THE H COLLECTIVE ADDS RAKUTEN AS INVESTMENT PARTNER ON “BRIGHTBURN” AND “XXX 4”
Companies to Join Forces on Japanese Distribution Company and Partner to Release xXx 4 in Japan
CANNES/LOS ANGELES/TOKYO, May 14, 2019 – The H Collective, a global film finance, production, marketing and distribution company, announced today that it has secured investment funding from Rakuten, Inc., a global leader in internet services headquartered in Tokyo, for its upcoming motion picture titles Brightburn and xXx 4.
Under the investment agreement, Rakuten has provided financing to Brightburn, The H Collective’s first globally released feature film starring Elizabeth Banks and produced by James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy). Sony is releasing Brightburn on May 24 to coincide with Memorial Day Weekend in the US. Rakuten will also provide financing for the fourth installment of the xXx franchise, directed by D.J. Caruso starring Vin Diesel who will reprise his role of Xander Cage.
The H Collective and Rakuten will also establish a joint venture to distribute motion pictures in Japan. The joint venture will support the release of Brightburn and distribute xXx 4 as well as the animated film, Spycies, in Japan. Directed by Guillaume Ivernel (Dragon Hunters), The H Collective invested in Spycies, which was produced by Chinese entertainment giant and frequent collaborator, iQiyi.
The H Collective CEO, Nic Crawley said: “I couldn’t be happier to be strengthening our relationships in Asia by partnering with Rakuten – which is one of the most exciting companies in the world. Having them invest in Brightburn, our first global release and xXx 4, is a sign of their commitment to film investments. Japan is a fantastic market, ripe with distribution opportunities given the rising quantity of cinema admissions. These are just the first steps in our new business relationship.”
"This is the next step for Rakuten to empower the entertainment industry through strategic investment," said Mickey Mikitani, CEO of Rakuten. "I'm very excited to collaborate with The H Collective and look forward to growing our partnership to invest in international cinema and bring more great international films to Japan."
ABOUT THE H COLLECTIVE
Launched in 2017, and with offices in Los Angeles, The H Collective is a global film finance, production, marketing and distribution company that is producing and financing a diversified slate of high-quality films with strong Franchise IP potential. The slate includes Brightburn starring Elizabeth Banks which Sony will release on May 24th and Christopher Cantwell’s thriller The Parts You Lose starring Aaron Paul. The H Collective acquired the rights to Aaron W. Sala’s horror thriller spec The Beast which will be directed by Christine Crokos and The H Collective/Xtreme Pictures will produce the fourth installment of the xXx franchise starring Vin Diesel. For further information, visit: www.thehcollectivefilms.com.
ABOUT RAKUTEN, INC
Rakuten, Inc is a global leader in internet services that empower individuals, communities, businesses and society. Founded in Tokyo, 1997 as an online marketplace, Rakuten has expanded to offer services in e-commerce, fintech, digital content and communications to more than 1.3 billion members around the world. The Rakuten Group has more than 17,000 employees and operations in 30 countries and regions. For further information, visit: https://global.rakuten.com/corp/
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