 Logo used since 2020 | |
| Formerly | Cruel and Unusual Films, Inc.(2004–2019) |
|---|---|
| Company type | Film production company |
| Industry | Cinema of the United States |
| Founded | 2004; 21 years ago (2004) |
| Founders |
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| Headquarters | Pasadena, California, United States |
Key people |
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| Website | www |
The Stone Quarry Inc.[1][2][3] (formerlyCruel and Unusual Films, Inc.) is an Americanproduction company established in 2004 by filmmakerZack Snyder, his wifeDeborah Snyder and their producing partner Wesley Coller.
Cruel and Unusual Films, Inc. was founded in 2004 by Zack Snyder, his wife Deborah Snyder, and producing partner Wesley Coller. The company is based atWarner Bros.,[4] and is located inPasadena, California.[5] The company signed a two-year production deal with Warner Bros. in 2007, prior to the theatrical release of300, a film in which Snyder served as director. Snyder and his wife, Deborah, are co-presidents of the company. Coller often serves as a producing partner.[6] Snyder launched the company's official website on January 30, 2009, and invited artists to submit versions of the company logo. Apart from producing feature films, Cruel and Unusual Films has also assisted in the marketing of its films, based on the strong advertising backgrounds of Snyder and his wife, Deborah Snyder.[7] By January 2019, Snyder announced the studio's new title, The Stone Quarry.[8]
To date, Cruel and Unusual/The Stone Quarry has served as an uncredited co-producer for films in which Snyder and his wife served as director and producer respectively. Following its establishment in 2004, the company producedDawn of the Dead, a remake ofGeorge A. Romero's 1978film of the same name. In 2007, Cruel and Unusual Films produced300, an adaptation ofFrank Miller'sgraphic novel. In 2009, the company producedWatchmen, an adaptation of theDC Comics limited seriesof the same name. Cruel and Unusual next producedLegend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole, a computer-animated film based on the series of children's fantasy booksGuardians of Ga'Hoole byKathryn Lasky.Sucker Punch was co-written and directed by Snyder, who also produced the film with his wife Deborah Snyder. The film is the first that credits Cruel and Unusual as a producer.Sucker Punch was released on March 25, 2011.
In 2014 the studio co-produced the sequel to 2007's300,300: Rise of an Empire. In 2016 the studio co-produced the sequel to 2013'sMan of Steel,Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
In 2017 the studio co-producedWonder Woman andJustice League.
In July 2015 it was revealed thatZack Snyder andDeborah Snyder will serve as producers and executive producers in theDC Extended Universe. Since 2018,DC Films chairmenGeoff Johns andWalter Hamada will serve as executive producer on the future DC movies set in the DC Extended Universe, along with the Snyders.
The studio was supposed to produceArmy of the Dead, a sequel to Snyder'sDawn of the Dead remake, in which Zack Snyder was supposed to assist in developing the story, while his wife to produce the film, andJoby Harold to write the screenplay. The story centers around a father trying to save his daughter in a zombie-infested Las Vegas.[4] Due to the expensive production value, the production of the movie was cancelled by Warner Bros.[9]
Zack Snyder will also direct a remake of the 1969 filmThe Illustrated Man.[10] The company will also produceHorse Latitudes, which was formerly known asThe Last Photograph, a film about a photograph that inspires two men to travel to South America. The film will be directed by Zack Snyder and will be produced by Snyder and his wifeDeborah Snyder.[11][12]
In September 2017, it was confirmed that Zack Snyder is developingThe Fountainhead adaptation, based on the1943 novel fromAyn Rand.[13]
In September 2020, it was announced that Netflix had greenlit aprequel based onArmy of the Dead, withMatthias Schweighöfer set to direct the film in addition to reprising his role as Ludwig.Shay Hatten will also pen the screenplay.[14] It was also announced that ananime prequel series was in the works titledArmy of the Dead: Lost Vegas. The series will serve as an origin story forDave Bautista's character Scott Ward and his rescue team during the initial fall of Vegas as they confront the source of the zombie outbreak.Jay Oliva is set to serve asshowrunner for the series, with both Oliva and Zack Snyder set to direct two episodes each.[14] In July 2021, the company signed afirst-look deal with Netflix.[15]
| Year | Title | Creator(s) / Developer(s) | Co-production with | Network | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Twilight of the Gods | Zack Snyder /Jay Oliva / Eric Carrasco | Netflix Animation | Netflix | 73%[50] | 63%[51] |
| TBA | Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas | Jay Oliva | Netflix Animation / Meduzarts Animation | TBA | TBA |
| Year | Title | Developer(s) | Publisher | Platform(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Army of the Dead: Viva Las Vengeance | Pure Imagination Studios | Netflix | Virtual reality |
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