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Emmett/Furla Oasis

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Emmett/Furla Oasis Films
FormerlyEmmett/Furla Films (1998–2013)
Company typePrivate
IndustryFilm
Founded1998
FoundersRandall Emmett
George Furla
Defunct2020 (2020)
FateBankruptcy
Headquarters
Beverly Hills, California
,
United States
Key people
Randall Emmett
George Furla (CEOs)
Products
  • Motion pictures
  • Television programs
OwnerEFO (49%)
Websitewww.efofilms.com [dead link‍]

Emmett/Furla Oasis Films (EFO Films), previously known as Emmett/Furla Films and Oasis Ventures Entertainment separately, was an American film and television production and financing company founded by Randall Emmett and George Furla in 1998. It is notable for funding and producing the films End of Watch, 2 Guns and Lone Survivor.

In 2018, the company was acquired by Helios and Matheson Analytics, which gained a 51% ownership stake in EFO.[1] It began producing films under MoviePass.[2] Two years later, following a litany of civil and federal lawsuits against HMNY and EFO,[3] in combination with controversy surrounding the latter's business practices and workplace issues,[4] the former filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in late 2019,[5] with both the latter and MoviePass dissolving their partnership and ending operations a year later.[6]

History

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Foundation (1998)

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The company was founded as Emmett/Furla Films by Randall Emmett and George Furla in 1998.[7]

Production of films and financial success (1999-2013)

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The company's first production was the direct-to-video film, Escape to Grizzly Mountain, which was released in 2000.[citation needed]

They continued producing other films from 2001 to 2013. They include Held for Ransom, Ticker, Narc, Control, Edison, 16 Blocks, Home of the Brave, Borderland, Rambo, Righteous Kill, Freelancers, End of Watch and Broken City.[8]

Merger with Oasis Ventures and continued productions (2013-17)

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The company was later joined by Dubai-based financier Oasis Ventures Entertainment on July 22, 2013. Emmett said, "We are excited about working with Oasis and really see tremendous synergy. We will continue financing our bigger budget studio co-productions and will be more aggressive than ever in our financing commitments."[9] The now-renamed Emmett/Furla Oasis Films celebrated the fifteenth anniversary of its foundation in September.[10]

In between the EFF-Oasis merger, the companies released two of its successful box office films in 2013 (in association with Universal Pictures), 2 Guns and Lone Survivor.[11][12][13][14]

In 2013, EFO financed its only syndicated television series, SAF3, which would later be cancelled the following year after one season.[15] That September, they signed a deal which Toronto-based company, Corsan N.V. invested $125 million in the film label.[16]

On June 3, 2014, Emmett/Furla Oasis Films signed a first-look deal with Craig Piligian's Pilgrim Studios to develop and produce docu-series and other unscripted shows.[17]

MoviePass Films and dissolution (2018-20)

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In May 2018, Helios and Matheson Analytics, the parent company of MoviePass, acquired the option to purchase the assets of Emmett/Furla Oasis Films plus gain its executives' expertise in making films for a new subsidiary, MoviePass Films. The new company would be 51% owned by Helios and the remaining 49% by EFO.[1] By early-August 2018, Helios and Matheson completed the acquisition of the company's assets. Therefore, EFO was converted into an in-name-only subsidiary of MoviePass Films.[2] The first film produced under the MoviePass Films name was announced to be 10 Minutes Gone starring Bruce Willis,[18] which the first of a three film pact with Willis.[19] In late-September 2018, the company acquired equity stakes and co-distribution in the two Neon-distributed films, Monsters and Men and Border.[20]

MoviePass' quarterly revenue began to decrease by April 2019, with subscribers falling from over 90% to 225,000.[21] Around October 2019, after announcing their Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing a month prior, HMNY effectively dissolved ongoing operations of MoviePass.[22] As a result of Helios and Matheson's bankruptcy filing and MoviePass' closure on January 28, 2020,[23][24] Emmett/Furla Oasis Films (being a part-owned subsidiary of the latter) ceased operations. The company's website was shut down.[citation needed]

MoviePass Films was the only company to bear the MoviePass name after MoviePass was shut down on January 28, 2020. The final film produced under that name was the EFO co-financed Boss Level, which was released in early 2021 on Hulu.

