Thunder Road Films founder Basil Iwanyk and partner Erica Lee are combining with the Lit Entertainment Group to launch TR/AK, a new media company for original stories, creators and film and TV projects for global audiences.
The new venture brings together Thunder Road, producers on the John Wick franchise, The Town, Sicario and Wind River, with Lit Entertainment, the management and production company led by veteran literary manager and founder Adam Kolbrenner.
Kolbrenner’s representation/production company has on its roster writers and creators like Justin Marks (Shogun, Top Gun: Maverick), Dave Andron (Snowfall, Justified), and Matt Lopez (Father of the Bride). The Thunder Road and Lit brands, while remaining independent after the TR/AK launch, have recently collaborated on three movies from spec screenplays by Lit clients.
These are Roshan Sethi’s The Surgeon, starring Michelle Yeoh and Martin Freeman, and to world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival; Marc Webb’s Day Drinker for Lionsgate from screenwriter Zach Dean; and By Any Means, a Sept. 4 release from writer Sascha Penn. Lit Entertainment clients include David Guggenheim, Aaron Guzikowski, Ben Jacoby, Matt Lieberman and Justin Rhodes.
“Basil, Erica and the Thunder Road team have built their company by trusting their instincts and doing the work required to get ambitious movies made,” said Kolbrenner in a statement. “That’s very much how we operate at Lit. TR/AK is about bringing those teams together, backing great writers and filmmakers for projects that can connect with audiences around the world.”
“Erica and I have been thinking of how to grow Thunder Road for years and Adam is a longtime friend and collaborator with us. The more we talked, the more we realized we had a shared vision and ambition in creating the most expansive and dynamic independent company in town” added Iwanyk in his own statement.
Thunder Road is currently in production on Hivemind, starring Samara Weaving and Nicholas Braun. Its upcoming slate includes A24’s The Peasant, directed by and starring Dev Patel; The Kellys, written and directed by Brad Peyton for Amazon; the Walton Goggins action vehicle Mister; and Caine, the latest in the John Wick franchise from director Donnie Yen. Other upcoming titles include Perfect Girl, Breaking Point, Crawlers, Dangerous Games and Blasphemous.
Thunder Road recently released Jeff Wadlow’s The Devil’s Mouth on Prime Video and earlier credits include A Star is Born, Greenland, Ballerina, Dust Bunny, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, Monkey Man and The Current War.
Kolbrenner’s producing credits include client spec screenplays for The Gorge, Free Guy, The Tomorrow War, Prisoners and The Christmas Chronicles franchise.
Read the full article here
