Miramax Hires Veteran Producer Bill Block as CEO
Miramax has named entertainment industry veteran Bill Block as chief executive officer, four months after Steven Schoch left the post.
Block’s best known for serving as the founder and CEO of production company-financier QED. Prior to that, Block was the president of Artisan Entertainment and headed West Coast operations for ICM.
“Bill’s extensive experience across numerous platforms, combined with his deep knowledge of the industry, makes him outstandingly qualified to propel Miramax into this new and transformative world of distribution, content, and sales,” said Nasser Al-Khelaifi, chairman of Miramax and beIN Media Group. “Miramax is committed to expand production and acquisitions in film and television, and Bill’s strong leadership will surely lead Miramax successfully into the future, and we are thrilled to have him on board.”
Miramax was founded in 1979 by Bob and Harvey Weinstein and sold to the Walt Disney Company in 1993 — by which time, it had transformed the independent film scene by producing such titles as “Sex, Lies, and Videotape” and “The Crying Game.” During its 17 years as a Disney label, Miramax’s titles included “Pulp Fiction,” “Shakespeare in Love,” and “Good Will Hunting.”
Miramax’s assets were acquired from Disney in 2010 by Filmyard Holdings, consisting of Colony Capital, Tutor-Saliba Corporation, and Qatar Investment Authority. Miramax was sold by its private equity owners last year to beIN Media Group, which owns 100% of the company.
“Miramax is a storied brand that is poised for growth across all of its divisions — film, TV, licensing, and beyond,” Block said in a statement issued Wednesday.
“Its library offers a wealth of opportunities for the global entertainment business that I look forward to exploring,” he added. “It is an honor to helm this legacy and expand it qualitatively across all platforms, including the immense growth potential across digital and in new media. Nasser Al-Khelaifi is a visionary entrepreneur and the beIN Media Group are committed to the long term horizon of media growth and evolution in the 21st Century.”
Miramax has a library consisting of nearly 800 titles from the late 1980s to the present. Its recently announced productions include the Johnny Depp police drama “Labyrinth,” which Miramax will co-finance with Open Road Films. It also acquired U.S. distribution rights to the Tonya Harding biopic “I, Tonya,” starring Margot Robbie.
Block founded QED International in 2002 and left 12 years later, after Media Content Capital took a controlling interest in the company. He and Kevin Frakes teamed with hedge fund Merced Capital L.P. to launch a $500 million slate of films under the Merced Media moniker that year.
Block’s producing credits include “Bad Moms,” “Dirty Grandpa,” “Fury,” “District 9,” and “W.”
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