brad pitt yacht plan b

Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment Sells 60% Stake Sold to Mediawan

Brad Pitt, the renowned Oscar-winning actor behind iconic films like “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and “Fight Club,” is making headlines yet again, but this time it’s not for his on-screen charisma.

According to insider sources, he’s in the midst of a deal about to shake up the entertainment industry. Brad Pitt is selling a substantial 60% stake in his production company, Plan B Entertainment, to the French media powerhouse, Mediawan. While the official announcement is slated for this weekend, let’s delve into what we know.

A Strategic Move

Although the exact figures remain undisclosed, this intriguing deal has already been inked. However, insiders suggest it values Plan B Entertainment at a staggering sum in the hundreds of millions but falls just below the $500 million mark. As both parties, Plan B and Mediawan, have maintained tight lips regarding the agreement’s specifics, relying on these clandestine sources is essential for now.

The Genesis of Plan B

Founded in 2001, Plan B Entertainment is the brainchild of Brad Pitt, who ventured into this endeavor alongside his then-wife, Jennifer Aniston, and his then-manager, Brad Grey (who passed away in 2017). Following his divorce from Aniston, Pitt assumed sole ownership of the production company, steering it towards remarkable achievements.

A Legacy of Excellence

Over the past two decades, Plan B Entertainment has made an indelible mark in the film and television industry. The company boasts an impressive portfolio that includes Academy Award-winning gems like “The Departed” and “12 Years a Slave.”

Their recent works continue to captivate audiences, with projects such as “Blonde,” a fictionalized portrayal of Marilyn Monroe for Netflix, and “She Said,” a gripping narrative that delves into The New York Times’ investigation of sexual assault in Hollywood.

On television, Plan B has delivered compelling content like HBO’s critically acclaimed “The Normal Heart,” directed by Ryan Murphy, and Amazon Prime Video’s thought-provoking 2021 miniseries, “The Underground Railroad.”

The Streaming Revolution

In the ever-evolving media consumption landscape, independent production studios have become highly coveted assets for large media corporations aiming to expand their streaming services.

A prime example is Reese Witherspoon, who sold a majority stake in her company, Hello Sunshine, to Candle Media, founded by Disney veterans Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs. This landmark deal valued Hello Sunshine at an impressive $900 million. Candle Media also recently acquired a minority stake in Westbrook Inc., founded by the dynamic duo of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith.

Meet Mediawan

Mediawan, the French media conglomerate making waves with this acquisition, is a content studio producing various movies and TV series across Europe and the United States.

With ownership of more than 60 production labels, it’s clear that Mediawan has a firm grip on the entertainment landscape. The company was co-founded by Chairman Pierre Antoine-Capton, who is poised to steer the ship towards new horizons with the addition of Plan B Entertainment.

The Deal Makers

It takes seasoned professionals to navigate the complexities of a transaction of this magnitude. The boutique investment bank Moelis played a pivotal role in facilitating the sale on behalf of Plan B Entertainment. However, as is customary in such high-stakes negotiations, a spokesperson for Moelis has refrained from making any official comments.

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PLAN B yacht NOT for charter*

73.15m  /  240' | adm shipyards | 2012.

Owner & Guests

Cabin Configuration

• Previous Yacht

Special Features:

• Guest elevator
• Extensive health and beauty center, including spa and beach club
• Three VIP cabins
• Germanischer Lloyd ✠ 100 A5 Motor Yacht, ✠ MC AUT classification
• Up to 25 crew

The 73.15m/240' motor yacht 'Plan B' was built by ADM Shipyards in the United Arab Emirates at their Kiel shipyard and she was delivered to her owner in June 2012. This luxury vessel's exterior design is the work of Focus Yacht Design.

Guest Accommodation

Plan B has been designed to comfortably accommodate up to 12 guests in 8 suites comprising three VIP cabins. She is also capable of carrying up to 25 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience.

Onboard Comfort & Entertainment

Her features include steam room, spa, elevator, beach club, gym, deck jacuzzi, WiFi and air conditioning.

Range & Performance

Plan B is built with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, with teak decks. Powered by twin diesel MTU (16V 4000 M60) 16-cylinder 2,360hp engines running at 1800rpm, she comfortably cruises at 13 knots, reaches a maximum speed of 17 knots. An advanced stabilisation system on board promises exceptional comfort levels at anchor or on any voyage. She was built to Germanischer Lloyd ✠ 100 A5 Motor Yacht, ✠ MC AUT classification society rules.

PRIVATE YACHT - "Plan B" IS NOT FOR CHARTER

Sorry, motor yacht "Plan B" is a strictly Private yacht and is NOT available for Charter. Click here to view similar yachts for charter , or contact your Yacht Charter Broker for information about renting another luxury charter yacht.

"Yacht Charter Fleet" is a free information service, if your vessel changes its status, and does become available for charter, please contact us with details and photos and we will update our records.

Plan B Photos

NOTE to U.S. Customs & Border Protection

NOTE TO U.S. CUSTOMS & BORDER PROTECTION

Due to the international and fluid nature of the yachting business and the fact there is no global central industry listing service to which all charter yachts subscribe it is impossible to ascertain a truly up-to-date view of the market. We are a news and information service and not always informed when yachts leave the charter market, or when they are recently sold and renamed it is not clear if they are still for charter. Whilst we use our best endeavors to maintain accurate information, the existence of a listing on this website should in no way supersede official documentation supplied by representatives of a yacht.

Specification

M/Y Plan B

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PLAN B Yacht – Luxuriant $100M Superyacht

The PLAN B yacht is Patokh Chodiev’s $100 million superyacht that was delivered by German shipbuilders Abu Dhabi Mar in 2012.

