Bron Studios

Bron Studios (stylized as BRON) was a Canadian motion picture company based in British Columbia owned by Bron Media Corporation. The company's notable productions included Joker, Bombshell, Queen & Slim, Greyhound, Judas and the Black Messiah, The Mule, Henchmen,^[1][2] Roman J. Israel, Esq., Rudderless, Welcome to Me, The Addams Family, The Willoughbys, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

Bron Media Corporation

Trade name	Bron Studios
Industry	Film
Founded	2010
Founder	Aaron L. Gilbert Brenda Gilbert
Defunct	2023
Headquarters	Burnaby , British Columbia, Canada
Key people	Aaron L. Gilbert (CEO) Brenda Gilbert (co-president) Steven Thibault (COO)
Divisions	Bron Animation Bron Creative (JV) Bron Digital Bron Life Bron Releasing Bron Studios Bron Ventures
Subsidiaries	Mad Solar
Website	bronstudios.com

Bron Creative was a joint venture between Bron Studios and Creative Wealth Media, which provided equity for studio co-productions and senior secured debt financing for independent film and television productions.

History

Bron Studios

Bron Studios was founded in 2010 by Aaron L. Gilbert and Brenda Gilbert.^[3] Originally from London, Ontario, Aaron began his career in the music industry before segueing into film finance and production.^[4] He served as the managing director of Media House Capital, a senior lender in the film and television business,^[4] prior to launching the company.

Bron formed Bron Animation division led by Gil Rimmer and Ben Burden Smith as creative directors. The division's first project was two Mighty Mighty Monsters specials.^[5]

Bankruptcy and involvement in securities fraud

On July 19, 2023, Bron Studios filed for creditor protection in Canada, and Chapter 15 bankruptcy in the United States, citing the COVID-19 pandemic and both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes as the reasons of its eventual downfall.^[6] However, an April 28, 2023 report by the American Bar Association described a $100 million securities fraud perpetrated by Clayton Smith and Crystal Wealth Management, involving loans to BRON group productions.^[7] The report also stated "there appears to be clear evidence that Gilbert, Thibault, and Smith worked together to mislead Crystal Wealth’s auditor BDO by coordinating their responses to inquiries about the financial position of the film loans."^[8]

Bron Media

In September 2017, Bron Studios was reorganized with Bron Media Corp. becoming Bron Studios' parent company. Genre label the Realm, Bron Releasing and Bron Animation joined the studio as Bron Media subsidiaries. Daniel D. McClure was also hired as president and chief operating officer from his position as Toronto-based CQI Capital Management CEO.^[9]

Its Bron Venture unit invested in starting up Media Res, Michael Ellenberg's TV and film production company in June 2017. Bron would also find financing for the start up's projects.^[3]

By 2016, Bron Media and Creative Wealth Media form a joint venture, Bron Creative, to fund films. The venture's first film is Fences by Paramount Pictures. Next, the venture agreed to fully finance an animated film series, up to four films, based on Bear Grylls produced by YBG Films, a joint venture between Grylls and Platinum Films.^[10] In December 2018, Bron Creative and Warner Bros. agreed to a six film slate deal with $100 million in co-financing.^[11] Bron Creative agreed to another $100 million co-financing slate deal with MGM in June 2019.^[12]

Bron TV

In the late 2010s, Bron began developing an internal television production group and partnered with producer and former HBO executive Michael Ellenberg's production company Media Res. Bron coproduced a series of international projects at this time. In 2019 and 2020, furthered expanded their television venture into a formal division.^[13][14][15]

