Authentic Studios Aims to Capitalize on This Weekend’s ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’ Doc Release
Authentic Studios is hoping this weekend’s release of “EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert” — its new doc from Baz Luhrmann — is just the beginning.
Variety first broke the news in December 2024 that fresh off the success of his “Elvis” biopic, Luhrmann was partnering with Authentic to produce a documentary about the King of Rock & Roll, centered on never-before-seen footage and recordings of Presley that he unearthed while creating his Austin Butler-starring film.
Now, as “EPiC” opens this weekend, Authentic Studios — the production arm of Authentic Brands Group, which is now the world’s second-largest licensor of intellectual property — is mining its properties for other opportunities (including, for example, Muhammad Ali and Marilyn Monroe, as the 100th anniversary of her birth approaches).
“The Greatest,” a bio sports drama starring Jaalen Best, Giovanni Ribisi and Omari Hardwick, is already in production for Prime Video, from Amazon MGM Studios and producers including Michael B. Jordan. Prime Video is also in pre-production on another project based on an Authentic property, Barneys New York, which is being shepherded by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage under their new deal with Amazon MGM Studios.
Recent Authentic projects include HBO Max’s “Surviving Ohio State” (based on a Sports Illustrated story), Prime Video’s “Iv3erson” and at Netflix, “Power Moves” and the Emmy-winning “Beckham.” Authentic Studios was launched in 2023, and is made up of four production units: David Beckham’s Studio 99 (run by president Nicola Howson), Shaquille O’Neal’s Jersey Legends, Authentic Productions and SI Studios.
Authentic Studios president Colin Smeeton noted that Authentic’s move into production came after the release of the “Elvis” movie, “where we were really guests of Warner Bros., which was great, and we realized that this is our intellectual property. These aren’t just one-off projects. These are brands that that we own, that we care about, we spend a lot of money on, that we should be more involved in the creation and the production of compelling content around this.”
Smeeton noted that much of Authentic Studios’ early work has been on the unscripted side, but he sees “this great opportunity” with scripted as Authentic continues to purchase the IP to three to four brands a year. “We’re really being focused on who we partner with, with our brands, because that’s really important for where we want to go as a studio.”
Variety first broke the news in December 2024 that fresh off the success of his “Elvis” biopic, Luhrmann was partnering with Authentic to produce a documentary about the King of Rock & Roll, centered on never-before-seen footage and recordings of Presley that he unearthed while creating his Austin Butler-starring film.
Now, as “EPiC” opens this weekend, Authentic Studios — the production arm of Authentic Brands Group, which is now the world’s second-largest licensor of intellectual property — is mining its properties for other opportunities (including, for example, Muhammad Ali and Marilyn Monroe, as the 100th anniversary of her birth approaches).
“The Greatest,” a bio sports drama starring Jaalen Best, Giovanni Ribisi and Omari Hardwick, is already in production for Prime Video, from Amazon MGM Studios and producers including Michael B. Jordan. Prime Video is also in pre-production on another project based on an Authentic property, Barneys New York, which is being shepherded by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage under their new deal with Amazon MGM Studios.
Recent Authentic projects include HBO Max’s “Surviving Ohio State” (based on a Sports Illustrated story), Prime Video’s “Iv3erson” and at Netflix, “Power Moves” and the Emmy-winning “Beckham.” Authentic Studios was launched in 2023, and is made up of four production units: David Beckham’s Studio 99 (run by president Nicola Howson), Shaquille O’Neal’s Jersey Legends, Authentic Productions and SI Studios.
Authentic Studios president Colin Smeeton noted that Authentic’s move into production came after the release of the “Elvis” movie, “where we were really guests of Warner Bros., which was great, and we realized that this is our intellectual property. These aren’t just one-off projects. These are brands that that we own, that we care about, we spend a lot of money on, that we should be more involved in the creation and the production of compelling content around this.”
Smeeton noted that much of Authentic Studios’ early work has been on the unscripted side, but he sees “this great opportunity” with scripted as Authentic continues to purchase the IP to three to four brands a year. “We’re really being focused on who we partner with, with our brands, because that’s really important for where we want to go as a studio.”