Dutch producer John de Mol's Cyrte Investments has acquired L.A.-based Spitfire Pictures from owners Nigel Sinclair and Guy East, merging it with British horror film studio Hammer to form "HS Media".The new company will be backed by $100 million in private equity money, producing six to eight films a year. HS Media will also launching a foreign sales/distribution operation outside of North America.
Spitfire and Hammer will remain separate brands run by one management team.
U.K.'s Hammer is home of such classic horror franchises as the 1950's "Frankenstein" and "Dracula" series, starring actors Christopher Lee and the late Peter Cushing.Upcoming projects at Spitfire include Sarah Michelle "Buffy" Gellar in "Possession", Mike Myers dramatic take on The Who drummer "Keith Moon" and Phillip Noyce's "Moral Hazard".
Spitfire also has a doc unit, producing "Amazing Journey: The Story of the Who" and director Martin "Mean Streets" Scorsese's "No Direction Home: Bob Dylan".
HS Media has a combined library of more than 300 titles, with Hammer features making up the vast majority for remake consideration...
