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JOHN GORE STUDIOS LAUNCHES; INDUSTRY VETERAN HILARY STRONG APPOINTED CEO

Contact:
Rick Miramontez / Briana Sanchez
rick@omdkc.com / briana@omdkc.com
212 695 7400

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, PLEASE

JOHN GORE STUDIOS
LAUNCHES AND APPOINTS
HILARY STRONG
AS CEO

New York, NY (January 29, 2025) – The launch of a major new film and TV production studio, John Gore Studios Ltd, is announced along with the appointment of industry veteran Hilary Strong as CEO. John Gore Studios is founded by award winning entertainment producer John Gore, a 22-time Tony winner, as well as a recipient of 2 Emmys and 2 Oliviers. Listed in Variety500 as one of the 500 most influential business leaders shaping the global media industry today, British-born Gore has long harbored a desire to expand his reach to the UK and focus his creative and commercial skills on the British film and TV industry. Gore will serve as Executive Chairman of John Gore Studios.

John Gore Studios is a global business, headquartered in London with offices in New York, dedicated to celebrating and preserving the legacy of iconic heritage brands, such as Hammer Films, while ushering in a new era of storytelling that captivates audiences worldwide. Through the strategic acquisition and restoration of film libraries, the acquisition of heritage intellectual property and a commitment to innovative production, John Gore Studios will uphold the rich traditions of the British film and television industry with a future-facing creative vision.

John Gore Studios will adopt a strategic approach to Film and TV that mirrors the highly successful methods used for theatre by the John Gore Organization, a comprehensive family of media companies, which includes Broadway Across America, Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com, and Group Sales Box Office.

The company appoints Hilary Strong as CEO, a seasoned executive in the literary and entertainment sectors, who previously served as CEO of Agatha Christie Ltd, where she led a multi-disciplined team to transform the iconic crime brand into a modern, global force in both feature films and television. In her most recent role, as founder and CEO, UK and Europe for International Literary Properties, Strong acquired a library of important literary estates and titles from across all genres, working with authors and their families to maximize exploitation of their IP for the international market.

Strong brings a wealth of experience in both intellectual property rights optimization and the strategic leadership of new creative businesses. Her established track record of launching successful film and television productions, combined with managing prestigious literary estates, makes her uniquely positioned to drive and deliver priority projects and strategic goals at John Gore Studios. By providing significant investment and a fresh creative vision, Gore and Strong will ensure that the company is a creative studio in which both classic and new storytelling thrive.

Strong will head up an executive team which already includes Jonathan Lack as Chief Acquisitions Officer, Jamie Anderson as Head of Creative Development and Ellen Ray as Head of Brand and Communications.

John Gore, Executive Chairman of John Gore Studios, says: “I am thrilled to be announcing the launch of John Gore Studios. Having had the joy of working in theatre for many years, I am delighted to be leaning into my other great passion, film and TV. It is also an absolute privilege to welcome Hilary Strong to helm the studio, as CEO. With her unrivalled track record working with the best of British IP, at Agatha Christie, during her time at ILP and at Hat Trick and her experience and connectivity in the industry, she brings the perfect blend of commercial and creative expertise for championing storytelling on a global stage. We share a commitment to authenticity and meaningful IP, and I’m incredibly excited about the future we’ll shape together.”

Hilary Strong, CEO of John Gore Studios says: “I am delighted to be joining forces with John Gore, an inspirational, award-winning visionary and unparalleled creative leader. Together with our uniquely talented team, we are forging a new and dynamic entertainment studio which combines our shared passion for preserving the rich legacy of our media heritage, whilst working with best of breed talent to create new and exciting productions. The prospect of undertaking smart strategic acquisitions and new partnerships designed to unlock world class creative possibilities is truly exhilarating.”

John Gore Studios is already set for production on two new features:

The Bitter End (working title) will be directed by multi-award-winning director Mike Newell (Four Weddings and a Funeral) and penned by screenwriter and novelist Louise Fennell. The film stars Golden Globe winner Joan Collins as Wallis Simpson, the American divorcee who became the Duchess of Windsor after marrying King Edward VIII, the British King who chose love over duty, in the shocking untold story of her final years.

Joan Collins says, “I am thrilled about the challenge of playing this iconic woman in a previously untold story and to be in John Gore Studios’ initial roster of what I’m sure will be a very successful endeavor.”

The film will be produced by John Gore, Richard Holmes and Francis Hopkinson and executive produced by Hilary Strong and Michael Foster. Filming is set to begin May 2025.

Ithaqua is an exciting new production under the Hammer banner. The film introduces the first new Hammer monster in sixty years, Ithaqua, created by the film’s director and producer Casey Walker. Set in 1800s Canada, it sees the British survivors of a remote trade outpost plagued by an ancient evil that leaves its victims with an insatiable hunger for flesh. The film stars Luke Hemsworth, Kevin Durand, Michael Pitt, Craig Lauzon, and Leenah Robinson with the screenplay written by Walker in collaboration with Peter Vicaire and Pascal Trottier. Distribution will be handled by Kaleidoscope.

