Robert Simonds
Robert Bruce Simonds Jr. (born 1964) is an American film producer, entrepreneur, and the founder & chairman of STX Entertainment, which creates, produces, distributes, finances, and markets film (as STXfilms), television (as STXtelevision), digital media (as STXdigital), and live events as well as virtual reality (as STXsurreal).[1] The company bridges the gap between China and the US, with additional partnerships around the globe (as STXinternational). According to The Wall Street Journal in its first four years, Simonds more than tripled the company's valuation to an estimated US$3.5 billion.[2][3] In September 2017, it was reported that STX was close to an initial public offering on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (SEHK),[2] and in April 2018, the company announced it had filed for an IPO.[4] In October 2018, it was announced that STX would not go through with the IPO, as market conditions had changed.[5] Prior to working at STX, Simonds was an independent film producer whose over 30 films have generated more than $6 billion in worldwide box office revenue.[6]
Robert Simonds | |
|---|---|
Simonds at the premiere of Yours, Mine & Ours in 2005 | |
| Born | 1964 (age 58–59) Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Yale University |
| Occupation(s) | Film producer Chairman, STX Entertainment |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Known for |
|
| Spouse | Anne Biondi (m. 1999) |
| Children | 5 |
Early life and education edit
Simonds was born in Phoenix the son of Robert Bruce Simonds Sr., a businessman. He graduated from Yale University.[7]
Producing edit
From 1990 to 2012, Simonds produced over 30 Hollywood studio films, including the Adam Sandler films Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, The Wedding Singer, Big Daddy and The Waterboy; Cheaper by the Dozen, and The Pink Panther which stars Steve Martin. He also produced This Means War with Academy Award-winning actress Reese Witherspoon and Tom Hardy. Simonds has produced a number of highly-profitable cult films including Joe Dirt and Half Baked.[1][6][8]
STX Entertainment edit
Formation edit
In 2012, Simonds and Bill McGlashan, founder and managing partner of private equity firm TPG Growth, began conceptualizing and building a film, television and multimedia company that would make, market and distribute star-driven, commercial content to be distributed worldwide.[9][10] In 2014, STX Entertainment was formally launched with financing led by TPG Growth, and the company later secured investments from Chinese private equity firm Hony Capital and other individuals including Gigi Pritzker and William "Beau" Wrigley, Jr. II.[1]
Serving as chairman and CEO of STX, Simonds hired entertainment industry veterans to build his executive team including former Viacom Entertainment Group COO Thomas B. McGrath[11] and former CEO of Crest Animation Noah Fogelson.[11] Former Universal Pictures chairman Adam Fogelson[12] and former Disney and Fox production and marketing chief Oren Aviv were also added to the team.[13] Discovery Communications' former CFO Andrew Warren[14] and former Paramount Pictures and Condé Nast communications head Patricia Röckenwagner later also joined.[15]
The company has multiple divisions: film (STXfilms), which includes animation and family content; television (STXtelevision), which includes scripted and unscripted content; and digital media (STXdigital); along with an international partnership and distribution arm headquartered in London (STXinternational).
In 2016, the company received additional investment from Chinese Internet company Tencent and Hong Kong-based telecommunications company PCCW, and East West Bank's chairman and CEO Dominic Ng.[16] In 2017, the world's largest international television and broadband company Liberty Global invested an undisclosed amount in the company.[17] Funds from that round of financing will be used to continue to build STX Entertainment's TV division, further expand internationally and potentially make acquisitions.[2] In March 2019, STX raised $700 million in new capital, in a round led by TPG Growth and Hony Capital, to help STX release more films, expand its TV business, and pursue acquisitions.[18]
STX Entertainment's Board of Directors is composed of investors and industry veterans including: Simonds, David Bonderman (founding partner of TPG Capital), John Zhao (CEO of Hony Capital), Gigi Pritzker (founder of MWM Studios), Janice Lee (managing director of PCCW Media Group), Tracy Cui (managing director of Hony Capital), Frank Biondi (former president and CEO of Viacom and former chairman and CEO of Universal Studios; senior managing director of WaterView Advisors), Dominic Ng (chairman and CEO of East West Bank), Carmen Chang (chairman of New Enterprise Associates), and Bruce Mann (chief programming officer of Liberty Global).
