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| Spyglass Media Group | |
| Formerly | Spyglass Entertainment (1998–2012) |
| Company type | Joint venture |
| Industry | |
| Predecessors | Caravan Pictures The Weinstein Company Dimension Films (post-2005) |
| Founded | August 21, 1998; 27 years ago (1998-08-21) (original) March 13, 2019; 6 years ago (2019-03-13) (relaunch) |
| Founders | Gary Barber (original and relaunch) Roger Birnbaum (original) |
| Defunct | February 10, 2012; 13 years ago (2012-02-10) (original) |
| Headquarters | Century City,, United States[1] |
Key people | |
| Products | |
| Owners |
|
| Subsidiaries | Artists Road (minority) |
| Website | spyglassmediagroup.com |
Spyglass Media Group, LLC is an American independentfilm andtelevision production andfinance company based inLos Angeles,California.
The company was founded byGary Barber andRoger Birnbaum on August 21, 1998, asSpyglass Entertainment and became dormant on February 10, 2012. In the wake of thesexual abuse allegations that involved formerThe Weinstein Company chairmanHarvey Weinstein, Spyglass was relaunched on March 13, 2019 in conjunction withLantern Entertainment.
On August 21, 1998,Gary Barber, former vice chairman and CEO ofMorgan Creek Productions, together withRoger Birnbaum, co-founder and former head ofCaravan Pictures, founded Spyglass Entertainment. The startup company signed a five-year distribution agreement with theWalt Disney Studios, which took anequity stake.
Birnbaum previously left Caravan at the prompting of then Disney studio chiefJoe Roth; with Disney cutting its yearly production output, Roth recommended forming a self-financing production firm similar toNew Regency Productions. After Caravan's remaining three films were released, Caravan went inactive.
Its slate of film projects and an initial financial advance of $10 million to $20 million against future overages were also contributed by Disney.[5] Spyglass's operations were formed and based at theDisney lot in Burbank.
On October 29, 1998, European media conglomeratesKirch Group andMediaset invested in theatrical, video and television distribution rights to between 15 and 25 films in Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland and the former Soviet Union for over five years.[6]M. Night Shyamalan'sThe Sixth Sense (released 1999), Spyglass's second film afterInstinct, grossed $661 million at the global box office.[7]
By May 23, 2000, Disney took a 10% equity stake in Spyglass, along withSvensk Filmindustri of Scandinavia andLusomundo of Portugal.[8][9] On March 7, 2003, Spyglass Entertainment agreed to a four-year distribution output deal withVillage Roadshow for Australia, New Zealand and Greece.[10]
On August 6, 2002, Spyglass Entertainment launched a television division, and it was focused on small screen projects. One of its projects was the short-lived seriesMiracles.[11] That same year, it attempted to merge with smaller independent distributorIntermedia, but it failed.[12]
In December 2003, Spyglass ended its deal with Disney and agreed to a four-year first-look non-exclusive co-financing and production deal withDreamWorks. This deal was never finalized and the relationship was not working well. Thus on September 23, 2003, Spyglass instead made a similar deal withSony Pictures. Spyglass did not move to the Sony lot, but to Murdoch Plaza inWestwood, Los Angeles.[7]
On March 25, 2010, Spyglass was acquired byCerberus Capital Management.[13]
On December 20, 2010,Gary Barber andRoger Birnbaum became co-chairmen and CEOs of theholding company ofMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), which had at that time recently emerged from bankruptcy. The original plan had the Spyglass library being added to MGM, but it was later removed from the plan.[14]
On March 13, 2019, Barber andLantern Entertainment revived the company as Spyglass Media Group, bringing in Eagle Pictures andCineworld as investors. Lantern made a majority investment and also transferred its film library and rights toMiramax film sequels to the Spyglass. Barber owns the Spyglass trademark and the sequel and remake rights to the old Spyglass library, which he has contributed. The company plans to produce content for all platforms.[1][15] Spyglass closed the former Lantern Entertainment/TWC office in New York City while laying off 15 staff members across divisions.[16] Unlike Spyglass Entertainment, Birnbaum is not the co-founder of Spyglass Media Group (though Birnbaum served as the producer ofEli Roth'sThanksgiving (released 2023)).
