan of theLos Angeles County Superior Court did not allow this, saying that there was not enough evidence.[22]
The 2025 filmFlight Risk, athriller starringMark Wahlberg, is a co-production between Icon andDavis Entertainment Company. Gibson directed and co-produced the film along with Davey,John Davis, and John Fox.[23]
As of January 2025[update] the business registration of Icon Productions LLC in California shows its founding date as 29 May 1997. It lists an individual agent, Vicki Christianson, at 808 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 400, Santa Monica, Ca 90401.[24]
The 2008–2009 transaction did not include the Australian distribution company and cinemas,[25][26] which remained as Icon Film Distribution as of February 2019.[27]
The Australian arm became one of the leading independent distributors in Australia.[10]
As of January 2025[update], the Australian website states that the Dendy Icon Group, comprising Icon Productions, Icon Film Distribution,Dendy Cinemas, and Icon Film Finance, "focuses on quality feature films and alternative content within the Australian and New Zealand markets". The group is still owned by Gibson and Davey.[28]