STXfilms edit
When STX was launched the film division of the company focused its efforts on creating a new model. Rather than pursuing the traditional distribution process the company secured direct distribution agreements with North American theater chains AMC, Regal, Cinemark, Goodrich, Marcus Theatres, and Carmike Cinemas.[19] In early 2015, the company signed a multi-year television output agreement to release films exclusively to Showtime Networks and its multiplex channels Showtime, TMC and Flix, covering STX theatrical releases through 2019.[20] In April 2015, the company entered a multi-year partnership with Universal Studios Home Entertainment for Universal to handle marketing, sales and distribution services for Blu-ray, DVD and VOD platforms for STX theatrical titles in North America.[21] That same month, STXfilms closed a three-year slate deal with Huayi Brothers, one of China's largest film studios, enabling the companies to co-produce and co-distribute 12 to 15 films annually.[22] In 2015, STXfilms acquired its first film at the Toronto International Film Festival, purchasing the worldwide rights to Hardcore Henry for $10 million USD.[23] In January 2017, STXfilms signed a three-year marketing and distribution agreement with Luc Besson's EuropaCorp Films USA to release their upcoming slate of films.[24]
STXfilms projects have included Bad Moms;[25] Molly's Game;[26] I Feel Pretty;[27] and Gringo with Amazon Studios;[28] The Gift, written, co-produced and directed by Joel Edgerton;[29] The Edge of Seventeen;[30] The Foreigner starring Jackie Chan;[31] and Secret in Their Eyes starring Nicole Kidman and Julia Roberts;[32] The Boy;[33] and Free State of Jones starring Matthew McConaughey.[34] STXfilms announced The Happytime Murders starring Melissa McCarthy and the film was released on August 24, 2018;[35] an untitled romantic comedy developed by and starring Anne Hathaway;[36] and Second Act, a romantic comedy starring Jennifer Lopez and directed by Peter Segal and was released on December 21, 2018.[37]
STXtelevision edit
In 2014, the television division’s first project was the 13-episode series State of Affairs, starring Katherine Heigl and Alfre Woodard, which was sold to NBC.[38][39] In 2015, STXtelevision produced the NBC pilot Problem Child, based on the 1990 film of the same name.[40] In April 2016, the STXtelevision Chinese variety show Number One Surprise premiered on Hunan TV, and became the #1 show in China with over 1 billion total views.[41][42] In May 2017, STXtelevision announced it had acquired the first TV project from Kevin Kwan, author of Crazy Rich Asians.[43] In November 2017, STXtelevision announced Valley of the Boom, a docudrama about the 1990s tech boom from showrunner and director Matthew Carnahan and executive producer Arianna Huffington, set to air on NatGeo.[44] STXtelevision produced season 23 of True Life, which aired on MTV in 2017. In February 2018, Fox and STXtelevision announced it is developing an unscripted series based on STXfilms' Bad Moms.[45] In October 2018, STXtv received a pilot order from YouTube for The Edge of Seventeen, based on the film of the same name released by STXfilms in 2016.[46]
STXdigital edit
In August 2016, STXdigital acquired virtual reality (VR) studio Surreal, renaming it STXsurreal. Founded in 2015, in its first year Surreal produced over 70 immersive VR experiences.[47] In June 2017, STXsurreal announced a partnership with media services agency Horizon Media to develop and produce VR and immersive content for the brand's new UNCVR unit.[48] In 2018, STXsurreal announced a slate of original projects including The Limit, a live-action, short-form series from Robert Rodriguez and starring Michelle Rodriguez;[49] New Tricks, directed and produced by Ed Helms;[50] and The Kiev Exchange, a spinoff of STXfilms' Mile 22.[50] In December 2017, it was announced that STXdigital acquired the exclusive Chinese distribution rights to Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve from Dick Clark Productions (dcp), along with the Chinese distribution rights to the 2018 Golden Globes broadcast from dcp and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.[51] STXdigital and Tencent partnered to broadcast both shows on Tencent Video.[52] In January 2018, the companies announced they would also co-produce a live Chinese-language Golden Globes red carpet pre-show, to air live with the telecast.[53]