On April 1, 2019, Lauren Whitney, the president of television for Miramax, took on the same position for Spyglass.[2] Damien Marin followed Barber from MGM to be appointed Spyglass president of worldwide distribution and acquisitions on September 3, 2019.[3]
On April 16, 2019,Warner Bros. bought an equity stake in Spyglass, which signed afirst-look deal with the studio.[17] Spyglass was involved on August 1, 2019, in a potential purchase of part of Miramax but dropped out in two weeks.[18][19]
Spyglass's first greenlit film since its revival is a revival of theHellraiser franchise, which is announced on May 6, 2019.[20] With the company winning the rights toStephen King'sThe Institute book in November 2019,Jack Bender and David E. Kelley were paired to development and produce the book as a mini-series. Also, Bender was signed by Spyglass to a television first-look deal.[21]
MGM President of Physical Production Peter Oillataguerre was appointed President of Production for Spyglass Media Group reporting to Barber. He left in September 2023 forAmazon MGM Studios.[22]
On October 28, 2020, Spyglass teamed up with Propagate Content, Artists First and Off-Road Productions to form a new comedy joint-venture Artists Road, and it focuses on financing and producing mid-budgeted commercial comedy movies.[23]
On July 15, 2021,Lionsgate acquired 200 films fromThe Weinstein Company (TWC)'s film library for $191.4 million, which until then had been owned by Spyglass, with Lionsgate getting an 18.9% equity stake in Spyglass and Spyglass getting a first look television deal withLionsgate Television.[4][24]
In November 2023, Spyglass firedMelissa Barrera fromScream 7, as she showed support toPalestinians caught in theGaza war, and their allegations that posts she made in support were antisemitic.[25][26] Her co-starJenna Ortega departed the film shortly after due to what was claimed at the time to be scheduling conflicts withWednesday.[27] Ortega refuted that in an April 2025 interview withThe Cut, stating the departure of Barrera, along with directorsMatt Bettinelli-Olpin andTyler Gillett, then new directorChristopher Landon due to conflicts with Spyglass's retooling ofScream 7, made her return untenable.[28][29] The film was then completely overhauled and recast withNeve Campbell returning as the film's lead.[30]
| Title | Release date | Distributor | Notes | Budget | Gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instinct | June 4, 1999 | Buena Vista Pictures | Released through Disney labelTouchstone Pictures; co-production with Barbara Boyle/Michael Taylor Productions; first film | $80 million | $34.1 million |
| The Sixth Sense | August 6, 1999 | Released through Disney labelHollywood Pictures; co-production withThe Kennedy/Marshall Company andBarry Mendel Productions | $40 million | $672.8 million | |
| The Insider | November 5, 1999 | Released through Disney label Touchstone Pictures; co-production withForward Pass andEric Roth Productions | $68 million | $60.2 million |
| Title | Release date | Distributor | Notes | Budget | Gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mission to Mars | March 10, 2000 | Buena Vista Pictures | Released through Disney labelTouchstone Pictures; co-production with Jacobson Company | $100 million | $111 million |
| Keeping the Faith | April 14, 2000 | Released through Disney label Touchstone Pictures; co-production withBirnbaum/Barber Productions,Koch Co.,Blumberg/Norton Productions and Triple Threat Talent | $29 million | $59.9 million | |
| Shanghai Noon | May 26, 2000 | Released through Disney label Touchstone Pictures; co-production withBirnbaum/Barber Productions andJackie Chan Films Ltd. | $55 million | $100.5 million | |
| Out Cold | November 21, 2001 | Released through Disney label Touchstone Pictures; co-production withBirnbaum/Barber Productions andThe Donners' Company | $24 million | $14.8 million | |
| The Count of Monte Cristo | January 25, 2002 | Released through Disney label Touchstone Pictures; co-production withBirnbaum/Barber Productions | $35 million | $75.4 million | |
| Dragonfly | February 22, 2002 | Universal Pictures | co-production withGran Via Productions andShady Acres Entertainment; international distribution throughBuena Vista International | $60 million | $52.3 million |
| Reign of Fire | July 12, 2002 | Buena Vista Pictures | Released through Disney label Touchstone Pictures; co-production withBirnbaum/Barber Productions andThe Zanuck Company | $60 million | $82.2 million |
| Abandon | October 18, 2002 | Paramount Pictures | co-production withLynda Obst Productions; international distribution through Buena Vista International | $25 million | $12.3 million |
| The Recruit | January 31, 2003 | Buena Vista Pictures | Released through Disney label Touchstone Pictures; co-production withBirnbaum/Barber Productions and Epsilon Motion Pictures | $46 million | $101.2 million |
| Shanghai Knights | February 7, 2003 | Released through Disney label Touchstone Pictures; co-production withBirnbaum/Barber Productions andJackie Chan Films Ltd. | $50 million | $88.3 million | |