Alberto Pinto drew up the classic interior design, and the exterior was designed by Focus Yacht Design. The 73m yacht offers a luxurious yachting experience.

PLAN B yacht interior

Alberto Pinto designed the interior of the PLAN B yacht. She has eight cabins that can accommodate 16 guests, one master, three VIPs, one double, and three twins.

There are ten cabins for 22 crew members. She features a massive beach club that creates an inside/outside area on the water for guests to enjoy.

Behind the helipad, which serves as an excellent spot to view the surrounding environment, is a sundeck jacuzzi surrounded by sun pads, sun loungers, and a bar.

A corridor connects the beach club to a spa and steam room.

The main deck aft has a partially shaded area by the upper deck overhang and with the option for additional shade with a canopy to suit guests.

There are plenty of interior design features that are excellent for relaxation and socialization among guests.

The master suite is on the main deck and is a large room with a private terrace, en-suite bathroom, a lounge, and a study.

The sundeck has an indoor gym space that guests can use while the boat is underway. The gym features spectacular views with floor-to-ceiling windows.

The exterior was designed by Focus Yacht Design and built by Abu Dhabi Mar, a prestigious German shipbuilder.

The ADM shipyard, Nobiskrug, is on the Elder River in Germany and is known for building custom-made and cutting-edge luxury yachts. ADM was formerly known as HDW-Kiel.

The PLAN B yacht was delivered in 2012, with an exterior consisting of a striking steel hull and white aluminum superstructure. PLAN B was recently refitted in 2020.

Specifications

With her 2 MTU engines, The PLAN B yacht can reach a top speed of 17kn. She has a volume of 1773 tons and costs $5-$10 million per annum to run.

At her cruising speed of 13 knots, she can cover 4000 nautical miles. She has a total length of 73m, a draft of 3.6m, and a 12m beam.

She has a Lloyds Classification, with advanced Zero Speed stabilizers for maximum comfort onboard while at anchor.

Do you have anything to add to this listing?

• Abu Dhabi Mar
• Alberto Pinto
• Focus Yacht Design
• MTU Engines
• Pathok Chodiev
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Sherman123 New Member

I can confirm that Plan B does in fact have a submersible aboard. Not sure exactly where it is located, but one of my friends is a crew member at the moment and has mentioned it. I will ask him for more details.

hat4349 Senior Member

She is definitely one beautiful yacht with wonderful lines. I like the second color scheme over the first from seeing the pictures. May have been nice to see in person but by the pictures I will take the second color scheme, but taste is a very personal thing.

thebighawk New Member

Plan B 2nd recent refit was in 06. I t had just come up from New Zealand with a fresh refit, when new owner decided to change again.

Hiper New Member

Stunning yacht! Thats what I call a proper conversion. The paint job/scheme is immaculate, plenty of space for "toys", and a 7,000nm range. I too wonder how much the conversion cost for this yacht. Absolutely gorgeous.

trex251 New Member

Plan b arrives Panama on Monday 3 Have a nice day. Greets from Panama. Pdta. Sorry my camera has a wrong date i forgot to set up correctly when i change batteries

Attached Files:

cad2303 New Member

smithym said: Here she is in Port Vila, Vanuatu. Very jealous Click to expand...

YachtForums Administrator

cad2303 said: She is in Miami Beach Marina today 12th Dec who owns her please ? Click to expand...

MDG New Member

Port Louis Marnia Plan B is relaxing at Port Louis Marina in sunny St. George's, Grenada this weekend with a new Eurocopter EC 145 aboard...

Kevin YF Moderator

When did Plan B sprout that huge mast? Seriously, thanks for the pic. Plan B is beautiful, in her own way, with a definite air of capability about her.

BUIZILLA New Member

Plan B was supposed to be off the coast of Santiago, Chile right about now, they had to pick up some crew members that were on holiday, then continue to the Easter Islands... I was onboard the day before it left MIA... rumor has it there is a film crew also onboard, from National Geographic..

MattPG Guest

Plan B was... .. In the Galapagos two weeks ago, with a host of Hollywood types (di Caprio, Norton, Chevy Chase) with Nat Geo's Endeavour and a support vessel doing filming by the look of it. The helicopter was in heavy use and that takes some heavy licensing action to get done in the Galapagos. there was a rumour she's owned by Brad Pitt, but I think only because his film company is called Plan B..

MattPG said: .. In the Galapagos two weeks ago, with a host of Hollywood types (di Caprio, Norton, Chevy Chase) with Nat Geo's Endeavour and a support vessel doing filming by the look of it. The helicopter was in heavy use and that takes some heavy licensing action to get done in the Galapagos. there was a rumour she's owned by Brad Pitt, but I think only because his film company is called Plan B.. Click to expand...

SHAZAM Senior Member

She was docked next to a metal scrap yard at the very end of the miami river for about two months at the end of 2009. Stunning in person.

Neil Rooney Senior Member

In Fll She's at Pier 66 now.

pgkurst New Member

Anchored in the Miles River off of St. Michaels, MD on Saturday, May 15th.

