CBS Films: “A Content Company”

The objective of CBS Films, the project that was initiated by CBS chief Les Moonves in 2007, is to make 4-6 movies per year for less than $50M each. Although these so called mid-range films are relatively easy to produce, they are considered a tough nut to crack profitability wise, which is why major movie studios prefer to avoid them.

The Back-Up Plan, starring Alex O’Loughlin and Jennifer Lopez, will be CBS Films’ first release and is set to hit the theaters on January 22, 2010. Harrison Ford has signed on for the fledgling studio’s second feature, which will be released in April 2010 and there are two more productions in the pipeline.

Amy Baer, who heads CBS Films, is not worried about the effects of the current global economic slump. Not only is the movie industry recession proof, she says, but CBS Films feels safe with the backing of the network. “Fortunately, our movies are financed by CBS, so we’re not affected by a credit crunch,” she tells Variety.

Les Moonves: “We’re a content company. And these films provide us a new form of content that is very complementary with our other entertainment assets.”

Read more about CBS Films in the recent Variety article CBS Tackles Feature Films.

Tags: alex o’loughlin, alex o’lachlan, the back-up plan, cbs, cbs films

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