| Bruce Almighty | May 23, 2003 | Universal Pictures | co-production withShady Acres Entertainment andPit Bull Productions; international distribution through Buena Vista International | $81 million | $484.6 million |
| Seabiscuit | July 25, 2003 | co-production withDreamWorks Pictures,The Kennedy/Marshall Company andLarger Than Life Productions; international distribution through Buena Vista International | $87 million | $148.3 million | |
| The Perfect Score | January 30, 2004 | Paramount Pictures | uncredited; co-production withMTV Films andTollin/Robbins Productions | N/A | $10.5 million |
| Connie and Carla | April 16, 2004 | Universal Pictures | co-production withBirnbaum/Barber Productions | $27 million | $11.3 million |
| Mr. 3000 | September 17, 2004 | Buena Vista Pictures | Released through Disney label Touchstone Pictures; co-production withDimension Films,Birnbaum/Barber Productions andThe Kennedy/Marshall Company | $30 million | $21.8 million |
| The Pacifier | March 4, 2005 | Released through Disney labelWalt Disney Pictures; co-production withBirnbaum/Barber Productions | $56 million | $198.6 million | |
| The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | April 29, 2005 | Released through Disney label Touchstone Pictures; co-production withBirnbaum/Barber Productions,Hammer & Tongs andEveryman Pictures | $45–50 million | $104.5 million | |
| Crazy Monkey Presents Straight Outta Benoni | September 30, 2005 | Sony Pictures Releasing | co-distribution with Sony labelTriStar Pictures; co-production with Ster-Kinekor Pictures | $345,949 | |
| The Legend of Zorro | October 28, 2005 | Released through Sony labelColumbia Pictures; co-production withAmblin Entertainment andParkes/MacDonald Productions | $65 million | $142.4 million | |
| Memoirs of a Geisha | December 9, 2005 | Released through Sony label Columbia Pictures; co-production withDreamWorks Pictures,Amblin Entertainment andRed Wagon Entertainment | $85 million | $162.2 million | |
| Eight Below | February 17, 2006 | Buena Vista Pictures | Released through Disney label Walt Disney Pictures; co-production withMandeville Films andThe Kennedy/Marshall Company | $40 million | $120.5 million |
| Stay Alive | March 24, 2006 | Released through Disney labelHollywood Pictures; co-production withEndgame Entertainment,Wonderland Sound and Vision andBirnbaum/Barber Productions; international distribution throughUniversal Pictures | $20 million | $27.1 million | |
| Stick It | April 28, 2006 | Released through Disney label Touchstone Pictures; co-production withBirnbaum/Barber Productions,Gail Lyon Productions andJessica Bendinger Productions | $20 million | $31.9 million | |
| The Lookout | March 30, 2007 | Released through Disney labelMiramax Films; co-production withLaurence Mark Productions,Parkes-MacDonald Productions andBirnbaum/Barber Productions | $16 million | $5.4 million | |
| The Invisible | April 27, 2007 | Released through Disney label Hollywood Pictures, co-production withBirnbaum/Barber Productions andMacariEdelstein Productions | N/A | $26.8 million | |
| Evan Almighty | June 22, 2007 | Universal Pictures | co-production withRelativity Media,Original Film,Shady Acres Entertainment andBirnbaum/Barber Productions | $175 million | $173.4 million |
| Underdog | August 3, 2007 | Buena Vista Pictures | Released through Disney label Walt Disney Pictures; co-production withBirnbaum/Barber Productions, Jay Polstein Productions andClassic Media | $25 million | $65.3 million |
| Balls of Fury | August 29, 2007 | Focus Features | co-production withRogue Pictures,Intrepid Pictures andBirnbaum/Barber Productions | N/A | $41.1 million |
| 27 Dresses | January 18, 2008 | 20th Century Fox | Released through Fox labelFox 2000 Pictures; co-production withBirnbaum/Barber Productions andDune Entertainment III, LLC | $30 million | $160.3 million |
| Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins | February 8, 2008 | Universal Pictures | co-production withStuber-Parent Productions | $35 million | $43.6 million |
| The Ruins | April 4, 2008 | Paramount Pictures | Released through Paramount labelDreamWorks Pictures; co-production withRed Hour Films | $25 million | $22.3 million |
| The Happening | June 13, 2008 | 20th Century Fox | co-production withDune Entertainment,UTV Motion Pictures andBlinding Edge Pictures | $48 million | $163.4 million |
| The Love Guru | June 20, 2008 | Paramount Pictures | co-production withNomoneyfun Films andMichael de Luca Productions | $62 million | $40.9 million |
| Wanted | June 27, 2008 | Universal Pictures | co-production withRelativity Media,Marc Platt Productions, Kickstart Productions andTop Cow Productions | $75 million | $341.4 million |
| Ghost Town | September 19, 2008 | Paramount Pictures | Released through Paramount label DreamWorks Pictures; co-production withPariah | $20 million | $27.1 million |
| Flash of Genius | October 3, 2008 | Universal Pictures | co-production withStrike Entertainment | $20 million | $4.8 million |