Filmography

Bron Studios

• Paradox (2010)^[16]
• Jabberwock (2011)
• Foreverland (2011)^[17]
• Trust Me (co-produced) (2013)^[18]
• A Single Shot (2013)^[4]
• Mighty Mighty Monsters in New Fears Eve (2013)^[19]
• Mighty Mighty Monsters in Halloween Havoc (2013)^[19]
• Rudderless (2014)^[20]
• Welcome to Me (2014)^[21]
• Tell (2014)
• Mighty Mighty Monsters in Pranks for the Memories (2015)^[19]
• I Saw the Light (2015)^[22][23][24]
• Into the Forest (2015)^[25][26]
• Meadowland (2015)
• The Driftless Area (2015)^[27][28]
• Tumbledown (2015)^[29]
• Hyena Road (2015)
• Ithaca (2015)
• The Birth of a Nation (2016)
• Special Correspondents (2016)
• Una (2016)
• The Cleanse (2016)^[30][31]
• The Philosophy of Phil (2017)
• Beatriz at Dinner (2017)
• The Layover (2017)
• Parallel (2018)
• Drunk Parents (2018)
• Leave No Trace (2018)
• Monster (2018)
• Prospect (2018)
• To Dust (2018)
• Tully (2018)
• The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018)
• The Nightingale (2018)
• A Simple Favor (2018)
• The Front Runner (2018)
• Assassination Nation (2018)^[32]
• Henchmen^[a] (2018)^[1][2]
• The Red Sea Diving Resort (2019)^[33]
• Bombshell (2019)
• The Willoughbys^[a] (2020)^[34]
• Capone (2020)
• Pieces of a Woman (2020)^[35]
• Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021)^[36]
• The Survivor (2021)
• A Journal for Jordan (2021)^[37]
• Americana (2023)^[38]
• Surrounded (2023)^[39]
• Monkey Man (2024)
• Solitary (TBA)^[40]

Bron Creative

• Fences (2016) Paramount Pictures
• Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017) Columbia Pictures
• The Mule (2018) Warner Bros.
• Isn't It Romantic (2019) Warner Bros./New Line Cinema/Netflix
• Child's Play (2019) Orion Pictures^[12]
• The Kitchen (2019) Warner Bros./New Line Cinema
• Joker (2019) Warner Bros.^[11]
• The Good Liar (2019) Warner Bros./New Line Cinema^[11]
• The Addams Family (2019) Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer^[12]
• Queen & Slim (2019) Universal Pictures
• Greyhound (2020) Apple TV+
• Gretel & Hansel (2020) Orion Pictures^[12]
• The Way Back (2020) Warner Bros.^[11]
• Superintelligence (2020) HBO Max/Warner Bros./New Line Cinema^[11]
• Bad Trip (2021) Orion Pictures^[12]/Netflix (uncredited)^[41][42][43]
• Candyman (2021) Universal Pictures/MGM
• Respect (2021) MGM
• House of Gucci (2021) MGM
• Cyrano (2021) MGM
• Licorice Pizza (2021) MGM/Focus Features
• Chaos Walking (2021) Lionsgate (uncredited)
• The Addams Family 2 (2021) Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
• Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) Columbia Pictures
• Judas and the Black Messiah (2021) Warner Bros.
• 65 (2023) Columbia Pictures