Wommble New Member

The progress of a great vessel It seems like everything has been said, but I'll still add my two cents. Flinders, was originally a Australian Navy Survey vessel and sold to a NZ businessman back I believe in/order late 2002, for a fantastic price. This even included three new Cat's 3512 that where meant for the vessel but never used. As mentioned by the someone already the boat was refitted in Whangarei, NZ. The head of the project was the Owner himself. The hull was basically kept as is (a couple of slight modifications) and the Superstructure was completely removed. The original fwd cargo hold was kept, along with the fully equipped E/R workshop down aft. The rest changed and modified to meet the owners needs. It was a great ergonomic lay-out for all the crew. The best I have ever seen. There were three tenders onboard the new Flinders. A jetboat (still onboard), a semi rigid game fishing boat "Protector" (still onboard) and a fantastic Landing Craft. Guest Accom for 12. Cinema, Gym room, Small pool (with swim jets) and a jacuzzi on the sundeck. She sailed from NZ in around Oct 2004. Spent the next 4 months in the French Pol and Cntrl America before crossing over to the Carib. Another busy 3 months cruising the Carib. At that point chartered by the new owners. A GOOD deal was struct and the vessel sold in early May 2005. After which she was in Jax, Fl for the following 2 1/2 years. It was there for so long mainly because the missus kept changing her mind! She still looks very similar. A few major changes were made.Zero Speeds were added. The Cargo hold was removed and made into crew qtrs. The Crew area was cut by a third and an extra two crew berths were added. The Flexi-teak decking was replaced with real teak. An ROV was added to the vessel (and side strobe, I think). A large amount of strengthening was added to the Sundeck for the Helicopter. During this period, they went through numerous Capts. The last one, left the day before it was meant to sail. One of the few people to know the vessel as Flinders and Plan B. My opinion is still she is a great boat, but her layout, design, function and Stability were better as Flinders.

Mike448 Member

Happened to be checking out a video on the WAITT Institute website and noticed that the research vessel they were using for their Rio Chagres Expedition is "Plan B". There is no mention of the yacht in the article but if you watch the video, it is definitely Plan B, at 0:12 and 0:17 into the video. Also the ROV at 0:37 Watch the video at: http://wid.waittinstitute.org/waitt-expedition-highlights or http://vimeo.com/3312947 It awesome to see yacht owner's using the vessels in the name of science and conservation. Keep up the great work guys, and don't be so secretive about it

simon6 New Member

Plan B Plan B is presenty parked outside in Grand Harbour Marina, Malta Gerald Duke

CIMG0408.JPG

T.K. Senior Member

I like her...............

Yacht News YF News Editor

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Brad Pitt Sells 60% Stake in Plan B Production Company to Mediawan

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

Brad Pitt is selling 60% of his production company, Plan B Entertainment, to French media conglomerate Mediawan, according to multiple reports.

The deal is signed and expected to be announced this weekend, CNBC reported .

The agreement values Plan B, in the hundreds of millions, but below $500 million, the network reported, citing people familiar with the discussions.

Pitt founded the banner in 2001 with now ex-wife Jennifer Aniston and late manager Brad Grey, who died in 2017 . Pitt took sole ownership of the company when the couple divorced in 2005.

The Oscar-winning actor started shopping Plan B in October , tapping boutique investment adviser Meolis & Co. to represent the banner. The deal was led by Carlos Jimenez of Moelis, who spoke at TheWrap’s annual “The Grill” event, suggesting that despite the economic slowdown hitting Hollywood, it was a good time for M&A.

Also Read: ‘Hill House’ Duo Mike Flanagan and Trevor Macy Jump From Netflix to Amazon Studios With New Overall Deal

Paris-based Mediawan, founded in 2015 by Pierre-Antoine Capton, Xavier Niel and Matthieu Pigasse, owns more than 60 production labels, according to CNBC, including European banners like Italy’s Palomar and France’s Chapter 2. It produces movies and TV series in Europe and the U.S.

Plan B has produced an array of top hits and award-winning films, including Best Picture winners “Moonlight,” “12 Years a Slave” and “The Departed.” Its credits also include “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “The Time Traveler’s Wife,” “Eat, Pray, Love,” “The Tree of Life,” “Moneyball,” “World War Z,” “Selma,” “The Big Short,” “The Last Black Man in San Francisco,” “Ad Astra” and “The King.”

It also has a host of well regarded TV projects under its belt, including Amazon Prime’s “The Underground Railroad.”

The banner has a deal with MGM for feature films, along with a first-look deal for TV with Amazon Studios. It’s not clear if the sale will impact those arrangements.

The sale is one of a series of independent production company acquisitions. Last year, Reese Witherspoon sold her Hello Sunshine production company to Candle Media, a company launched by former Disney execs and backed by Blackstone. She pocketed roughly $900 million in the deal.

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett also sold a minority stake in their Westbrook Inc. to Candle Media earlier this year. No pricetag was reported for that deal.

LeBron James’ SpringHill Company also sold a minority stake last year, to a group led by RedBird Capital Partners, Fenway Sports Group (of which James has a stake of), Nike and Epic Games.

Also Read: Watch Ryan Reynolds React to Shania Twain Swapping Him Into Iconic Brad Pitt Lyric at 2022 People’s Choice Awards (Video)

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Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie spend £250million on superyacht - and £200,000 more to decorate it

The floating palace will even feature technology that can interfere with digital cameras to fend off paparazzi

• 22:14, 13 Sep 2014

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have splashed out on a £250million superyacht.

The newlywed Hollywood A-listers are spending a further £200,000 to have the luxury vessel fitted to their own specifications.

The floating palace will be decked out with the finest Italian marble and woodwork by Italian boat-makers Rizzardi.

It will even feature technology that can interfere with digital cameras to fend off paparazzi.

Meanwhile, Brad, 50, and ­Angelina, 39, are in Malta shooting a film together after marrying in a secret ceremony in France last month.