| Four Christmases | November 26, 2008 | Warner Bros. Pictures | Released through Warner labelNew Line Cinema; co-production withWild West Picture Show Productions andType A Films | $80 million | $163.7 million |
| Star Trek | May 8, 2009 | Paramount Pictures | co-production withBad Robot | $150 million | $385.7 million |
| G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra | August 7, 2009 | co-production withHasbro anddi Bonaventura Pictures | $175 million | $302.5 million | |
| Invictus | December 11, 2009 | Warner Bros. Pictures | co-production withRevelations Entertainment,Mace Neufeld Productions andMalpaso Productions | $50–60 million | $122.2 million |
| Title | Release date | Distributor | Notes | Budget | Gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leap Year[31] | January 8, 2010 | Universal Pictures | co-production withBenderSpink andBirnbaum/Barber Productions | $19 million | $32.6 million |
| Get Him to the Greek[32] | June 4, 2010 | co-production withRelativity Media andApatow Productions | $40 million | $91.3 million | |
| Dinner for Schmucks[33] | July 30, 2010 | Paramount Pictures | co-production withDreamWorks Pictures,Parkes/MacDonald Productions,Reliance Big Pictures andEveryman Pictures | $69 million | $86.9 million |
| The Tourist[34] | December 10, 2010 | Sony Pictures Releasing | Released through Sony labelColumbia Pictures; co-production withGK Films andStudioCanal | $100 million | $278.3 million |
| The Dilemma[35] | January 14, 2011 | Universal Pictures | co-production withImagine Entertainment andWild West Picture Show Productions | $70 million | $69.7 million |
| No Strings Attached[36] | January 21, 2011 | Paramount Pictures | Released through Paramount labelDW Studios, co-production withCold Spring Pictures andThe Montecito Picture Company | $25 million | $149.2 million |
| Footloose[37] | October 14, 2011 | co-production withMTV Films, Dylan Sellers Productions,Zadan/Meron Productions and Weston Pictures | $24 million | $63.5 million | |
| The Vow[38] | February 10, 2012 | Sony Pictures Releasing | Released through Sony labelScreen Gems; co-production withBirnbaum/Barber Productions; final film | $30 million | $196.1 million |
| Title | Release date | Distributor | Notes | Budget | Gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scream[39] | January 14, 2022 | Paramount Pictures | co-production with Project X Entertainment andRadio Silence Productions[40] | $24 million | $138.9 million |
| Hellraiser[20][41] | October 7, 2022 | Hulu (United States) Paramount+ (Outside of United States) | co-production withPhantom Four Films and 247Hub; international distribution through Paramount Pictures | $14 million | $12,640 |
| Scream VI[42] | March 10, 2023 | Paramount Pictures | co-production with Project X Entertainment andRadio Silence Productions | $33–35 million | $169.1 million |
| Spy Kids: Armageddon[43][44] | September 22, 2023 | Netflix[45] | co-production withSkydance Media andTroublemaker Studios | N/A | N/A |
| Thanksgiving[46] | November 17, 2023[47] | Sony Pictures Releasing | co-production withTriStar Pictures, Dragonfly Entertainment and Electromagnetic Productions[48] | $15 million | $46.5 million |
| The Boys in the Boat[49] | December 25, 2023 | Amazon MGM Studios | co-production withMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer,Smokehouse Pictures, Tempesta Films andAnonymous Content | $40 million | $55.5 million |
| Reunion[50][51] | June 28, 2024 | Republic Pictures | co-production withLionsgate Films, Artists Road and Unique Features | N/A | N/A |
| Incoming | August 23, 2024 | Netflix[52] | co-production with Artists Road and Stoller Global Solutions[53] | N/A | N/A |
| Heart Eyes[54] | February 7, 2025[55][56] | Sony Pictures Releasing (North America) Republic Pictures (International) | co-production withScreen Gems andDivide/Conquer | $18 million | $32.9 million |
| Title | Release date | Distributor | Notes | Production status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scream 7 | February 27, 2026 | Paramount Pictures | co-production withRadio Silence Productions, Project X Entertainment andOuterbanks Entertainment | Post-production |
| Nawałnica | July 1, 2026 | Forum Film Poland | First Polish film from Spyglass Media Group; co-production withPolish Film Institute | Pre-production |
| Thanksgiving 2[57] | TBA | Sony Pictures Releasing | co-production withTriStar Pictures, Dragonfly Entertainment and Electromagnetic Productions |
| Title | Distributor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Back Together | TBA | |
| Cricket in Times Square | TBA | |
| D-Day | TBA | |
| Deadpoint[58] | TBA | co-production with Good Fear Content |
| Denali | TBA | |
| Knight Rider[59] | Universal Pictures | co-production with87North Productions |
| Perfect Strangers[60] | TBA | co-production with Eagle Pictures, 3 Marys Entertainment andHoorae |
| Short Circuit[61] | TBA | co-production with Project X Entertainment and Rehab Entertainment |
| Testify | TBA | |
| UntitledJulie Krone/Larissa Bills documentary film | TBA | |
| UntitledTanaquil Le Clercq film | TBA |
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