If the cost of helping great movies find their theatrical audiences and lure them into theaters is to release other great movies that audiences have to find for themselves, thats probably a price most of us are willing to pay. This fall A24 enters the awards race in a serious way for the first time, with two movies: the accessible David Foster Wallace biopic The End of the Tour, and the Brie Larsonstarring literary adaptation Room, which recently won the coveted Peoples Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. And you could tell that it was in their reach. Sacco: It was my first festival ever. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. With Hodges leaving, the. So everything had to be explained to me, and by the time it was explained, it was over. John has been a trusted partner who helped conceive A24 and for that we will always be grateful, A24 noted. The companys best known movies include Ex Machina, Room, The Witch, Amy and Moonlight, which won the 2016 Academy Award for best picture, best adapted screenplay and best supporting actor for Mahershala Ali. (Blindsided teens, many of whom had been intrigued at the thought of seeing former Disney star Selena Gomez in a more mature performance, assailed the Internet with complaints that they had paid to see the Worst Movie Ever Made.) TV production powerhouse Jax Media is expanding into film and tapped John Hodges, one of the founding partners of A24, as its new head of film. Good A24 films anticipate the zeitgeist, and the best ones galvanize it. A24, which was founded in 2012, said that no additional changes in management will be made. 2023 Variety Media, LLC. [15], In January 2016, Sasha Lloyd joined the company to handle all film, television distribution and business development in the international marketplace. Across 96 films released at the time of this article, the average Production Budget on each film rounds out to a cool $6 million, with the Box Office revenue across the 96 films adding up to $798 million. This elegant, yet sadistic horror film from Austria resembles Michael Hanekes Funny Games, yet the home invader was under the victims noses all along. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. All rights reserved. If I had to guess, Id wager that Hodges was simply ready to move on after reaching the top of the mountain winning Best Picture for Moonlight. Its such a really fucking well-executed movie. Sacco: I show up at the airport. You walk through that office, and there arent a lot of people that look like theyre from Liberty City, Miami. All Rights Reserved. John Heavey (distribution, A24): Especially the first two years, we fell in love with every movie. David Fenkel (co-founder, A24): We find movies [for which] our perspective, our system, our people, can act to make it something special. All three had grown up admiring the rich world of 90s independent cinema, and they noticed a void where those movies had once been. We were about to have two movies [Ex Machina and While Were Young] with him. In 2012, Fenkel, Hodges, and Katz left their jobsat Oscilloscope, Big Beach, and Guggenheim Partners, respectivelyto start A24. And then we opened. NetWorthSpot.com's industry expertise thinks A24's net worth at $1.89 million, but A24's finalized net worth is still being verified. What are you working on? Three were winners. The only monsters we ever see in "It Comes at Night" are the ones that live under one roof. You get a movie with them and it represents something. Here's who: Daniel Katz, David Fenkel, John Hodges and James Schultz. Katz: We broke the record that weekend. When I was explaining to people what I was doing, it felt like a political campaign. Mahershala Ali (actor, Moonlight): I definitely have a lot more opportunity right now than Ive ever had before. Login to view all information @ John Cornelius Hodge (Squatty Roo, Jeep, Rabbit) was born on 25 July, 1907 in Cambridge, MA, is an American saxophonist. Please only use it for a guidance and A24 (company)'s actual income may vary a lot from the dollar amount shown above. Were gonna get there on time. Jenkins: I dont know if [Moonlight] was a glittering jewel of a project. We were watching it the whole time. The initial agreement covered 12 films, the first of which was Denis Villeneuves jaundiced doppelgnger freakout, Enemy, starring Jake Gyllenhaal. The company may be a lovely acquisition target for a buyer seeking an arthouse pipeline,but A24 is still building itself as a brand one that is synonymous with quality. Hodges had run A24 with David Fenkel and Daniel Katz as a ruling troika, albeit one that operated without offices (located in Chelsea, the company was known for its open space and banquette tables). Description. In September 2013, A24 struck a partnership valued up to $40 millionwith satellite television provider DirecTV. [29][30], "A24 Films" redirects here. I think when movie companies get started, people want to define you immediately. The movie was Spring Breakers, it played like a Kesha music video as directed by Terrence Malick on MDMA, and it debuted to the highest per-screen average of any film released that year to date. You know what? Trench coat was enough. But in general distribution is like plumbing: unseen, unnoticed, and notable only when it malfunctions. GQ may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. And A24 was the place that took the risk. Aizenberg: When I came to A24, they had Charles Swan already. