Ryan Wiik
Ryan Wiik | |
---|---|
![]() Wiik at a Hollywood red-carpet event in 2007 | |
Born | Gunnar Ryan Wiik September 23, 1981 |
Occupation(s) | actor, producer, entrepreneur |
Years active | 2005 - present |
Gunnar Ryan Wiik (/ˈvɪk/; born September 23, 1981), also known as Ryan Wiik, is a Norwegian actor, producer and entrepreneur best known for his work to build the publicly traded entertainment company WR Entertainment, and his work to develop a film series based on Morgan Kane with himself in the title role.[1][2][3]
Career
In the late summer of 2005, Wiik was a contestant in a Norwegian talent search TV show, Filmstjerne (English translation: “Movie Star”).
In 2007, Wiik appeared in the thriller, Timber Falls, directed by Tony Giglio, playing the role of James.[4]
Morgan Kane
In January 2016, it was announced that Wiik would star as the title role in the planned Morgan Kane films.[5]
In December 2016, it was reported that Wiik's credit was removed from IMDB and it was speculated he would no longer star.[3]
Wiik's claim to the role was in 2017 widely debated by stockholders of WR Entertainment in tabloids, the financial media and entertainment trade magazine Variety.[6][7][3]
WR Entertainment
In 2007 Wiik founded a film development company, Without You LLC, which in 2009 was acquired by his second company WR Films Entertainment Group Inc where Wiik became a major shareholder alongside several film and entertainment executives, including James Cardwell, Duane M. Eberlein and composer Michael J. Smith.[2]
On May 9, 2011, Daily Variety broke a story that WR Films had acquired the motion-picture rights to all 83 novels in the best-selling Morgan Kane series, which had sold more than 20 million books to date.[8] Over the next years Wiik led development of a Hollywood film-franchise of the Morgan Kane Western series by Norwegian author Kjell Hallbing.[9][3]
In the spring of 2012, the Norwegian financial press reported on Wiik's plans to launch a $90M film fund, reporting that investment banks, investors, and publicly traded companies in the U.S. such as Lionsgate Entertainment were interested in providing the funding. The transaction did not close.[10][11]
In 2015, WR Films Entertainment Group, Inc. became acquired by Norwegian parent company WR Entertainment ASA, where Wiik was Vice Chairman of the board of directors.[12]
Public Listing
On January 13, 2016, WR Entertainment ASA rang the opening bell and became a publicly traded company on the Oslo Stock Exchange Merkur Market in Norway. The listing made headlines and initial trading priced the company at NOK 1.1 billion.[13][14] Tasmin Lucia-Khan was named CEO of the company.[2] Later in January 2016, WR Entertainment ASA's stock price fell such that Wiik lost NOK 320 million (approx. USD 35 million) in one trading day.[12]
In March 2016 it was known that several high-profile investors, including airline magnate Bjørn Kjos, had acquired a significant stake in WR by providing NOK 30 million in fresh operating capital to the company.[15] [16]
On December 11, 2016 Wiik resigned from all corporate positions in WR, over "creative differences" following a shareholder rebellion that also ousted WR's Chairman James Cardwell.[17][18]
Litigation
WR's legal disputes with its founder was widely covered by the media, and often front-page news in Norway.[19]
The Norwegian media reported that WR had spent $470,000 on its legal disputes with Wiik during the first six months of 2017.[19]
On Dec 13 2017 Variety wrote that the lawsuits between Wiik, Khan and WR had been resolved in a settlement.[20]
Personal life
Wiik resides in Los Angeles, California.[10][5] and comes from the seaside town of Drøbak, Norway.[1]
References
- ^ a b Maddaus, Gene (16 July 2017). "Meet the Norwegian Cowboy Being Chased by 300 Angry Investors Over a Failed Western". Variety. Retrieved 18 Nov 2017.
- ^ a b c Sæter, Kjetil (20 May 2017). "Mannen som ville være Morgen Kane" [The man who would be Morgan Kane] (in Norwegian). Dagens Næringsliv. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
- ^ a b c d Ripegutu, Halvor. "Nordmannen Ryan Wiik fjernet som Morgan Kane" [Norwegian Ryan Wiik removed as Morgan Kane] (in Norwegian). Retrieved 11 October 2017.
- ^ IMDB. "Ryan Wiik at the Internet Movie Database".
- ^ a b Stavrum, Gunnar (12 January 2016). "Norske Ryan Wiik blir verdenskjent som "Morgan Kane"" [Norwegian Ryan Wiik becomes world famous "Morgan Kane"]. Nettavisen.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 11 October 2017.
- ^ Østbø, Stein (23 September 2017). "Balladen om Morgen Kane" [Balladen om Morgan Kane] (in Norwegian). VG.
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(help) - ^ Maddaus, Gene (20 March 2017). "Norwegian Investors in 'Morgan Kane' Fire Back at Ousted Actor". Variety. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
- ^ McNary, Dave (9 May 2011). "WR saddles up for Kane Westerns". Variety. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
- ^ Stavrum, Gunnar (18 March 2016). "Norske milliardærer satser på Morgan Kane". Nettavisen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 11 October 2017.
- ^ a b Furuly, Jan Gunnar (25 February 2013). "Vil filmatisere Morgan Kane" [Morgan Kane will be filmed]. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
- ^ NTB (5 April 2012). "Morgan Kane-film snart virkelighet" [Morgan Kane movie will be released soon]. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
- ^ a b Eckblad, Bjørn (15 January 2016). "Tapte 320 mill. på én børsdag" [Lost 320 million on one trading day] (in Norwegian). DN.no. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
- ^ Jacobsen, Stian (14 January 2016). "Vill vest I aksjemarkedet priser Morgan Kane til 1.1 milliarder kroner" [Wild West in the stockmarket pricing Morgan Kane to 1.1 billion kroners] (in Norwegian). Hegnar. Retrieved 18 Nov 2017.
- ^ Framstad, Anders Park (13 January 2016). "Dette er de syv debutantene på Oslos nye markedsplass" [These are the seven debutants in Oslo's new marketplace] (in Norwegian). e24.no. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
- ^ Stavrum, Gunnar (18 Mar 2016). "Norske milliardærer satser på Morgan Kane". Nettavisen. Retrieved 18 Nov 2017.
- ^ Ekeseth, Fredrich Chr. (18 Mar 2016). "Kjos inn i Morgan Kane selskap". DN. Retrieved 18 Nov 2017.
- ^ Strandli, Are (13 December 2016). "Gründer takker for seg" [Gründer thanks himself] (in Norwegian). Retrieved 11 October 2017.
- ^ Ripegutu, Halvor (14 Dec 2016). "Styreleder og hovedrolleinnhaver ute av styret". Nettavisen. Retrieved 18 Nov 2017.
- ^ a b Parr, Odd Steinar (6 October 2017). "Dramaet fortsetter i WR Entertainment" [The drama continues in WR Entertainment] (in Norwegian). Hegnar. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
- ^ Maddaus, Gene (13 Dec 2017). "Norwegian Cowboy Actor Settles Lawsuit Against Ex-Lover". Variety. Retrieved 11 Jan 2017.