Endeavor, a global leader in sports, entertainment and fashion, announced it is restructuring WME and IMG’s film and scripted television finance and sales groups to form Endeavor Content. Endeavor Content brings together WME Global and IMG’s entertainment sales groups which have collectively financed, packaged and / or sold over 100 films and TV shows in the past year.
This includes five of the nine films nominated for Best Picture at the 2017 Academy Awards: “Arrival,” “Fences,” “Hell or High Water,” “La La Land” and “Manchester by the Sea.” In television, this includes the Emmy and Golden-Globe winning drama “The Night Manager,” the Emmy-nominated programs “Chef’s Table” and “The Young Pope,” the critically acclaimed “Top of the Lake: China Girl,” Beau Willimon’s new series “The First,” and Damien Chazelle’s upcoming project “The Eddy.” Endeavor Content will operate as a division of Endeavor. Graham Taylor and Chris Rice will serve as Co-Presidents of Endeavor Content. Endeavor Content Partners Mark Ankner, Liesl Copland, and Alexis Garcia will continue to lead the group’s advisory practice for financiers and content companies seeking to build out their entertainment strategies. All current WME Global and IMG entertainment sales team employees will transition to Endeavor Content.
“With the continued disruption taking place across the media landscape, we are forming Endeavor Content to enable talent to achieve better economics and more creative freedom,” said Graham Taylor. “Through our ability to package content, access capital resources, and engage our global sales infrastructure, Endeavor Content provides a unique platform designed to empower artists and content creators,” added Chris Rice.
Joe Hipps is also joining Endeavor Content as SVP, Television. He was previously SVP of Television for MRC where he oversaw “House of Cards” and “Ozark.” Negeen Yazdi is joining as SVP, Film. She previously served as President of International Production and Acquisitions at The Weinstein Company where she oversaw films including “The Imitation Game,” “Lion,” and “Woman in Gold.” “Joe and Negeen have distinguished themselves as executives with impeccable taste and a gift for shepherding high-quality, talent-driven work emblematic of the projects Endeavor Content will support,” said Rice and Taylor.
With this transition, Gary Marenzi will continue to lead international television sales for Endeavor Content, utilizing IMG’s media sales infrastructure of over 200 team members based in 25 countries. This group handled sales for shows including “The Night Manager,” “Dirk Gently,” “The Grand Tour,” and is currently selling the upcoming series “Killing Eve” from “Fleabag” creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and a series of seven dramas based on iconic Agatha Christie titles. Endeavor also recently acquired Ken Kao and Alex Walton’s film financing and international sales company BLOOM, which will now operate as a standalone company under Endeavor Content.
