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Alchemy (company)

Alchemy (formerly Millennium Entertainment) was an American independent global film distributor based in Los Angeles, California. The company acquired and distributed feature films, television series and specialty programming.[1]

History

Millennium Entertainment was 60% owned by production company Nu Image. Exclusive Media Group owned 20% and Prentice Capital owned the remaining stock.[2] Following its formation in 2010, the company marked its first noteworthy theatrical release in 2011 with Trust, starring Academy Award nominees Clive Owen, Catherine Keener, and Viola Davis.[3] Alchemy owns and operates[1] a film library consisting of over 1,000 titles, including Paris, Je’TAime, Transsiberian, and Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, as well as the recent titles Elephant White, starring Djimon Hounsou and Kevin Bacon; Shadows and Lies, starring James Franco; and Blitz, starring Jason Statham.

Television series released by Alchemy include The Cosby Show, Baywatch, and A Different World. First Look Studios originally released all eight seasons of The Cosby Show, A Different World, and other shows on DVD, but they eventually filed bankruptcy in 2010.[4][5] Millennium Entertainment acquired all of First Look Studios’ assets, and continued to release them in the United States, Canada, Bermuda, and other U.S. Territories.[6] In April 2013, it was announced that Millennium Entertainment would be sold, and an investment company, Salem Partners, would assist in the sale.[2] In August 2014 the company's library and distribution assets had been sold to a consortium consisting of its current management and Virgo Investment Group. The new owners renamed the company Alchemy in January 2015, finally cutting ties to its former sister company Millennium Films.[7]

In July 2015, Alchemy acquired the film distribution assets of ANconnect and the digital film and television distributor Anderson Digital, both divisions of Anderson Media Corporation.[8] The transaction will result in the addition of 40 new employees to the existent 70 and expand the company's catalogue to over 1,300 films and 3,000 TV episodes.[9] In December 2015, Bill Lee exited the company as CEO.[10]

Bankruptcy

In February 2016, Alchemy laid off 40 employees, equaling 40% of the company's entire staff.[11][12] due to liquidity issues.[13] The company began selling off previously acquired films including The Lobster,[14] Free Fire,[15] Mia Madre,[16] 31[17] and Evolution.[18] The Lobster and Free Fire were purchased by A24, while Mia Madre was sold to Music Box Films, 31 to Saban Films and Evolution to IFC Midnight.[19][20][21][22][23] The last of their acquisitions, Zeroville, wasn't released until 2019.[24]

Alchemy filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on June 30, 2016.[25] All employees were released following the bankruptcy.[26][27]

Alchemy's remaining film library is currently owned by FilmRise.

Releases

TV series

  • Bethenny Ever After
  • Baywatch
  • The Cosby Show
  • A Different World[28]
  • Flipping Out
  • Guy's Big Bite
  • Hell's Kitchen
  • The Invisible Man
  • Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List
  • McMillan & Wife
  • Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles
  • The Millionaire Matchmaker
  • Pregnant in Heels
  • The Rachel Zoe Project
  • Tabatha Takes Over
  • Unsolved Mysteries

Animated

  • Arthur! and the Square Knights of the Round Table
  • Back to the Jurassic
  • Dinky Dog
  • Drak Pack
  • Khumba
  • Wing Commander Academy

Films

  • Alpha Males Experiment
  • Are You Here
  • The Babymakers
  • Bernie
  • Blitz
  • Buck Wild
  • Control
  • Dead Awake
  • Dead Sushi
  • The Elephant in the Living Room
  • Elephant White
  • Elsa & Fred
  • Faces in the Crowd
  • Fake
  • High Road
  • Hisss
  • The Iceman
  • Intruders
  • Laddaland
  • Life of a King
  • Linklater
  • The Liquidator
  • Little Birds
  • A Little Bit of Heaven
  • Love
  • Moonwalkers
  • The Nocturnal
  • Persecuted
  • Playing Dirty
  • Puncture
  • Rampart
  • Red Lights
  • Rob the Mob
  • The Runner
  • Sacrifice
  • Shadows and Lies
  • Skin Traffik
  • So Undercover
  • Spiders
  • Stolen
  • Straight A's
  • Strangerland
  • Stuck in Love
  • Survivor
  • The Taking of Deborah Logan
  • Trespass
  • Trust
  • The Ultimate Yogi
  • Upside Down
  • The Wedding Weekend
  • Welcome to Me
  • What Maisie Knew
  • It's Alive