Ahead of today’s launch, John Gore announced the acquisition of the iconic British label Hammer Films which celebrated its 90th anniversary in November 2024, the acquisition of Silver Salt Restoration, a leading UK film restoration studio, and KFilm Ltd, comprising of UK distribution companies Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment and Icon Film Distribution, and international sales arm Kaleidoscope Film Distribution. These companies are all integral to the new studio’s vision and mission and will provide both IP for new development and a pipeline to bring iconic original films back to the global market.

ABOUT JOHN GORE STUDIOS

John Gore Studios is a global business, headquartered in London, dedicated to celebrating and preserving the legacy of iconic heritage brands, such as Hammer Films, while ushering in a new era of storytelling that captivates audiences worldwide. Through the strategic acquisition and restoration of film libraries, the acquisition of heritage intellectual property and a commitment to innovative production, John Gore Studios will uphold the rich traditions of the British film and television industry with a future-facing creative vision.

ABOUT JOHN GORE ORGANIZATION

The John Gore Organization is the leading presenter, distributor, and marketer of Broadway theater worldwide. Under the leadership of 22-time Tony-winning theater producer and owner John Gore, its family of companies includes Broadway Across America, Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com, Group Sales Box Office and Broadway Brands, with an annual turnover in excess of $1.2b. The company presents shows in over 45 cities across North America as well as on Broadway, Off-Broadway, London’s West End, Japan, and China. It has won Tony Awards in every producing category as well as numerous other Drama League, Drama Desk, and Olivier Awards. The John Gore Organization is committed to supporting theater access and education programs that introduce Broadway to the next generation of audiences and theater professionals.

ABOUT HAMMER FILMS

Hammer Films is an iconic British film production company founded in 1934. It is synonymous with horror, after defining the genre in Britain with classics such as Dracula (1958), The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), and The Mummy (1959). As well as numerous successful sequels across the globe, Hammer made stars of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. It also produced classics such as One Million Years B.C (1966), starring Raquel Welch, and She (1965), starring Ursula Andress. Hammer’s vast library of genre titles include The Woman in Black (2012), Let Me In (2010), The Abominable Snowman (1957), and The Quatermass Experiment (1953). Today, Hammer continues to create new content while preserving its extensive catalogue of classic films, under the ownership of John Gore Studios. In November 2024, the company celebrated its 90th anniversary with Sky documentary “Heroes, Legends and Monsters” featuring cinema legends Tim Burton and John Carpenter. The company also released horror thriller Doctor Jekyll, a fresh, horror-filled take on a timeless tale adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1886 novel. The film stars Eddie Izzard and is directed by Joe Stephenson.

ABOUT SILVER SALT RESTORATION

Silver Salt Restoration is the UK’s premier film restoration studio, known for its expertise in preserving and remastering some of the most important films in cinematic history including The Deer Hunter, Pride and Prejudice, Brideshead Revisited, The Wicker Man, The Lavender Hill Mob, The Long Good Friday, Don’t Look Now, Time Bandits, and many other titles. Now part of John Gore Studios, the studio continues to set the standard in film care and restoration, contributing to the legacy of renowned companies like Hammer Films.

ABOUT KFILM

KFilm is a global independent all-rights entertainment distributor with theatrical, digital, physical and international operations, comprising of UK distribution companies Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment, Icon Film Distribution and Platform Entertainment, plus established international sales company, Kaleidoscope Film Distribution.

Collectively, the catalogue is now in excess of 2,000 titles, with recent UK releases including psychological thriller, Hamlet, starring Shakespearean titan Ian McKellen; the spectacular live recording of award-winning West End show, Heathers: The Musical; critically-acclaimed horror-thriller Strange Darling, from the producers of Late Night with the Devil and Barbarian; and Hellboy: The Crooked Man, the fourth installment in the legendary global franchise.

As a long-standing distributor of acclaimed cinema, Icon’s extensive further catalogue includes Academy Award nominated Drive, Academy Award winner Gosford Park, Academy Award nominated Malcolm X, iconic British rom-com Sliding Doors, post-Apocalyptic thriller The Road, and high adrenaline action thrillers such as Point Break. Specializing in commercial feature films and branded documentaries, latest highlights in KFD’s line-up include spectacular new animation from the producers of How to Train Your Dragon, The Land of Sometimes, featuring the voice talents of Ewan McGregor and Helena Bonham Carter; survival-thriller Row starring Outlander’s Sophie Skelton; and the inspiring and timely Escape From Extinction: Rewilding, narrated by Meryl Streep.

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www.johngorestudios.com

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