But locals are said to be angry over alleged disruption to the village where the pair have hired six villas so they can be left in peace with kids Maddox, 13, Pax, 10, Zahara, nine, Shiloh, eight, and twins Vivienne and Knox, six.

A source said: “As well as two holiday homes to accommodate their brood, they’ve hired four surrounding them so they can have privacy.

"It’s as though they’ve sectioned off their own compound.

“Locals are getting angry as their presence is getting disruptive.”

Residents have posted comments on Facebook and some are ­planning an online petition to “show their displeasure”.

Don’t worry, folks – looks like they’ll soon be off to sea...

MORE ON Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Angelina Jolie Brad Pitt Angelina Jolie children

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Why Brad Pitt’s Plan B is looking to do audio as others pull out

Chris morrow is heading a new audio division at the production company, with goals to acquire ip with hollywood in mind..

By Amrita Khalid , one of the authors of audio industry newsletter Hot Pod. Khalid has covered tech, surveillance policy, consumer gadgets, and online communities for more than a decade.

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This is  Hot Pod ,  The Verge’ s newsletter about podcasting and the audio industry. Sign up  here  for more.

Hope everyone is gearing up for the dog days of summer. Today’s issue includes a Q&A I did with Chris Morrow, the newly hired head of audio at Plan B — the production company founded by Brad Pitt that has produced films like Women Talking , Blonde , The Big Short , and many others.

The now over 20-year-old Hollywood production powerhouse has undergone a few recent changes. Last year, Pitt sold 60 percent of Plan B to French media conglomerate Mediawan in a deal that is estimated to be worth hundreds of millions. The acquisition is a part of Mediawan’s strategy to expand to English-speaking markets and acquire more IP, of which audio is expected to play a role. Pitt is still involved in Plan B’s leadership, and Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner have continued as co-presidents of the production company.

In January, Plan B and Audible announced a multi-project development deal , where the former will create a series of Audible Originals. Morrow has worked in the audio industry for many years — he’s been an editor on a number of Gimlet Media shows, as well as the co-creator of its scripted series Mogul . Morrow shared with Hot Pod some insights on Hollywood’s evolving relationship with the audio world and what to expect from Plan B’s audio division in the months to follow. 

Also in today’s issue: I cover some news about SiriusXM’s plans to sunset Stitcher and New York Public Radio’s struggles to cut costs. 

Plan B thinks there’s still potential for audio in Hollywood

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Can you talk a little bit about what prompted Plan B to invest in the audio space? 

So, as you know, Plan B has entered into a really strong partnership with Audible. It’s an exclusive multi-product development deal to make Audible Originals. I think this coincided with Plan B’s acquisition by Mediawan. The goal was to expand the scope of what Plan B produces and to take that unique, kind of risky, out-of-the-box storytelling that you’ve seen them do in the film space for a lot of years and start to explore how to make similar things in audio. 

As far as “risky, out-of-the-box” storytelling in audio fiction, what does the current space look like? What potential is there for the medium to evolve? 

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, one of the things that’s really exciting about Plan B is that a lot of people in this space are very focused on specific genres. My marching orders from the beginning have been to go out, find projects I’m passionate about, and just make them. I think as a content creator and a person who’s kind of ushering projects into this space, that’s the best thing you can hear. 

What seems to really move the needle at Plan B is passion around projects — as opposed to let’s go out and find rom coms or let’s go out and find a thriller or a true crime podcast . I think they’re open to all those possibilities, but what’s been their hallmark over the years is just really finding ways to support creators who have a particular vision and feel strongly about it. And even if it’s a little out of the box or seems a little different from what’s popular at the moment, they’ve shown that these projects, in the end, can be incredibly successful and impactful. 

Can you shed more light on what kind of projects and stories you’re planning on taking on? Will it be restricted to just audio dramas or scripted fiction podcasts? Is there interest in investing in other kinds of podcasts? 

I think there’s going to be a lot of movement in the near future. The first project is going to be a fiction project called A Summer Love Thing by a really amazing cinematographer named Bradford Young, who worked on Selma and When They See Us and a lot of other stuff. 

I think it’ll have a really unique approach in terms of the format and the storytelling, and I think it’ll fall very much in line with some of the other types of projects — maybe not in terms of subject matter, but at least in terms of approach and format that you’ve seen for Plan B. 

We’ve seen podcasts and audiobooks become a popular source of material or IP for Hollywood over the past several years. Since Plan B is a production company, how — or even does it — plan on playing a part in the kind of the audio-to-TV or audio-to-film pipeline?

Well, I think you just nailed it. The goal is to acquire a lot of really strong and innovative IP and find ways to use audio to help launch IP, and then ultimately find new life for it as scripted features or scripted documentaries. Plan B’s goal is to expand in all these areas over the coming years. 

I think Plan B sees this as a very fundamental part of what the business and the strategy is going to look like moving forward — which was very exciting for me to hear when we were initially talking about working together. 

The writers strike has put much of the production work in this town on hold. How has it impacted your work? Is there more interest in audio now, given the strike? 

I mean, obviously, the strike has affected the overall industry tremendously. Plan B as a company is respectful of that and supporting the whole process with that. For me, as head of audio, it hasn’t had quite the same impact. My focus, coming out of the gate, hasn’t been on TV or movies. Really, what I’m looking to do right now is kind of take advantage of the fact that there are a lot of super-talented audio people that are available right now and trying to find ways to build projects and collaborate with them. 

I think one of the — and I wouldn’t call this a mistake — but I think sometimes Hollywood doesn’t understand just how specific of a genre that audio is. I wouldn’t say that Hollywood thinks audio is easy to do, but it does think that if you’ve had success in other formats that you can easily plug in audio. As someone who’s been a creator in the space and has worn different hats, I really understand that there’s a unique skill set that [audio professionals] have developed. 

