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The Halcyon Company

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The Halcyon Company
Company typePrivate
IndustryFilm industry
PredecessorC2 Pictures
Founded2007; 17 years ago (2007)
Defunct2009; 15 years ago (2009) (production company) 2013; 11 years ago (2013) (official)
FateBankruptcy, assets and name now owned by StudioCanal (production company); Officially dissolved in 2013, replaced by Skydance Media for all future Terminator film franchise
SuccessorStudioCanal
Skydance Media (for all future Terminator film franchise)
HeadquartersLos Angeles, California
Key people
Derek Anderson (Co-CEO)
Victor Kubicek (Co-CEO)
ProductsTerminator franchise
DivisionsHalcyon Games
Websitethehalcyoncompany.com[dead link]

The Halcyon Company was an American media development company headed by Victor Kubicek and Derek Anderson. They were perhaps best known for acquiring the global rights to the Terminator franchise in 2007 and for producing Terminator Salvation, which was released worldwide in the summer of 2009.

History

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The company was founded by Victor Kubicek and Derek Anderson in 2006. Prior to teaming up in Los Angeles, Anderson had a New York and London-based advertising agency, In The Mix, and Kubicek worked as a trader on the American Stock Exchange. Afterward, they produced Cook Off!, a short film mockumentary which won an award at the Aspen Comedy Festival. Halcyon then aimed to get the rights to respected intellectual property.[1]

In May 2007, Halcyon acquired all of the rights in relationship to the Terminator franchise.[2][3] These rights include the right to produce any future Terminator films, as well as all future merchandising and licensing rights, certain future revenues derived from Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, as well as certain rights in the television project Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and the sole right to produce all future Terminator projects in any new or existing media.[4] In November 2007, the company created its own video games subsidiary, Halcyon Games and made a video game adaptation of Terminator Salvation.[5][6] In October 2007, Halcyon acquired the first-look rights to the works of writer Philip K. Dick.[7] An adaptation of Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said was deemed to enter works in 2009.[8] The arrangement with the production arm of the Philip K. Dick Estate, Electric Shepherd Productions, ended August 2009 due to delayed payments.[9]

Warner Bros. acquired the North American distribution rights, allowing them to distribute the fourth Terminator film, Terminator Salvation. The film began production in early 2008,[10] and was released on May 21, 2009. Despite making a healthy profit on the movie, Halcyon filed for bankruptcy in 2009 as a response to a lawsuit from their financier due to payment problems.[9] Their next film was supposed to be a remake of the film After the Wedding set for a 2011 release.[11] The rights were put up in a bankruptcy auction,[12] and acquired on 2010 by Pacificor, a hedge fund company who was the largest creditor in Halcyon's bankruptcy proceedings.[13][14] The deal erased Halcyon's debts owed to Pacificor and guaranteed Halcyon $5 million for each additional Terminator sequel produced to pay off other outstanding debts.[13][15]

In 2013, Kubicek and Anderson released In God We Trust, a documentary they directed about Eleanor Squillari, Bernie Madoff's secretary for 25 years and her search for the truth about the fraud.[16][17][18] That year, they acquired the rights to Beatrix Ost's memory books to release a film adaptation.[19]

Films

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References

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  1. ^ Hazelton, John (2007-11-22). "Halcyon days". Screen. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
  2. ^ More Terminator on the way
  3. ^ Halcyon Acquires Terminator Franchise at ComingSoon.net.Archived 2011-05-20 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ The Halcyon Company Acquires Terminator franchise
  5. ^ Halcyon game for Terminator adaptation
  6. ^ "Next-gen.biz". Archived from the original on 2015-07-24. Retrieved 2011-06-20.
  7. ^ "Halcyon inks Philip K. Dick deal". Variety. 2007-10-09. Archived from the original on 2020-11-30.
  8. ^ Screendaily.com
  9. ^ a b 'Terminator Salvation' producers file for bankruptcy protection
  10. ^ WB restarts Terminator
  11. ^ "Halcyon seeks guidance". Variety. 2009-09-29. Archived from the original on 2022-09-11.
  12. ^ "Halcyon puts 'Terminator' on block". Variety. November 2, 2009. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  13. ^ a b Finke, Nikki (9 February 2010). "'TERMINATOR' RIGHTS SELL FOR $29.5 MIL". Deadline.com. Retrieved April 22, 2014.
  14. ^ Dobuzinskis, Alex (February 10, 2010). "U.S. judge OKs "Terminator" sale to hedge fund". Reuters. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  15. ^ Fritz, Ben (February 10, 2010). "Hedge fund Pacificor wins rights to 'Terminator' franchise". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  16. ^ "In God We Trust - The Movie". The Halcyon Company. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  17. ^ Indiewire (2013-04-05). "Meet the Tribeca Filmmaker #12: Victor Kubicek and Derek Anderson Explore an Individual's Attempt to Fight Injustice in 'In God We Trust'". IndieWire. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
  18. ^ Tribecafilm.com
  19. ^ Team, The Deadline (2013-11-19). "Beatrix Ost Memoirs Getting Film Treatment Via Halcyon Co". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
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