Sony, Tarak Ben Ammar’s Eagle Pictures Ink Distribution, Co-Production Pact

Italy’s leading independent distribution company Eagle Pictures has signed a milestone pact with Sony to distribute the studio’s movies in Italy, as well as co-produce European and international films.

The deal expands on Eagle’s previous agreement with Sony which concerned the distribution of Sony titles on home entertainment platforms. Starting next March, the banner will be handling the distribution of all of Sony’s movies in Italy.

Eagle, which is presided over by Franco-Tunisian entrepreneur Tarak Ben Ammar and headed by Andrea Goretti, also boasts distribution deals with Paramount Pictures International, and MGM.

Eagle and Sony have already partnered up on the financing of two major productions, “Lyle, Lyle Crocodile,” the New York-set family film with Javier Bardem which has already grossed over $30 million in the U.S. and more than $50 worldwide; and Antoine Fuqua’s “The Equalizer 3” with Denzel Washington which is currently on its fourth week of shooting near the Amalfi coast in Italy.

Sony was able to tap into the lucrative Italian tax credit to shoot the film on location with a local crew and hired Maite Bulgari’s Garbo Produzioni to handle the local production.

The pact will also allow select Eagle movies to be distributed worldwide by Sony, for instance “Dampyr,” Riccardo Chemello’s Italian horror-fantasy film which is co-produced with Bonelli Editore.

While the Italian box office has taken a hit due to the pandemic, Eagle has managed to maintain its leadership as Italy’s primary independent distribution banner during the second quarter of 2022. The company notably released “House of Gucci” and “Top Gun: Maverick” in Italy.

Eagle also recently finalized its acquisition of the Studios of Paris, the vast studio facility located on the outskirts of Paris which has hosted the shoots of Netflix’s “Emily in Paris” and “Murder Mystery ” with Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler, as well as “The New Look,” Apple’s series on Christian Dior starring Juliette Binoche as Coco Chanel. The facility has nine sound stages spreading across 120,000 square feet.

On top of its European alliances and partnerships with U.S. majors, Eagle is also a shareholder in Spyglass, alongside Andy Mitchell’s Lantern Asset Management. Eagle Pictures also boasts a library of 2,800 titles.

Variety - Elsa Keslassy