STXinternational edit
In April 2016, a dedicated international division (STXinternational) opened. Headquartered in London, the division is led by former Film4 head David Kosse.[54] The division launched with a slate of six films that included Andy Serkis's directorial debut Breathe (which opened the 2017 London Film Festival),[55] Home Again starring Reese Witherspoon, and Wind River starring Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen.[56] Additional titles on the STXinternational slate include Ridley Scott's All the Money in the World, Morten Tyldum's The Marsh King's Daughter, and Bart Layton's American Animals; and titles from the main STXfilms slate.[57] In March 2019, John Friedberg was named president of STXinternational.[58]
Accolades edit
In 2014, Simonds was featured as one of Hollywood's top dealmakers in Variety magazine's Dealmakers Impact Report for his work at STX.[59] The Hollywood Reporter has named Simonds one of the 100 Most Powerful People in Entertainment in each of their annual rankings through 2018, since first publishing them in 2016.[60][61][62] In 2017, Variety featured Simonds on their first annual Variety500: Entertainment Leaders and Icons list. He made the list again in 2018.[63]
Personal life edit
While attending Yale Simonds dated actress Jennifer Beals.[64] Simonds married Anne Biondi in 1999, and the couple live in Los Angeles with their son and four daughters.[7] About 2010 Simonds bought a house at Mulholland Estates for $4.7 million.[65]
Filmography edit
As producer edit
As executive producer edit
Television edit
As executive producer edit
| Name | Format | Network | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Problem Child | Animated | USA | 1993-94 |
| State of Affairs | Drama | NBC | 2014-15 |
References edit
- ^ a b c Anita Bush, "Is This Hollywood's Next Major Studio?" Deadline Hollywood, March 13, 2014.
- ^ a b c Wayne Ma and Julie Steinberg, "'Bad Moms' Movie Studio Plans Hong Kong IPO," Wall Street Journal, September 27, 2017.
- ^ Anita Busch, "STX To Launch IPO On Hong Kong Stock Exchange In 2018," Deadline.com, September 27, 2017.
- ^ David Ng, "STX Entertainment files for planned IPO in Hong Kong," Los Angeles Times, April 26, 2018.
- ^ Sakoui, Anousha (October 26, 2018). "STX Entertainment Eyes 'Transformative' Deal After Shelving IPO". Bloomberg.
- ^ a b Robert Simonds Movie Box Office Results
- ^ a b "Robert Simonds Jr., Anne Biondi", New York Times, September 19, 1999.
- ^ Tim Carvell, "His Films Are Low on Taste, High on Profits," Fortune, November 23, 1998.
- ^ Anita Busch, "Is This Hollywood’s Next Major Studio? Bob Simonds & TPG Growth’s Venture Fully Financed, JP Morgan Says; Hiring, Deals To Start In Earnest," Deadline Hollywood, March 13, 2014.
- ^ Tad Friend, "The Mogul of the Middle," The New Yorker, January 11, 2016.
- ^ a b "New Movie Studio Is Formed, With China and Self-Distribution in Mind". New York Times. Retrieved October 9, 2013.
- ^ "Adam Fogelson Hired as Motion Picture Head by STX" Deadline Anita Busch September 24, 2014
- ^ "Oren Aviv Joins Robert Simonds' New Film and TV Studio". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 9, 2013.
- ^ Dave McNary, "STX Taps Discovery’s Andrew Warren as Chief Financial Officer," Variety, February 13, 2017.
- ^ James Rainey, "STX Entertainment Names Patricia Rockenwagner Chief Communications Officer," Variety, December 14, 2016.
- ^ Ryan Faughnder, "STX Entertainment secures funding from China's Tencent and PCCW," Los Angeles Times, August 11, 2016.
- ^ Wayne Ma, "Fledgling Studio STX Secures Investment from Malone's Liberty Global," Wall Street Journal, November 30, 2017.