It’s been a rough year for the audio industry. We’ve seen several layoffs in the industry, ranging from companies like Spotify to major news publishers and other companies that invested heavily in audio during the pandemic. What are your thoughts about Plan B getting into audio during a time when many companies are moving away from it? 

Well, I think it’s a bold move. In talking with Jeremy Kleiner and Dede Gardner, who run Plan B, they see there’s a ton of opportunity [in audio] right now. They see this as a moment where you can make a lot of projects that people are shying away from. You can acquire IP that otherwise might not be available. 

I don’t want to be lighthearted about it because I know, on a very personal level, this downturn has impacted a lot of talented people who have lost their jobs or seen their work slow down. But I think that Plan B, because of the Mediawan acquisition, is in a really special place where we can keep going at a moment where a lot of people are pulling back significantly. 

SiriusXM is shutting down Stitcher in August to pave the way for new flagship app

SiriusXM is bidding adieu to the podcast app Stitcher on August 29th, with the goal of moving current users over to its much-hyped, updated SXM app — which will roll out this fall. The news arrived via an internal memo, which was first reported by Bloomberg and also seen by Hot Pod . SiriusXM acquired the popular podcast app in 2020, along with the podcast network Earwolf and Midroll Media. 

While Stitcher’s user base is smaller than that of the SXM app — it’s still nothing to sneeze at. According to app analytics firm data.ai , the Stitcher app has been downloaded approximately 14 million times across both the App Store and Google Play stores, while the SiriusXM app has been downloaded about 55 million times.

“The scale and reach of our widely-distributed podcasts has been and remains a crucial accelerant for our advertising sales business while incorporating podcasts more holistically into our flagship SiriusXM subscription service will help to drive further growth. As a result, we have made the decision to sunset our standalone podcast listening app as we increase our focus on these priorities,” noted the memo’s authors, SiriusXM’s chief product and tech officer Joe Inzerillo, its chief ad revenue officer John Trimble, and SiriusXM Radio’s chief content officer Scott Greenstein. 

The biggest change that devoted Stitcher fans will notice in the SXM app is that there’s no way to escape ads — Stitcher’s premium plan included ad-free podcasts. But even those who pay for the SXM app’s $11 per month platinum tier (of which current Stitcher premium members will receive a free six-month trial) will have to listen to ads. SiriusXM isn’t the only platform that’s gotten rid of ad-free podcast ads. Spotify Premium members can listen to ad-free music but still have to listen to dynamically inserted podcast ads and host-read ads. It seems that during a time when podcasts are struggling to monetize, the added revenue from ads is hard to give up. 

SiriusXM also owns the ad tech platform AdsWizz and has a unified ad sales group known as SXM Media that sells ads across Pandora, SiriusXM, and Stitcher. The ad network exclusively for podcast ads, known as the SiriusXM Podcast Network , will serve the new flagship SXM app. 

SiriusXM’s decision to sunset Stitcher seems like a win-win situation for both parts of the business. As The Hollywood Reporter noted , Stitcher’s existing team will remain, and no shows have been canceled. Stitcher’s programming will also be exposed to a much larger audience. For SiriusXM, keeping all of its podcast programming on its flagship app means one fewer platform to support — and more resources to put behind this upcoming relaunch.

NYPR eliminates senior leadership bonuses and suspends intern program

New York Public Radio has had a rough year, and the public media giant is taking extreme steps to cut costs as it deals with an $8 million deficit for the fiscal year that ends this week. According to an internal NYPR memo shared by Skye Pillsbury, senior leadership at NYPR won’t receive bonuses, as is customary at the end of a fiscal year. The company’s summer intern class will be its last for the foreseeable future — it’s suspending its intern program for the time being. 

But a few more tough decisions are coming down the pike. NYPR — along with its board —  plans on undergoing a “financial planning process” this summer that will no doubt lead to more cost cutting measures in the fall. NYPR, to date, has already frozen hiring, cut down on overtime, suspended work travel, and a number of other steps to cut down on expenses.

Unfortunately, the savings won’t be enough for NYPR to weather the storm. “But to be clear, on their own, they aren’t enough to stave off wider implications of the deficit,” wrote NYPR CEO LaFontaine Oliver in the memo. 

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Your one stop for everything brad pitt since 2005, plan b entertainment.

General Information

Plan B Entertainment “ Plan B ” an American film production company was started up by Brad Pitt, Brad Grey and Jennifer Aniston in 2002. In 2005 Jennifer Aniston left and Brad Grey was named head at Paramount. Pitt became the sole owner of the company. It currently holds a release deal with Paramount Pictures, along with Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox, and (since 2016) Walt Disney Pictures. The president of the company was for years Dede Gardner, but she and Pitt named Jeremy Kleiner Gardner’s co-president in 2013. The main office is in Los Angeles, CA. You can stay up to date with all of Plan B’s projects at IMdB.com

FINISHED/ONGOING TV PROJECTS

Pretty/Handsome (aka 4 oz.) (2008) Director: Ryan Murphy

Resurrection (2013 – 2015) Director: Daniel Attias (as Dan Attias)