Reunions (2021-23)

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After the closure of EFO, both Randall Emmett and George Furla, the company's co-founders, continued producing films under the company name in-credit, starting with 2020's The War with Grandpa and continuing so on until 2023's Crystal Lake.

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On October 23, 2015, Grindstone, a division of Lionsgate, sued EFO over the rights to the film, Bus 657.[25] Six days later, Morgan Creek Entertainment and the estate of Tupac Shakur filed suit against the label over the financing of the rapper's biopic, All Eyez on Me, claiming breach of agreement. The plaintiffs stated they demanded a renewed 50-percent agreement from co-founders Randall Emmett and George Furla after the film's budget exceeded over $34 million; the defendants refused.[26][27]

Nemesis Finance had filed a lawsuit in June 2016 against Randall Emmett/George Furla Productions and also both of them as individuals for breach of contract, fraud and violating the RICO Act. The suit had claimed Nemesis faced losing $1.6 million after producers Randall Emmett and George Furla allegedly misrepresented the amount of debt owed to investors so that they could reduce the residuals reserve deposits required by the major guilds. The case was settled in September 2016. In a joint statement announcing the settlement, the parties said they have "amicably resolved the dispute…and look forward to continuing an ongoing business relationship."[28]

On August 18, 2017, director Jonathan Baker filed a lawsuit against Emmett/Furla Oasis Films over breach of contract and fraudulent inducement over a two way co-finance and production deal. Jonathan Baker claims Randall Emmett told him if he agreed to Inconceivable he'd return the favor by co-financing and producing a film of Baker's choosing. According to the agreements Baker and Emmett Furla entered into, the suit states, Baker was to be paid $125K for directing fee and it was later agreed that he would also have 49% of the copyright. The producing fee for Baker Entertainment was to be $425K and $550K for Emmett Furla. He entered into the agreement because he was told that in order to do his passion project Fate, he would have to do one of their films first. However, the suit states, shortly after Baker put the $1M into escrow in exchange to become the only equity player, the filmmaker says in the suit that Emmett/Furla began paying themselves $650,000 (each) in producer fees, said Baker, and then brought in more equity players and paid them out first in breach of their initial contract. He is seeking at least $4.5M in damages and has asked for a jury trial.[29] As of August 18, 2017, Martin Barab (attorney for Emmett/Furla) advised The Hollywood Reporter that Baker Entertainment had already been repaid half of its investment in the weeks since the film's June 30 release. He described the suit is "bogus and frivolous."[30]

In March 2019, The Boies/Schiller Film Group filed suit on Tuesday, accusing Emmett/Furla Oasis Films of breaching a deal to produce two Escape Plan sequels starring Sylvester Stallone. According to the suit, Boies/Schiller put up a $6 million loan for the $65 million project. The arrangement also gave Boies/Schiller rights to finance and produce the sequels, Escape Plan 2: Hades and Escape Plan: The Extractors. Boies/Schiller alleges that Emmett/Furla Oasis Films breached that agreement, and did not allow Boies/Schiller to put up financing for the sequels. The suit claims Emmett/Furla also failed to pay an executive producing fee on each of the two movies.[31]

Oasis Ventures Entertainment sued MoviePass Films on October 14, 2019 over the theft of films and for lack of consent from Oasis in making the deal with Helios and Matheson.[32]

On July 1, 2021, Blumhouse Productions sued EFO and Hulu over the rights to their film, Boss Level.[33]