- ^ Faughnder, Ryan (March 11, 2019). "STX Entertainment raises $700 million in new capital". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Robert Simonds, Gigi Pritzker Pact with TPG, China’s Hony Capital on Production Venture," Variety, March 10, 2014.
- ^ Dave McNary, "STX Entertainment, Showtime Announce TV Output Deal and First 4 Films," Variety, January 20, 2015.
- ^ Rebecca Ford, "STX Entertainment Signs Pact With Universal Studios Home Entertainment," The Hollywood Reporter, April 7, 2015.
- ^ "China's Huayi Bros. Media closes film slate deal with STX Entertainment". LA Times. Retrieved November 23, 2015.
- ^ "STX Entertainment Closing Deal For 'Hardcore': $10 Million And Wide Release Commitment –Toronto". Deadline Hollywood. September 18, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
- ^ Brent Lang and Elsa Keslassy, "EuropaCorp, STX Enter Distribution and Marketing Agreement, ‘Valerian’ Part of Deal," Variety, January 3, 2017.
- ^ Anthony D'Alessandro, "'Bad Moms' Sleeps Its Way To The Top Of The B.O.; Becomes STX's First $100M Domestic Hit," Deadline.com, September 3, 2016.
- ^ Scott Mendelson, "With Jessica Chastain's 'Molly's Game,' STX Continues To Bet On Women," Forbes, August 15, 2017.
- ^ Mike Fleming Jr, "STXfilms Buys Amy Schumer Pic 'I Feel Pretty': Cannes," Deadline.com, May 25, 2017.
- ^ Anita Busch, "Nash Edgerton Film Starring David Oyelowo, Charlize Theron Gets Title, Release Date," Deadline.com, May 19, 2017.
- ^ Mannie Holmes, "Joel Edgerton, Jason Bateman Celebrate STX Entertainment’s First Premiere of ‘The Gift’," Variety, July 31, 2015.
- ^ Pete Hammond, "With ‘The Edge Of Seventeen’, Toronto Saves One Of The Best For Last," Deadline.com, September 16, 2016.
- ^ Nancy Tartaglione, "'The Foreigner's Wayne Marc Godfrey On Decade-Long Journey; STX/Sparkle Roll China Co-Pro Soon Passing $100M Offshore," Deadline.com, October 27, 2017.
- ^ Nancy Tartaglione, "....Acquired by STX" Deadline.com, December 2, 2014.
- ^ Nancy Tartaglione, "STX/Lakeshore Horror Pic ‘The Boy’ Scares Up China Release Date Via Huayi," Deadline.com, March 16, 2016.
- ^ Nancy Tartaglione, "IM Global Strategy Pays Off With Strong Sales On ‘Free State Of Jones’ & More – AFM," Deadline.com, November 17, 2014.
- ^ Dave McNary, "Melissa McCarthy to Star in Puppet Comedy 'Happytime Murders'," Variety, May 2, 2017.
- ^ Max Evry, "Anne Hathaway to star in untitled romantic comedy for STX," ComingSoon.net, May 23, 2017.
- ^ Mia Galuppo, "Jennifer Lopez to Star in Romantic Comedy 'Second Act' for STX," The Hollywood Reporter, June 22, 2017.
- ^ James Hibberd, "Katherine Heigl drama plus 2 more get NBC series orders," Entertainment Weekly, May 6, 2014.
- ^ Saba Hamedy, "TV ratings: NBC wins key demo; 'State of Affairs' has decent premiere," Los Angeles Times, November 18, 2014.
- ^ Nellie Andreeva, "‘Problem Child’ Comedy Based On Movie Gets NBC Pilot Order," Deadline.com, January 29, 2015.
- ^ Patrick Brzeski, "STX Entertainment Scores Ratings Hit With First TV Show Made for China," The Hollywood Reporter, January 5, 2017.
- ^ Matt Donnelly, "STX Entertainment Struggles With Flops, Executive Exits and a Shift in Strategy," TheWrap, March 27, 2017.
- ^ Rebecca Sun, "'Crazy Rich Asians' Author Developing Scripted Series With STX," The Hollywood Reporter, May 4, 2017.