The Normal Heart (2014 TV Movie) Director: Ryan Murphy

Deadbeat (2014 – 2016) Director: Troy Miller and Todd Biermann

The OA (2016 – 2019) Creators: Zal Batmanglij, Brit Marling

Feud (2017 – ) Creators: Jaffe Cohen, Ryan Murphy, Michael Zam

Monsters of God (2017 TV Movie) Director: Rod Lurie

Sweetbitter (2018 – 2019) Creators: Stephanie Danler

Lego Masters (2020 – ) Creators: –

The Third Day (2020 – ) Creators: Felix Barrett, Dennis Kelly

The Third Day: Autumn (2020 TV Movie) Creators: Felix Barrett

The Underground Railroad (2021 – ) Creators: Barry Jenkins

DOCUMENTARIES

Civil War (or, Who Do We Think We Are) (2021) Creators: Rachel Boynton

FINISHED MOVIE PROJECTS

Troy (2004) Director: Wolfgang Petersen

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) Director: Tim Burton

The Departed (2006) Director: Martin Scorsese

Running with Scissors (2006) Director: Ryan Murphy

Year of the Dog (2007) Director: Mike White

A Mighty Heart (2007) Director: Michael Winterbottom

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007) Director: Andrew Dominik

The Time Traveller’s Wife (2009) Director: Robert Schwentke

The Private Lifes of Pippa Lee (2009) Director: Rebecca Miller

Kick-Ass (2010) Director: Matthew Vaughn

Eat Pray Love (2010) Director: Ryan Murphy

The Tree of Life (2011) Director: Terrence Malick

Killing Them Softly (2012) Director: Andrew Dominik

World War Z (2013) Director: Marc Forster

Kick-Ass 2 (2013) Director: Jeff Wadlow

12 Years a Slave (2013) Director: Steve McQueen

Selma (2014) Director: Ava DuVernay

Nightingale (2014) Director: Elliott Lester

True Story (2015) Director: Rupert Goold

By the Sea (2015) Director: Angelina Jolie Pitt

The Big Short (2015) Director: Adam McKay

The Lost City of Z (2016) Director: James Gray

Voyage of Time: Life’s Journey (2016) Director: Terrence Malick

Moonlight (2016) Director: Barry Jenkins

Okja (2017) Director: Joon-ho Bong

War Machine (2017) Director: David Michôd

Brad’s Status (2017) Director: Mike White

Beautiful Boy (2018) Director: Felix van Groeningen

Vice (2018) Director: Adam McKay

If Beale Street Could Talk (2018) Director: Barry Jenkins

Ad Astra (2019) Director: James Gray

The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019) Director: Joe Talbot

The King (2019) Director: David MichôdJoel, Edgerton

Kajillionaire (2020) Director: Miranda July

Minari (2020) Director: Lee Isaac Chung

Irresistible (2020) Director: Jon Stewart

Tripping with Nils Frahm (2020) Director: Benoit Toulemonde

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Brad Pitt’s Plan B Sells Majority Stake to French Company Mediawan

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Brad Pitt ‘s production company Plan B Entertainment is selling a 60 percent majority stake to the French media giant Mediawan in a deal that values the film company behind “Moonlight” and “12 Years a Slave” in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

The news was formally announced late Friday after news of the deal broke early Friday. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but CNBC, which first reported the news, reported that Plan B is said to be worth in the hundreds of millions of dollars range but below $500 million.

Plan B first announced an intention to explore a sale of its assets or an investor back in October, and the sale is the latest example in a wave of M&A activity across Hollywood over the last few years. That’s included everything from the sale of Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine to Candle Media to LeBron James selling a minority stake in his SpringHill Company, as well as other rival labels and distributors testing the waters with sales to outside investors.

The investment in Plan B will be made via a newly created entity, Mediawan U.S., which will hold significant stakes in both Plan B and Florian Zeller’s Blue Morning Pictures. The Board of Mediawan U.S. will be chaired by Vania Schlogel, with Mediawan co-founder Pierre-Antoine Capton serving as CEO.

“This partnership will allow us to create a unique artistic link between Europe and the United States through which we and Plan B will develop premium independent content, providing a global platform on which the world’s greatest talent can continue to thrive. We would like to thank Brad, Dede, and Jeremy for their trust and recognition of the world-class content emanating from our work in Europe,” Capton said in a statement.

“We have loved working together for nearly two-decades and are incredibly excited about our future. As we enter the next chapter in our evolution, we are excited at the possibilities this partnership affords as we maximize our reach toward an increasingly global audience with a broad range of films and television series across all platforms, genres, and mediums,” Plan B partners Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner said in a statement. “For our current partner studios, along with those we look forward to working with in the future, we pledge to continue producing new content for audiences everywhere. With the innovative, artistic and producer-centric platform Mediawan has built, we open a window to an even greater number of storytellers, both established masters and the emerging voices that have always excited us.”

Plan B is behind acclaimed films such as this year’s “She Said,” “Blonde,” and “Father of the Bride” as well as other acclaimed titles like “Minari,” “Ad Astra,” “If Beale Street Could Talk,” and more. Coming up, Plan B has Sarah Polley’s “Women Talking,” Bong Joon-Ho’s “Mickey 17,” “The Nickel Boys” for MGM’s Orion Pictures, and MGM and director Cory Finley’s “Landscape With Invisible Hand,” which was just announced for a premiere at Sundance.

Plan B has also recently ramped up its television work, including working on Barry Jenkins’ “The Underground Railroad” and “Outer Range,” both for Amazon, as well as the non-scripted “Lego Masters” for FOX. The company is at work on a second season of Ryan Murphy’s “Feud” and “Three Body Problem,” from David Benioff, D.B. Weiss and Alex Woo, for Netflix. The company has both a film deal with MGM and a first-look TV deal with Amazon.

Pitt founded Plan B in 2001 alongside his manager Brad Grey, who passed away in 2015, and his ex-wife Jennifer Aniston. President Dede Gardner and co-president Jeremy Kleiner lead the company.

