Hammer Studios Swings Back Into Business

According to reports, Dutch producer John De Mol will resurrect British horror studio Hammer Film Prods., with private equity firm Cyrte Investments acquiring rights to Hammer's 300-film library, including the Peter Cushing/Christopher Lee, "Frankenstein" and "Dracula" titles.

The new Hammer studios will be run by former Liberty Global execs Simon Oakes and Marc Schipper.

Guy East and Nigel Sinclair of L.A.-based Spitfire Pictures will join the Hammer board, producing between two to three films a year.

Discussions are also underway with a UK broadcaster for a "Hammer Horror" TV series.

Founded in 1934, Hammer Films debuted its first horror film in 1955 with "The Quatermass Experiment".

Cyrte bought Hammer Films from Hammer Entertainment, owned by a consortium of investors.