By June 2022, the defunct EFO faced a $25 million debt as a result of the civil and federal lawsuits they faced.[citation needed] That same month, actor Bruce Willis (on behalf of his former attorney) accused company co-founder Randall Emmett of mistreatment during his health issues.[34] Willis claims that Emmett and other affiliates of EFO "pushed him to keep working" despite his battle with aphasia.[35] Worse for Emmett, a Los Angeles Times news article was published at the same time, accusing him of racial or gender discrimination, employment abuse, termination and retaliation at the company's California offices and outside.[36] In one lawsuit, Emmett was accused by a former employee of making racial slurs against him, including the employee's race, as well as other slurs about rappers Quavo, Cardi B and former partner 50 Cent (with whom Emmett co-founded another film label, Cheetah Vision, in 2008).[37] The plaintiff also accused Emmett of hiding a Rolls-Royce in an insurance fraud scam and ordering him to retrieve a supply of cocaine.[38] His scandals were later exploited on the Hulu documentary, Love, Loathing and Vanderpump, which premiered on May 22, 2023.[39][40]

Between 2022 and 2023, former employees sued EFO for racial discrimination, workplace harassment and wrongful termination.[41][4]

In October 2024, Baker Entertainment, LLC. sued Emmett Furla Oasis Holdings, LLC. for breach of contract, fraud and breach of fiduciary duty.[42][43] The plaintiff accused the latter of breaching an agreement on a co-financing partnership which was signed in 2015.[44]

Films

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Films credited to Emmett/Furla Oasis Films following dissolution

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Television

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Notes

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  1. ^ Only credited to Randall Emmett
  2. ^ Only credited to Randall Emmett