Mediawan is a French conglomerate that owns over 60 production labels, primarily across Europe, including banners such as Lagardère Studios and the French TV division of EuropaCorp. It’s known for shows like “Call My Agent” for FranceTV and Netflix but also the BBC and Amazon series “The English” with Emily Blunt. On the film side, Mediawan’s brands have backed “The Life Ahead” with Sophia Loren and “Novembre” with Jean Dujardin, as well as the upcoming “Django” for Canal+ and Sky, “One Day” for Netflix, and “The Three Musketeers for Pathé.

The company was co-founded by Pierre-Antoine Capton, Xavier Niel, and Matthieu Pigasse in 2015 and is supported by its founders and its strategic partners, including KKR and Atwater Capital, which is led by Vania Schlogel.

Moelis & Company served as lead financial advisor, Willkie Farr & Gallagher served as legal advisor, and CAA served as advisors to Plan B. Brillstein Entertainment served as advisor to Brad Pitt. Centerview Partners acted as financial advisors and Latham & Watkins acted as legal advisor to Mediawan. BNP Paribas served as advisor to the cofounders of Mediawan. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

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Against gossip & scandal, independent media network, global stories from local perspective, factual culture news, brad pitt’s plan b entertainment: a tribute to one of the biggest champions of auteur-driven films | ‘minari’.

Mar 6, 2021

Table of Contents

Video Version of this Article

Photo: Plan B Entertainment’s founder Brad Pitt attends the premiere of the movie “Ad Astra” during the 76th Venice Film Festival/Andrea Raffin/Shutterstock/ Hollywood Insider  YouTube Channel

It wasn’t too long ago recently that I finally got the chance to see ‘ Minari ’. And while I didn’t review it, my thoughts on the masterpiece of a film pretty much echo Hollywood Insider’s review (and those who’ve already sung the movie’s praises) and its sentiments: it’s a moving exploration of the American Dream told through a specific cultural point of view while also feeling universal, with pitch-perfect performances and thoughtful directing. But I already had a feeling I was in good hands when the film started and I saw the production logos for both A24 and Plan B.

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We’ve covered A24 in the past: it and Annapurna Pictures are among the best studios right now in championing individual voices and creative freedom for auteurs and filmmakers. And one production company in particular that shares their love of bold visions and occasionally collaborate with them is Plan B Entertainment, co-founded by Brad Pitt ; in fact, a good number of their films have gone on to critical acclaim and/or awards success. So with that in mind, let’s take a look at the production company behind some of the more intriguing films to come out in recent years.

A Brief History and The Goal of Plan B Entertainment

Pitt co-founded Plan B Entertainment in 2001 with then-wife Jennifer Aniston and the late veteran movie producer Brad Grey . Among the company’s first features were the 2004 historical epic ‘ Troy ’, which starred Pitt, and Tim Burton’s ‘ Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ’ in 2005. That same year Pitt became the company’s sole owner after he and Aniston separated and Grey left to become the CEO of Paramount Pictures. 2006 saw the release of Martin Scorsese’s ‘ The Departed ’, which Pitt co-produced; that film went on to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards and it would be the first of several Plan B productions to either win Best Picture or be nominated. 

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With Pitt as the company’s CEO, film producer Dede Gardner served as president for several years until she was joined by Jeremy Kleiner with the two serving as co-presidents since 2013. Gardner and Kleiner do the bulk of the work in terms of setting up and guiding new projects and seeking talent, with Pitt presumably being more hands-off (with the possible exception of films that feature him) or mostly taking executive producer roles. Nevertheless, he has established a company mindset in which the duo are encouraged to seek out and back interesting works.

“Brad Pitt has encouraged a culture of that: watching and trying to understand what an artist is doing and what they want to say”, said Kleiner in a 2016 conversation with IndieWire. “If you read about something that causes you to be curious about it, follow the curiosity and see where that takes you. That philosophy has led us to some very interesting people and their films”. Gardner echoed the sentiment in the same conversation, saying Pitt “believes in the shelf life of movies, he doesn’t believe in the notion that a movie has to see a successful opening weekend to work. He reminds us all the time of the movies that we discovered long after their initial release, and he believes that we should tell stories that we feel like we would die if we didn’t…It’s enabled us to be very liberated in our ambitions”. And indeed that mindset has led the company to work with some very talented filmmakers.

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Looking at the Plan B Films Featuring Brad Pitt

It stands to reason that when you have your own production company, you’d leverage the opportunity to have more control over your career and projects whenever possible. And Pitt is no different, co-producing some of the films he’s starred in. The most commercial and mainstream of them is definitely ‘ World War Z ’, which is exactly what it promises: a zombie action horror film on a global scale. Nothing wrong with that, and I remember enjoying it when I first saw it. In second place would probably be ‘ Moneyball ’: though a sports movie (a generally reliable subgenre), it offered something different by focusing on a niche subject—the true story of how a baseball manager built a team through unorthodox statistics—and still turning it into an accessible and captivating drama. 

But some of his other acting vehicles were a bit riskier. ‘ The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford ’ deconstructs the Jesse James myth through a contemplative and revisionist take on the Western. ‘ The Tree of Life ’, from director Terrence Malick , is an epic yet meditative exploration of the meaning of life told through the prism of a Texas family: not exactly a four-quadrant movie. ‘ Killing Them Softly ’ is a pitch-black deconstruction of the gangster movie with a very cynical outlook on America. And while it is a space adventure movie, ‘ Ad Astra ’ is definitely a more cerebral and slow-paced fare. Still, Pitt managed to shepherd these films to critical acclaim even if general audiences were more lukewarm.

