Steven Paul Raises $300 Million for Productions and Acquisitions (EXCLUSIVE)

Veteran independent producer Steven Paul has raised $300 million in private equity from a group of investors to fund his upcoming production and acquisitions slate.

His projects include a movie and TV series based on the Piers Anthony fantasy book series “Xanth”; the thriller “High Speed”; and “Lone Wolf and Cub,” based on the Japanese manga. He plans to announce a credit facility shortly.

Paul is one of the producers on “Ghost in the Shell,” starring Scarlett Johansson, and has credits on the “Ghost Rider” and “Baby Geniuses” films. He’s struck multiple movie production arrangements in the U.S., China, and Thailand.

He also plans to commit some of the production funding to an initiative to work with various states on “realistic” solutions to bringing production jobs back to the United States — including carpenters, drivers, electricians, set designers, musicians, and computer graphic designers. Paul will disclose more details in coming months.

Paul maintains an international sales organization as well as an output arrangement with Sony. Earlier this year, he bought the domestic distribution company Echo Bridge, which has a 2,700-film library. He also owns the former Samuel Goldwyn building in Century City.

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