See also

• Mad Solar

Notes

1. Credited as Bron Animation

References

1. Wolfe, Jennifer. "Bron Animation Announces New Henchmen Feature". The Wrap.
2. Giardina, Carolyn (August 12, 2014). "Siggraph: Gary Sanchez Productions To Produce Animated "Henchmen" (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
3. Littleton, Cynthia (June 8, 2017). "HBO Alum Michael Ellenberg Teams With Bron Studios to Launch Media Res Banner (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
4. Kay, Jeremy. "Aaron Gilbert, A Single Shot". Screen Daily. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
5. Zahad, Ramin (19 June 2012). "Bron Studios Launches Animated 'Monsters' Series". Animation Magazine.
6. "Bron Studios files for bankruptcy". Variety. July 19, 2023. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
7. Kingston, Thomas (2023-07-25). "BRON Studios' Bankruptcy Begs Serious Questions". The Media C-Suite. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
8. Huddleston, James (April 28, 2023). "Anatomy of a Multimillion-Dollar Film Fraud: The untold story and aftermath of one of Canada's largest Ponzi schemes that bilked over a thousand investors out of millions predicated on a fraudulent portfolio of film loans". American Bar Association.
9. McNary, Dave (September 2, 2015). "Bron Media Hires Daniel McClure as President". Variety. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
10. Kay, Jeremy (May 18, 2019). "BRON Creative, Platinum Films partner on Bear Grylls animation (exclusive)". Screen Daily. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
11. McNary, Dave (December 18, 2018). "Warner Bros., Bron Strike $100 Million Co-Financing Deal". Variety. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
12. Moreau, Jordan (June 6, 2019). "MGM and Bron Creative Enter $100 Million Co-Financing Deal". Variety. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
13. Malyk, Lauren (March 26, 2019). "Bron bolsters TV team". Retrieved 2020-12-10.
14. Hipes, Patrick (2020-12-03). "Bron Boosts TV Team, Adds Samantha Thomas As EVP And Emma Fleischer As Creative Producer". Deadline. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
15. "BRON Studios | Official Website". BRON Studios | Official Website. Archived from the original on 2022-01-20. Retrieved 2020-12-10.
16. "Movie Details - Paradox". Cineplex.com.
17. "Movie Details - Foreverland". Cineplex.com.
18. Kilday, Gregg (2 October 2012). "Clark Gregg Writing and Directing 'Trust Me,' a Dark Comedy About Child Stars". The Hollywood Reporter.
19. Wolfe, Jennifer. "Teletoon Picks Up Bron's 'Mighty Mighty Monsters'". Animation World News. Archived from the original on 2016-04-07. Retrieved 2014-04-09.
20. Kay, Jeremy. "Radiant, Mars strike Rudderless deal". Screen Daily.
21. Kroll, Justin (29 July 2013). "James Marsden, Wes Bentley and Joan Cusack Round Out Cast of Wiig Pic". Variety.
22. Ford, Rebecca (15 October 2014). "Hank Williams Biopic 'I Saw the Light' Rounds Out Cast (Exclusive)". Hollywood Reporter.
23. McNary, Dave (12 June 2014). "Tom Hiddleston to Play Country Icon Hank Williams in Biopic". Variety.
24. Yamato, Jen (11 September 2014). "Elizabeth Olsen Joins Tom Hiddleston In Hank Williams Biopic 'I Saw The Light'". Deadline Hollywood.
25. Cheney, Alexandra (27 August 2014). "Max Minghella and Callum Keith Rennie Join 'Into the Forest' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.
26. Rozema, Patricia. "Into the Forest". Telefilm Canada. Archived from the original on 2015-02-12. Retrieved 2015-02-12.
27. "Zooey Deschanel Has A New Movie Project! Enter 'The Driftless Area'". Contactmusic.com. 25 April 2014. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
28. Sneider, Jeff (23 April 2014). "Zooey Deschanel, Anton Yelchin to Star in Dark Comedy 'The Driftless Area'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 25, 2014.
29. McNary, Dave (30 January 2014). "Rebecca Hall Joins Romantic Comedy 'Tumbledown'". Variety.
30. McNary, Dave (16 May 2014). "CANNES: Johnny Galecki, Chloe Sevigny, Anjelica Huston in Horror-Comedy 'Master Cleanse'". Variety.
31. Sneider, Jeff (10 July 2014). "'Pushing Daisies' Alum Anna Friel, 'Fargo's' Oliver Platt Join Johnny Galecki in 'Master Cleanse' (Exclusive)". The Wrap.
32. McNary, Dave (1 March 2017). "Bella Thorne, Maude Apatow, Joel McHale Join Thriller 'Assassination Nation'". Variety. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
33. Fleming, Mike Jr. (20 March 2017). "Chris Evans To Star In 'Red Sea Diving Resort'". Deadline. Archived from the original on March 21, 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
34. McNary, Dave (2 June 2017). "Martin Short, Maya Rudolph Join Ricky Gervais in Animated Film 'Willoughbys'". Variety. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
35. Galuppo, Mia (October 22, 2019). "Shia LaBeouf to Star in Drama 'Pieces of a Woman' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
36. Vlessing, Eton (May 2, 2019). "New Line Cinema to Co-Finance Angelina Jolie's 'Those Who Wish Me Dead'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
37. "A JOURNAL FOR JORDAN -DECEMBER 25, 2021 | BRON Studios". Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
38. Kroll, Justin (February 3, 2022). "Sydney Sweeney, Paul Walter Hauser, Halsey, Simon Rex & Others Set For Bron's 'National Anthem'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
39. Kroll, Justin (October 29, 2020). "Letitia Wright, Jamie Bell And Michael K. Williams To Star In Bron Studios And Anthony Mandler's 'Surrounded'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
40. McNary, Dave (September 18, 2020). "David Oyelowo Reteams With Nate Parker on Drama 'Solitary'". Variety. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
41. McNary, Dave (2020-05-13). "Netflix Buys Eric Andre-Lil Rel Howery Comedy 'Bad Trip' From Orion". Variety. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
42. Shaw, Lucas; Gilblom, Kelly (May 13, 2020). "Netflix Buys 'Bad Trip' From MGM After Virus Upends Theater Plan". Bloomberg. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
43. Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 12, 2021). "Netflix Unveils A 2021 Film Slate With Bigger Volume & Star Wattage; Scott Stuber On The Escalating Film Ambition". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 12, 2021. Retrieved January 12, 2021.