Open Road Films and Universal Studios Home Entertainment (USHE) have renewed their agreement in which Universal handles all marketing, sales and distribution services for Blu-ray, DVD, Electronic Sell-Through and VOD platforms of Open Road Films' theatrical titles through 2017. The announcement was made today jointly by Tom Ortenberg, CEO of Open Road Films, and Craig Kornblau, President of USHE.
Among many other
Open Road Films titles, USHE will release the current hit family film The Nut Job, which opened on January 17, 2014, taking in over $25.7 million at the holiday weekend box-office as the biggest independent animated film opening of all time. Upcoming 2014 titles from
Open Road Films that will be handled under the deal with USHE include Sabotage (opening 3/28/14) starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Joe Manganiello, Sam Worthington, Harold Perrineau, Terrence Howard, Max Martini, Josh Holloway, Olivia Williams, and Mireille Enos; A Haunted House 2 (opening 4/18/14) starring Marlon Wayans, Jaime Pressly, Gabriel Iglesias, Affion Crockett and Cedric The Entertainer; Chef (opening 5/9/14) written by, directed by and starring Jon Favreau along with Sofia Vergara, Scarlett Johansson, John Leguizamo, Bobby Cannavale, Oliver Platt, Dustin Hoffman and Robert Downey, Jr.; and Eli Roth's The Green Inferno (opening 9/5/14).
"Universal has been a valuable partner in every way as we have grown Open Road Films," commented Ortenberg. "Craig, USHE marketing head Hilary Hoffman and their entire team have been an asset to our business and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to continue to work with them."
Added Kornblau, "In a very short time, Tom and his team have developed
Open Road Films into a premier film distribution concern, They have a proven track record in assembling compelling and promising movie slates as evidenced with such releases as The Grey, A Haunted House and most recently, The Nut Job. We are thrilled to extend our current home entertainment partnership with this talented group and look forward to the next chapter of our collaboration."