References

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  1. ^ a b Lang, Brent (2018-05-30). "MoviePass Parent Company Acquiring Emmett Furla Oasis Films (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  2. ^ a b Hayes, Dade (2018-05-30). "MoviePass Parent Buys Emmett Furla Oasis, Launches New Film Division". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  3. ^ Maddaus, Gene (2019-10-16). "MoviePass Accused of Contract Breach by Oasis Ventures". Variety. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  4. ^ a b James, Meg (2022-11-02). "Randall Emmett sued for race discrimination, hostile workplace by former assistant". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2022-11-02. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  5. ^ Valinsky, Jordan (2020-01-29). "MoviePass is shutting down permanently and liquidating in bankruptcy | CNN Business". CNN. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  6. ^ "MoviePass Ending Its Run, 2 Years After Millions Signed Up (Published 2019)". 2019-09-13. Archived from the original on 2022-09-02. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  7. ^ McNary, Dave (September 3, 2013). "Emmett/Furla Films Turns 15". Variety. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  8. ^ Harris, Dana (2003-03-05). "Inside Move: Emmet, Furla make grade". Variety. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  9. ^ McNary, Dave (July 22, 2013). "'2 Guns' Financer Emmett/Furla Receives Coin From Oasis Ventures". variety.com. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  10. ^ McNary, Dave (2013-09-04). "Emmett/Furla Films Turns 15". Variety. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  11. ^ Roxborough, Scott (2012-02-08). "Berlin 2012: Foresight Unlimited Boards Denzel Washington, Mark Wahlberg Starrer '2 Guns'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  12. ^ Puig, Claudia. "Two leads have a blast in overly familiar '2 Guns'". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  13. ^ Bailey, Micah (2023-11-22). "Why Mark Wahlberg's Lone Survivor Continues To Be So Popular 10 Years Later". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  14. ^ "'Lone Survivor' ambushes 'Frozen' to top weekend box office". Los Angeles Times. 2014-01-12. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  15. ^ Marechal, A. J. (2013-09-04). "Emmett/Furla Scores With Freshman TV Lineup". Variety. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  16. ^ Jr, Mike Fleming (2013-09-10). "Toronto: Corsan NV Invests $125 Million In Emmett/Furla/Oasis Slate". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  17. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (June 3, 2014). "Emmett/Furla/Oasis Films Inks First-Look Deal With Craig Piligian's Pilgrim Studios". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  18. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (August 7, 2018). "MoviePass Films Sets First Pic: Bruce Willis To Star In '10 Minutes Gone'". Deadline. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  19. ^ Hipes, Patrick (February 11, 2019). "MoviePass Films' 'Axis Sally' Adds Trio To Cast". Deadline. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  20. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (September 24, 2018). "MoviePass Films Takes Equity Stakes In NEON Films 'Monsters And Men' & 'Border'". Deadline. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  21. ^ Spangler, Todd (2019-04-18). "MoviePass Has Lost Over 90% of Its Subscribers in Less Than a Year (Report)". Variety. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  22. ^ Linnane, Ciara (2020-01-29). "MoviePass parent Helios and Matheson files for Chapter 7 and stock falls to zero". MarketWatch. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  23. ^ Valinsky, Jordan (2020-01-29). "MoviePass is shutting down permanently and liquidating in bankruptcy | CNN Business". CNN. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  24. ^ DePasquale, Shawn (2020-01-29). "MoviePass Files For Bankruptcy, Officially Killing The Subscription Service". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  25. ^ Gardner, Eriq (2015-10-23). "Lionsgate Partner Sues Emmett/Furla Affiliate Over Robert De Niro Heist Film". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  26. ^ Cee, Kymmi. "2Pac Biopic Producer Files $10 Million Lawsuit Over Secret Star Casting". REVOLT. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  27. ^ "Tupac Biopic Production Company Files $10 Million Lawsuit". HipHopDX. 2015-10-29. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  28. ^ Robb, David (2016-09-26). "'Broken City' Fraud & Breach Of Contract Suit Settled". Deadline. Retrieved 2019-07-20.
  29. ^ Busch, Anita (2017-08-19). "'Inconceivable's Jonathan Baker, Who Filed Fraud Suit Against Emmett/Furla, Says He Has What Happened On Film – Updated". Deadline. Retrieved 2019-07-20.
  30. ^ "Emmett/Furla Hit With $4.5M Fraud Lawsuit Over 'Inconceivable'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2019-07-20.
  31. ^ Maddaus, Gene (2019-04-02). "Boies/Schiller Film Group Sues Over 'Escape Plan' Sequels". Variety. Retrieved 2019-07-20.
  32. ^ Maddaus, Gene (October 16, 2019). "MoviePass Accused of Contract Breach by Oasis Ventures". Variety. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
  33. ^ Cullins, Ashley (2021-07-01). "Blumhouse Sues 'Boss Level' Producers, Hulu Over Recutting Deal". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  34. ^ "Bruce Willis' Lawyer Comments Amid Claims Randall Emmett Knew About Actor's Health Issues on Set". cbs8.com. 2022-06-30. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  35. ^ Donnellan, Sara (2022-06-30). "Bruce Willis' Team Responds to Randall Emmett Accusations". Us Weekly. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  36. ^ "The man who played Hollywood: Inside Randall Emmett's crumbling empire". Los Angeles Times. 2022-06-30. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  37. ^ "50 Cent Reacts To 'Power' Producer Randall Emmett Allegedly Calling Him Racial Slur". HipHopDX. 2022-11-02. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  38. ^ Patten, Dominic (2022-11-02). "Randall Emmett Hit With Racial & Religious Discrimination, Hostile Workplace Suit; Used N-Word, Drugs, Pulled Insurance Scams, Ex-Assistant Says". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  39. ^ Siwak, Miranda (2023-05-18). "'The Randall Scandal' Doc About Randall Emmett: What to Know". Us Weekly. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  40. ^ "Hulu documentary delves deeper into the Randall Emmett scandal". Los Angeles Times. 2023-05-15. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  41. ^ Patten, Dominic (2022-11-16). "Randall Emmett Racial Discrimination, Hostile Workplace Suit Dismissed; Ex-Assistant Pulls Plug On Action Against Producer After Less Than A Month". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  42. ^ "Baker Entertainment v. Emmett Furla Oasis Films CA2/7 filed 10/28/24 | Judicial Branch of California". courts.ca.gov. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  43. ^ Maddaus, Gene (2017-08-19). "'Inconceivable' Director Accuses Emmett/Furla/Oasis of Embezzlement". Variety. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  44. ^ Jr, Mike Fleming (2015-05-29). "Emmett/Furla/Oasis Sets Baker Entertainment Deal With 'Inconceivable'". Deadline. Retrieved 2024-12-24.
  45. ^ "The Row (2018) – Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  46. ^ Burke, Carolyn (August 7, 2018). "MoviePass Films Announces 10 Minutes Gone Starring Bruce Willis". ScreenRant. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
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