Peter Luo’s LA-based finance and training vehicle The Stars Collective is teaming up with Chinese financier Hana Investments on an ambitious “cross media fund to invest in comics, films, games, collectibles, consumer goods, artificial intelligence and metaverse technology,” Deadline is reporting.
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| Chris Pratt, Garfield / Mega; Alcon Entertainment |
Among the first collaborations for the two companies will be The Garfield Movie, starring Chris Pratt, which is due to launch next year. While their partnership on the movie will be based on merchandising, Deadline understands that a subsidiary of Stars Collective is due to distribute the Sony film in China.
The fund, which is looking to attract partners, will be officially unveiled at the StarS Summit on November 13, 2023, to be jointly hosted by Stars Collective and Hana Investment (China) at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, CA.
Luo’s previous Stars vehicles have backed movies including Crazy Rich Asians, Crazy Stories To Tell In The Dark and Malignant.
Stars Collective told us of the partnership: “Both parties are poised to embark on a profound collaboration centered on The Garfield Movie (Chinese title: Garfield Family), which is slated for release next year. This collaboration is anchored on a 25-year exclusive picture-related merchandising license in the Greater China region, spanning all categories with the exception of theme park and stage rights, which are owned by a Chinese subsidiary of Stars Collective. The alliance will cover design, artist partnerships, global supply chain management, e-commerce avenues, and continuous brand evolution. Furthermore, this joint endeavor will also encompass other IP content owned by Stars Collective, laying the groundwork for a plethora of investment opportunities within the collaboratively managed fund.”
Stars Collective’s credits to date include Jamojaya, Playland, Nezouh, and WuhanWuhan.
In addition to Pratt, The Garfield Movie will also star Emmy-winning Ted Lasso star Brett Goldstein and Saturday Night Live breakout Bowen Yang, as well as Samuel L. Jackson (Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank, Incredibles) as Vic, Garfield's father, a new character created for the film; Ving Rhames (Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Wendell & Wild); Nicholas Hoult (The Great, Watership Down); Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso, Krapopolis); and Cecily Strong (Saturday Night Live, Loafy).
China’s Hana Investment is an investment platform of Korean holding company Hana Financial Group, which has pan-Asian reach. Hana Investment mainly invests in high-growth industries in China and overseas, including medical services, energy, and media. It has also made investments in toys, mobile games, reality shows, and food and drinks brands.
Stars Collective President William Li said: “By partnering with Hana Investment (China), we aim to effectively bridge the gaps between verticals, allowing us to achieve better international brand promotion for our industry partners and make goods more accessible for loyal IP consumers, thereby unleashing unparalleled opportunities for growth and advancement.”
Hana Investment (China) Chairman Mao Xiaofeng commented: “Hana Investment (China) highly values Stars Collective due to its extensive global film and television IP resources, as well as its deep collaboration with numerous top Hollywood filmmakers and China’s advantageous game development and merchandise supply chain. This model aligns closely with our strategy of ‘Chinese innovation + international IP + global markets.’ Both parties will work together to implement this strategy for the StarS Summit, which will be hosted by Stars Collective and co-hosted by Hana Investment, and will see the participation of over a hundred renowned film, gaming, and fashion brands from Asia.”
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Originally published: October 18, 2023.
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