- ^ Denise Petski, "Nat Geo Greenlights Silicon Valley-Themed Limited Series From Matthew Carnahan, Arianna Huffington & StxTV," Deadline Hollywood, November 15, 2017.
- ^ Michael O'Connell, "Fox Developing 'Bad Moms' Unscripted Series," The Hollywood Reporter, February 8, 2018.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (October 29, 2018). "'The Edge Of Seventeen' Pilot Based On Movie Ordered By YouTube From STXtv". Deadline Hollywood.
- ^ Lucas Matney, "STX Entertainment acquires VR studio Surreal," TechCrunch, August 23, 2016.
- ^ Carolyn Giardina, "Horizon Media Launches Virtual Reality Unit UNCVR; Partners With STXsurreal," The Hollywood Reporter, June 8, 2017.
- ^ Jon Fingas, "Robert Rodriguez preps VR action series 'The Limit'," Engadget, February 14, 2018.
- ^ a b Anita Busch, "STXSurreal Unveils Development Slate With Ed Helms, Dave Bautista, Peter Berg, And Kevin Smith’s ‘Jay And Silent Bob’," Deadline.com, April 4, 2018.
- ^ Anita Busch, "STX, Dick Clark Prods. Will Distribute ‘New Year’s Rockin’ Eve’ In China," Deadline.com, December 21, 2017.
- ^ Patrick Brzeski, "Jason Statham Developing Action Film With STX, China's Tencent Pictures," The Hollywood Reporter, January 16, 2018.
- ^ Patrick Brzeski, "STX Partners With Tencent on Golden Globes Broadcast in China," The Hollywood Reporter, January 5, 2018.
- ^ Matt Mueller, "STX interview: president Sophie Watts on David Kosse's arrival and European distribution plans," Screen Daily, April 1, 2016.
- ^ Gwilym Mumford, "Andy Serkis directorial debut Breathe to open 61st London film festival," The Guardian, June 29, 2017.
- ^ Dave McNary, "STX Announces Five-Film U.K. Slate, Opens International Headquarters in London," Variety, February 8, 2017.
- ^ Nancy Tartaglione, "STX Snatches International Rights To Ridley Scott’s Getty Kidnap Thriller ‘All The Money In The World’," Deadline.com, May 20, 2017.
- ^ Lang, Brent (March 11, 2019). "STX Taps John Friedberg to Lead International Film Division". Variety.
- ^ Dealmakers Impact Report, Variety, 2014.
- ^ "The THR 100: Hollywood Reporter's Most Powerful People in Entertainment," The Hollywood Reporter, June 22, 2016.
- ^ "The THR 100: Hollywood Reporter's Most Powerful People in Entertainment," The Hollywood Reporter, June 21, 2017.
- ^ "The Hollywood Reporter 100: The Most Powerful People in Entertainment 2018". The Hollywood Reporter. September 20, 2018.
- ^ "Robert Simonds". Variety 500. September 26, 2017. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "The Mogul of the Middle". The New Yorker. January 4, 2016.
- ^ "Film producer Robert Simonds aims for $8.5 million in Mulholland Estates".
- ^ "The Gift (2015)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "Secret in Their Eyes". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "The Boy (2016)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "Hardcore Henry". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "Free State of Jones". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "Bad Moms". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "The Edge of Seventeen". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "The Bye Bye Man". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "The Space Between Us". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "The Foreigner". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "A Bad Mom's Christmas". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "Molly's Game". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "Den of Thieves". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "I Feel Pretty". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "Adrift (2018)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "Mile 22". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ [ps://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=thehappytimemurders.htm "The Happytime Murders"]. Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "Peppermint (2018)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "Second Act". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "The Upside". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "UglyDolls". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "Poms". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
- ^ "Hustlers". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
- ^ "Countdown". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
- ^ "Playmobil: The Movie". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
- ^ "The Gentlemen". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
- ^ "Greenland". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
- ^ "I Care a Lot". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
- ^ "The Mauritanian". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
- ^ "Copshop". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
External links edit
- Robert Simonds at IMDb
- Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Blue Ribbon Committee
- Nuverra Environmental Solutions Board of Directors
- National Academy of Sciences Water Sciences & Technology Board Members