By MCN Editor editor@moviecitynews.com
JEFERY LEVY TO LAUNCH PRODUCTION COMPANY, XMARKSTHEEARTH, IN 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Company is fully funded to produce three films a year for the next five years
Los Angeles, CA (November 30, 2011) – The critically acclaimed and award-winning writer, director, and producer Jefery Levy and his partners will launch a new production company, XMarksTheEarth, in early 2012, Levy today announced. XMarksTheEarth has been in an R&D stage for the past two years, and is currently fully funded to produce a slate of three films a year for the next five years, budgeted at approximately three million dollars per film.
The first film in the slate, SECRET LIVES, is based on the legendary Japanese novel by Nobel Laureate Junichiro Tanizaki and will start pre-production in January. Other films planned for 2012 include DISTANCE, which will likely star Billy Zane and Paz de la Huerta and CROSSROADS, starring Aidan Quinn. Jeremy Piven is in discussions with the company to star in UN(RE)SOLVED, which would also start shooting in 2012.
Over the past two years, XMarksTheEarth has developed almost two-dozen original screenplays, and is working on adaptations of books by such world-class authors as Nobel Prize laureate Junichiro Tanizaki, American treasure Jay McInerney, local sensation Katie Arnoldi, Robert Cheever, Agatha Christie, and Kate Braverman.
“Our intention is to produce films that leap out of this ultra-saturated marketplace and grab attention, through a combination of highly original and/or branded subject matter, known talent, and cutting-edge execution,” said Levy. “Also, we intend to make a number of films that can then be turned into television and web series, utilizing state-of-the-art digital technology, including virtual sets.”
XMarksTheEarth’s television projects include a partnership with Tumoltous Group on “Sex Drugs and Rock n Roll,” an original series developed for Starz described as “Mad Men” about A&R Executives in the wild 80’s, and “You’re In The Band,” a reality competition show. XMarksTheEarth is also working with Tumoltuous Group on the feature PRIORITY, the story of Bryan Turner, his discovery of NWA and the subsequent rise of his west coast rap label Priority Records.
XMarksTheEarth also plans a fun and very scary reboot of GHOULIES, which Levy produced while in graduate film school at UCLA in 1984. The film became a successful global horror franchise in the 80’s and 90’s, and is one of a number of horror franchises the company plans to produce.
In his film and television work Levy has helped to launch the careers of dozens of now major stars including Heath Ledger and Vera Farmiga (“Roar”), Reese Witherspoon, Stephen Dorff, and Tobey Maguire (“S.F.W.”), Anne Hathaway and Jesse Eisenberg (“Get Real”), Patricia Arquette, Rikki Lake, Sandra Bernhard, Debi Mazar, and Rupert Everett (“Inside Monkey Zetterland”), Jessica Alba (“Dark Angel”), and Nikki Reed (“Man Of God”), just to name a few.
Levy has also penned a roman a clef about his extraordinary global adventures in film, fashion and food, which will be published in late 2012.
# # #