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And he also had a hand in producing films that featured him in smaller supporting roles, like ‘ The Big Short ’ and ‘ 12 Years a Slave ’. One is a bleak yet very entertaining examination of the 2007-2008 financial crisis, and the other is a brutal and powerful look at American slavery. And both films went on to critical acclaim and success at both the box office and the Academy Awards. As you can see, being an actor-producer gives Pitt the chance to star in and make the kind of movies he wants to make: to take risks and follow his own personal interests.

Encouraging Return Collaborations

And said risk-taking extends to Plan B projects that don’t feature him in the cast. That willingness to give filmmakers creative freedom and let them take risks is enticing: it’s how we get offbeat takes on the con artist movie (‘ Kajillionaire ’) and the superhero genre (the ‘ Kick-Ass ’ movies ). And it fosters a good working relationship, such that repeat collaborations with the company follow.

Both ‘Jesse James’ and ‘Killing Them Softly’ were written and directed by Australian filmmaker Andrew Dominik and his upcoming film ‘ Blonde ’, a fictionalized take on the life of Marilyn Monroe starring Ana de Armas , is also produced by Plan B. The company also backed two Adam McKay -directed films: ‘The Big Short’ and Dick Cheney’s biopic ‘ Vice ’. ‘Ad Astra’ and the haunting period adventure drama ‘ The Lost City of Z ’ both hail from writer-director James Gray . And David Michôd wrote and directed both ‘ War Machine ’ (a satire of the war in Afghanistan which starred Pitt) and the Shakespeare-inspired ‘ The King ’.

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Plan B was even a pretty frequent collaborator of Ryan Murphy . They produced two of his films: 2006’s ‘ Running With Scissors ’, and ‘ Eat Pray Love ’ starring Julia Roberts . On the TV side of things they co-produced his 2008 TV pilot ‘ Pretty/Handsome ’ which wasn’t picked up; they also co-produced the critically-acclaimed TV movie ‘ The Normal Heart ’, which tackled the AIDS crisis, and the miniseries ‘ Feud: Bette and Joan ’.

Championing Diverse Filmmakers and Stories

We already mentioned ‘Minari’ at the top of the article. That film is a good example of Plan B’s commitment to seeking out stories that are interesting or offer a different perspective. And a side effect of that is greater visibility and representation for stories from POC filmmakers.

In the case of ‘12 Years a Slave’, that film also served as a breakthrough hit for director Steve McQueen . And one year later in 2014, we got ‘ Selma ’, a riveting and star-studded look at the Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ( David Oyelowo ); and likewise the success of ‘Selma’ boosted the profiles of both Oyelowo and director Ava DuVernay . Plan B is also responsible for Bong Joon-ho’s follow-up to ‘ Snowpiercer ’, the genre-bending and idiosyncratic ‘ Okja ’: a movie about a young Korean girl and her animal best friend that’s also a commentary on the meat industry and definitely not family-friendly. And in 2019 there was ‘ The Last Black Man in San Francisco ’, a poignant tale of a young Black man’s efforts to reclaim his family home in the face of an increasingly gentrified city which benefited from lead actor Jimmie Fails’ personal connection to the story.

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Circling back to repeat collaborations, the ones that almost immediately came to mind come from writer-director Barry Jenkins . Plan B had the good fortune of shepherding two of Jenkins’ works, both of them critically-acclaimed and award-winning masterpieces. ‘ Moonlight ’ is a sensitive and incredible coming-of-age tale/character study of a young gay Black man in Miami, as well as a look at the complicated family dynamics found in the Black community. And ‘ If Beale Street Could Talk ’ is a moving story of enduring Black love in the face of overwhelming institutional racism. And it would appear that Jenkins is happy with his collaborations, such that they’re reteaming for the upcoming Prime Video limited series ‘ The Underground Railroad ’ based on Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.

What’s Next?

There’s the aforementioned ‘Blonde’ and ‘The Underground Railroad’. Other projects in development include ‘ Wrong Answer ’ from Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan ; an adaptation of the bestselling novel ‘Women Talking’ from director Sarah Polley and starring Frances McDormand ; a documentary on singer and musician Chris Cornell ; and a reunion with ‘Minari’ director Lee Isaac Chung .

Regardless, the breadth and variety of projects past, present, and in the works is a testament to Plan B’s commitment to stories from talented writers and directors with clear points of view and fresh insights. It’s also a testament to Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner’s good taste in material, and Brad Pitt’s willingness to leverage his star power to produce some great films.

By  Mario Yuwono

Click here to read H ollywood Insider’s  CEO Pritan Ambroase’s love letter to Black Lives Matter,  in which he tackles more than just police reform, press freedom and more – click here.

An excerpt from the love letter:  Hollywood Insider’s  CEO/editor-in-chief  Pritan Ambroase  affirms,  “Hollywood Insider  fully supports the much-needed Black Lives Matter movement. We are actively, physically and digitally a part of this global movement. We will continue reporting on this major issue of police brutality and legal murders of Black people to hold the system accountable. We will continue reporting on this major issue with kindness and respect to all Black people, as each and every one of them are seen and heard. Just a reminder, that the Black Lives Matter movement is about more than just police brutality and extends into banking, housing, education, medical, infrastructure, etc. We have the space and time for all your stories. We believe in peaceful/non-violent protests and I would like to request the rest of media to focus on 95% of the protests that are peaceful and working effectively with positive changes happening daily. Media has a responsibility to better the world and  Hollywood Insider  will continue to do so.”

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