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. The deal, intended to grant A24 the capital it needed to grow and DirecTV some much-needed cultural cachet, stipulated that the two companies would jointly acquire new titles, and that those titles would be eligible to premiere on DirecTVs on-demand platform 30 days prior to a theatrical release. Among critics and cinephiles I know, the A24 label is starting to mean something in the way that a 4AD record meant something in 1988, or a Grove Press book meant something in 1955. Katz, Fenkel and Hodges all got together in 2012 and decided to make their late night yammerings a reality. A vital piece of work far too delicately perverse to have sustained a theatrical run, it was the ideal choice to launch the program. The bottom line is that there were 677 new releases in 2013, and that number is only getting bigger. And I felt with these guys it was a dialogue. Signed on as producer beginning with the third season. Whether thats old white people in the Academy, or people all over the country, or frankly the rest of the world. I love Moonlight, said as much before it won the Oscar, and Ill say it again now - I showed it to my daughters early and they loved it. But I do remember finally looking over, because I didnt know where they were sitting, and I spotted Dan Katz and Dave Fenkel, and, man, the smile on their faces! When we started, we wanted it to be about the films and filmmakers, not us, Katz told the Hollywood Reporter at the end of 2013, and that culture remains evident in all aspects of their business. A24 is cool and I know they say great things about Miramax, which makes me feel proud and old at the same time. Katz: People say, Oh, Barry, why didnt you bring us Moonlight?As if that was the most obvious Best Picture! On the TV side, Jaxs current projects include the recently released Russian Doll on Netflix, starring Natasha Lyonne; The Other Two, which was just picked up for a second season; and the final season of Broad City for Comedy Central. Asif Kapadia (director, Amy): I suppose most filmmakers have had bad experiences in the past where you do all the hard work, and then these guys in slick suits come along and theyre like, We know what were doing now! So long as A24 continues tooperate independently and make edgy films from newcomers and established veterans alike, Ill be a happy moviegoer. That was a thing. It wasnt going to get lost in the shuffle. So what is an A24 film? Hollywood is run by accountants at this point. But in a shift from its typical way of doing business, A24 acquired Room based on its script, before shooting had even begun. And I was ready to say: It was me! in the past 3 years a24 has managed to make from 90 - 110 million at the yearly box office. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. Katz came from a film finance group, while Fenkel and Hodges both left positions at other independent film companies. So when I saw that, I was like, Okay, those guys, they know what they are doing.. Fenkel: And they were like, You cant do that! We werent doing anything like that. Im glad it all worked out. Theirs is a potent brand that Ive admired for a long time, and their reputation as innovative partners to talent is second to none.. Katz: I think if you had asked us beforehand, we would have said, you know, La La Lands gonna win. They came on strong in the late 90s, really. Or a screenwriter. Moonlight is nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor, but loses Best Picture to La La Landwait, what? From award-winning writing and photography to binge-ready videos to electric live events, GQ meets millions of modern men where they live, creating the moments that create conversations. Hodges previously served as head of production and development at Big Beach Films and exec produced "Our Idiot Brother" and "Safety Not Guaranteed.". Its coveted because six of the past seven winners were nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, and the harrowing, emotional Room looks poised to follow in their footsteps after it opens in October. Her film The Invitation" plays on agitation and insecurities between a group of old friends and some suspicious strangers at a lavish dinner party. A24 thinks hard about the landscape of distribution, and they think hard about the models, and the models are changing. Katz: We did great movies. Memphis, Tennessee, United States. Your vision is incredible.. Franco: I would bet that [Alien] was one of the biggest, most popular Halloween costumes that year. A24 was founded in 2012 by Daniel Katz, David Fenkel and John Hodges. John Hodges. So everyones wrapping up this gift basket that Im supposed to deliver to Megan [Ellison, one of the producers of Spring Breakers, who was on location in Pittsburgh] and say, like, This is why you should go with us. We tried to get the Union Square movie theaterwe didnt have a theatrical booking yet. People had thought that entire part of the industry had just died. For a truly great film like this, being excluded from the conversation into which A24 works so hard to insinuate its main slate can feel like a fate worse than Harvey Weinstein. The films were darlingsincluding David Michds The Rover, starring Robert Pattinson; Denis Villeneuves Enemy, starring Jake Gyllenhaal; and Jonathan Glazers Under the Skin, starring Scarlett Johanssonand, by and large, box-office underperformers. By subscribing, I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. John Hodges is leaving A24, the Oscar-winning indie studio that he co-founded. Katz: Theres all these really, really smart, capable, ambitious people that love movies. [27], A24 distributes and produces around 18 to 20 films a year. The indies can be liquid and fluid. A24 may be growing fast, but no one has displayed greater agility in navigating the waters of a business that constantly seems to be changing course. And theyre aiming at them. Key grip. It specializes in film distribution, and film and television production. So I suppose the question now surrounding A24 is what Fenkel and Katz plan to make of