Distributed lines

External links

References

  1. Millennium Entertainment Company Profile Millennium Entertainment, retrieved 5 March 2013^
  2. Millennium On The Block; Salem Partners To Handle Sale Of Distribution Unit. Deadline Hollywood (April 22, 2013).^
  3. Trust Millennium Films, retrieved August 7, 2016^
  4. Kenneth Ofgang. Court Revives Suit Over Profits From Ving Rhames Movie. Metropolitan News-Enterprise, retrieved 5 March 2013^
  5. FIRST LOOK MEDIA INC (FIRST:OTC US): Stock Quote & Company Profile - Businessweek Businessweek, Bloomberg, retrieved 5 March 2013^
  6. First Look Studios Acquired by Millennium Entertainment. Blu-ray.com, retrieved 5 March 2013^
  7. Millennium Entertainment Picks a Name: Alchemy 8 January 2015^
  8. The Wrap: "Alchemy Acquires ANconnect and Anderson Digital, Creates Alliance With ARC Entertainment" By Tim Kenneally July 13, 2015^
  9. Hollywood Reporter: "Alchemy Acquires ANconnect, Anderson Digital and Signs Pact With ARC Entertainment" July 13, 2015^
  10. Mia Galuppo. Bill Lee Abruptly Exits as Alchemy CEO TheHollywoodReporter.com, December 7, 2015, retrieved February 18, 2016^
  11. Dave McNary. Indie Distributor Alchemy Hit With 40 Layoffs Variety.com, February 17, 2016, retrieved February 18, 2016^
  12. Brian Brooks, Anthony D'Alessandro. Alchemy Faces Financial Woes, Slashes Staff & Uncovers "Discrepancies Within Parts Of Its Businesses" Deadline Hollywood, February 16, 2016, retrieved February 18, 2016^
  13. IndieWire: "How the DVD Business Is Destroying Alchemy" By Eric Kohn February 17, 2016^
  14. Dave McNary, Ramin Seetoodeh. Cannes: 'The Lobster' Selling to Alchemy (EXCLUSIVE) Variety, May 19, 2015, retrieved August 7, 2016^
  15. Mike Jr. Fleming, Ali Jaffar. Alchemy Closes Deal For Ben Wheatley's White-Hot 'Free Fire' – AFM Deadline Hollywood, November 12, 2015, retrieved August 7, 2016^
  16. Anthony D'Alessandro. Alchemy Takes U.S. Rights To Nanni Moretti's 'Mia Madre' – Cannes Deadline Hollywood, May 19, 2015, retrieved August 7, 2016^
  17. Mike Jr. Fleming. Alchemy Acquires Rights To Rob Zombie-Directed '31' Deadline, April 1, 2015, retrieved March 15, 2022^
  18. Patrick Hipes. 'Evolution', Toronto-Bound Horror Pic, Acquired By Alchemy; 'Somali Project' Docks At Vladar Co. Deadline, August 13, 2015, retrieved March 15, 2022^
  19. Mike Jr. Fleming. A24 Postpones 'The Lobster' Theatrical Release – Update Deadline Hollywood, March 1, 2016, retrieved August 7, 2016^
  20. Anthony D'Alessandro. A24 Scoops Up Brie Larson Action Thriller 'Free Fire' In Wake Of Alchemy Financial Turmoil Deadline Hollywood, March 10, 2016, retrieved August 7, 2016^
  21. Anthony D'Alessandro. Music Box Rescues Nanni Moretti's 'Mia Madre' From Alchemy Deadline Hollywood, April 19, 2016, retrieved August 7, 2016^
  22. Patrick Hipes, Anthony D'Alessandro. Rob Zombie's '31' Acquired By Saban Films For September Release Yahoo! Finance, March 24, 2016, retrieved March 15, 2022^
  23. Kate Erbland. IFC Midnight Picks Up Former Alchemy Feature 'Evolution' IndieWire, March 23, 2016, retrieved March 15, 2022^
  24. Anthony D'Alessandro. James Franco's Delayed 'Zeroville' Saved By myCinema; Distrib's Slate Includes Julian Fellowes' 'The Chaperone' – CinemaCon Deadline, April 1, 2019, retrieved March 15, 2022^
  25. Alchemy Files For Chapter 7-Names Long List of Creditors Deadline Hollywood, 7 July 2016^
  26. Alchemy retrieved August 7, 2016^
  27. Dave McNary. Alchemy Files for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Protection Variety, July 7, 2016, retrieved August 7, 2016^
  28. Millennium Entertainment TV Shows DVD Empire.com, Right Ascension, Inc., retrieved 5 March 2013^