13/03/2009

Pathé and Warner Bros. Entertainment UK (WBEUK) have announced a strategic alliance in the UK, effective from 13th April, that will see WBEUK distribute Pathé’s films in the UK and Ireland. The companies will also look at co-production opportunities.

The companies are already working together on big-budget Kipling adaptation The Jungle Book, the John Downer directed test shoot of which is currently in post-production. Pathé UK will now concentrate on producing a slate of four to five English language films a year, to be augmented by productions from Pathé France.

Henceforth, all Pathé films will be distributed in the UK and Ireland by WBEUK, beginning with the May release of Stephen Frears’ Chéri [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Stephen Frears
film profile]. Pathé UK will continue marketing the films, with WBEUK now responsible for exploitation of the titles across all platforms, except video rights, which will continue to be handled by Twentieth Century Fox.

Josh Berger, President and Managing Director of WBEUK, said, “We are delighted to be entering into this strategic partnership with Pathé, one of Europe’s pre-eminent producers of quality, critically acclaimed feature films and a company we have long admired. This exciting alliance will help us both to increase our investment in the production and acquisition of films in the UK and Ireland and to use our relationships and expertise across traditional and new media channels to bring Pathé’s great films to ever more film fans.”

This strategic alliance relates to distribution in the UK and Ireland only, and does not extend to the activities of Pathé France. It also does not affect Pathé UK’s role as sales agents for both Pathé’s own productions and third party titles.