it. Fenkel: Well, of course Selena Gomez in a bikini worked. BREAKING: John Hodges, one of the founding members of A24, has announced his departure from the production and distribution studio to focus on future opportunities. For a start, it was founded on the wrong coast - New York, not Los Angeles - by three relatively young arthouse film executives, Daniel Katz, David. Eddie Guy. And that takes time. They kept shutting us down. And I remember hearing she was really upset. We saw the red envelope. You will be redirected back to your article in, Lionsgate Re-Ups Vice Chairman Michael Burns And COO Brian Goldsmith With Starz Transaction Looming, Tom Sizemore Dies: 'Saving Private Ryan' & 'Black Hawk Down' Star Was 61; Reactions + Career In Photos, Dark Harvest: Casey Likes & Emyri Crutchfield Tapped To Star In MGM Horror Film, Robbie Amell & Stephen Amell To Star In Code 8 Sequel, Abby Miller Toplines Jess Plus None; Chiara DAmbrosio Joins Bandit; Bianca DAmbrosio Cast In Call Jane; Lawrence Kao, Kai Cech Star In The Longest Sleep- Film Casting Briefs, Rachael Ray Daytime Talk Show To End After 17 Seasons, Eyes $45.5M Opening In U.S., A Record For Rocky Spinoff Franchise & Amazon, SAG-AFTRA And Casting Directors Weigh In On Self-Tape Controversy, Oscar Winner Guillermo Del Toro On The Films That Lit His Fuse. How great it was. If anything, it was the bastard stepchild at that point. Did Moonlight just win Best Picture?. I Was Like, Fuck Yeah!Barry Jenkins. They didnt have a ton of movies, you know? Without the same star power or effects as your typical studio horror film, these scary movies rely on mood, style and character to create a feeling of dread, rather than jump scares. Which, if you look two years back, theres just no way in hell anybody would have thought that A24 would finance a film like Moonlight and release it in the way they did, to the tune of a Best Picture and $55 million in international box office. But youre like, Why didnt other people see that? I have no idea. So, um, well done, A24! Stay plugged in to the industry with our free newsletter. There are more glamorous things to be, in Hollywood, than an independent distribution company. Aizenberg: I think we knew we had something at South By. Lets go wide! And Under the Skin, from Jonathan Glazer, is one of my favorite movies in the past 15 or 20 years, you know? Youre incredible. And it was like a snowy and rainy day, and there was a ton of traffic. Nathan (Oscar Isaac) and Kyoko (Sonoya Mizuno). But I think she saw this, and it hijacked her image and personality, and we didnt ask her. Company Details: Theres music labels I can think of as well. But we got A Glimpse Inside the Mind. A24 (company) net worth 174 Million Millions of dollars 99% Net worth score Disclamer: A24 (company) net worth displayed here are calculated based on a combination social factors. It wasnt disrespectful. Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Set in 1630s New England, a family is banished from their village and starts to unravel when their baby vanishes. And I was just acting! Judging by the fact that the trailer racked up more than 3 million views in its first week online, the crowds are ready with their pitchforks. Gif excerpt from the film The End of the Tour via A24 Films. We spoke with the companys friends, collaborators, and employees to make sense of how A24 became the most interesting, creative, and reliable film company of the 21st century. Its exciting. A24 co-founder John Hodges is exiting the indie company to "focus on future opportunities," he and the company jointly announced on Monday. Lady Bird remains its biggest success, earning $49 million domestically to date. And we just hounded him. God bless em. If theaters are to remain something more than a repository for superhero movies, everybody might have to be. I felt bad that David had to be put through that. You lost. Thus far, A24 hasnt made any of the movies its released, but its made all of them A24 movies. Over the past six years I have been fortunate to work with a diverse group of talented storytellers across film and TV and look forward to continuing those collaborations in my future endeavors.. To revisit this article, select My Account, thenView saved stories. Worst case, youll get the trench-coat crowd. You know what the trench-coat crowd is? I say, Dont go there. Because what happened was, someone ran out with a red envelope. A24 is an American independent entertainment company that specializes in film and television production, as well as film distribution. Sacco: And people on planet Earth, you know, they go see movies that they need to want to see or hear about. And so anytime you speak with someone whos not a pure accountant, is not a pencil pusher? For Ponsoldts latest, A24s marketing efforts followed the films example of approaching a highbrow topic with a low bar for entry, partnering with Medium.com for a project called Just Words, for which writers, artists, and other intellectual types collectively celebrated the life and work of David Foster Wallace. There has been speculation for the past six months that the company is for sale. You dont watch something like Spring Breakers or Under the Skin without thinking: Where the hell did that come from? That was just acting! It was not like being in a cinema. John Hodges is leaving A24, the Oscar-winning indie studio that he co-founded. So, how much is Johnny Hodges . Aizenberg: When I started, we didnt have Spring Breakers yet, but the whole focus of that very first meeting I went to was like, How do we get Spring Breakers? you never leave your partner especially in a fire villas san angel rosarito a24 john hodges net worth. Anything in between is dead in the water. Aizenberg: That first private plane didnt make it to Austin.