How two novice producers came to own the Terminator movie franchise
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Anyone who saw ‘Terminator Salvation’ this weekend might have noticed a curious credit at the opening of the film: ‘Victor Kubicek and Derek Anderson present ...’
Who do these guys think they are, David O. Selznick?
Not quite. But at a time when the big studios control almost all the major sequels, save for ‘Star Wars,’ Anderson and Kubicek are two upstarts -- as our story in today’s Los Angeles Times shows -- who, with only a single unreleased low-budget comedy to their name, snagged the rights to one of Hollywood’s biggest franchises.
A few key details on their brief career as co-CEOs of the Halcyon Co.:
-The year Anderson and Kubicek decided to get involved in film producing: 2005
-Number of movies they have made: Two, ‘Cook Off’ and ‘Terminator Salvation’
-Amount they paid for the rights to ‘Terminator’ in 2007: $25 million, provided by Santa Barbara-based hedge fund Pacificor LLC.
-Budget for ‘Terminator Salvation’: About $200 million, funded primarily with a $60 million advance from Warner Bros. for domestic distribution rights and $100 million from Sony Pictures for international.
-Number of lawsuits Anderson and Kubicek have been involved in during their four-year producing career: Four, with legal opponents including MGM, a former investor, and ‘Salvation’ producer Moritz Borman. In addition, ‘Salvation’ executive producer Peter Graves recently filed a breach of contract claim for arbitration against the duo.
Anderson and Kubicek’s rise from nowhere to Hollywood power players has involved some savvy, luck, and controversy. Read how it happened here.
--Ben Fritz and Claudia Eller
Photo: (Left to right) Producer Jeffrey Silver, Derek Anderson, Director McG, and Victor Kubicek at the premiere of ‘Terminator Salvation’ at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on May 14, 2009 in Hollywood, California. Credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images.