Bill Block
{{short description|American film producer (born 1954)|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Bill Block
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = William Hunt Block
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1954|04|02}}
| birth_place = New York City, U.S.
| education = Columbia University
| occupation = Film producer
| years_active =
| known_for =
| spouse = Eugenia Kuzmina
}}
William Hunt Block (born April 2, 1954) is an American film producer who was CEO of Miramax from April 2017 to October 2023. His producing credits include W. (2008), District 9 (2009), Fury (2014), Bad Moms (2016), Dirty Grandpa (2016), Halloween (2018), and Halloween Kills (2021).
Early life
Block was born in New York City, where he attended Columbia University and later became a supporter of the school's film program.{{Cite web|title=Minds Behind the Film Festival Saluted. Columbia University Record. MAY 21, 1997|url=http://www.columbia.edu/cu/record/archives/vol22/vol22_iss23/record2223.51.html|access-date=2021-10-03|website=www.columbia.edu}}
Career
Block began his career as a literary agent before founding the Intertalent Agency in 1988, where he represented artists such as Kim Basinger, Samuel L. Jackson, Steven Seagal, Charlie Sheen, John Travolta, Forest Whitaker, Sam Raimi, Roland Emmerich and William Friedkin. In 1992, he joined International Creative Management as head of West Coast Operations.{{cite web|author=Claudia Eller|work=Variety|date=October 13, 1992|url=https://variety.com/1992/scene/people-news/block-bound-for-icm-100243/|title=Block Bound for ICM}}
Block founded Artisan Entertainment, an independent film studio that produced films including The Blair Witch Project; The Buena Vista Social Club; Darren Aronofsky's Pi and Requiem for a Dream; The Limey directed by Steven Soderbergh; The Ninth Gate starring Johnny Depp and directed by Roman Polanski; and David Koepp's Stir of Echoes and Made starring Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn.{{cite news |last1=Pamela |first1=McClintock |title=Block makes indie move. |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-142921674.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314085006/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-142921674.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 March 2016 |accessdate=24 July 2018 |work=Daily Variety |date=9 February 2006|url-access=}}{{cite web|title=Bill Block resigns from Artisan Entertainment|work=ScreenDaily|date= August 15, 2001 |author= Mike Goodridge|url=http://www.screendaily.com/bill-block-resigns-from-artisan-entertainment/406595.article}}
In 2002, Block founded film finance, production and sales company QED International. He was CEO of QED for 12 years, producing films including Neill Blomkamp's District 9 and Elysium, Oliver Stone's W. and David Ayer's WWII thriller Fury starring Brad Pitt.{{cite news |last1=McNary |first1=Dave |title=Miramax Hires Veteran Producer Bill Block as CEO |url=https://www.variety.com/2017/film/news/miramax-bill-block-ceo-1202399144/ |accessdate=July 24, 2018 |work=Variety |date=April 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180526180912/http://variety.com/2017/film/news/miramax-bill-block-ceo-1202399144/ |archive-date=May 26, 2018 |url-status=dead }} In 2014, after Media Content Capital took a controlling interest in QED, Block left the company to launch Merced Media with producer Kevin Frakes.{{cite news |last1=Fleming |first1=Mike Jr. |title='Fury' Producer Bill Block, Kevin Frakes Launch Merced Media With $500 Million For Slate Financing |url=https://deadline.com/2014/10/fury-producer-bill-block-kevin-frakes-launch-merced-media-500-million-financing-848083/ |accessdate=July 24, 2018 |work=Deadline |date=October 8, 2014}}
From 2015–17, he was managing director of Bill Block Media, producing the commercially successful Bad Moms starring Mila Kunis and Kristen Bell, and Dirty Grandpa starring Robert De Niro and Zac Efron. In November 2015, he settled a legal dispute with QED, after his former company filed a federal lawsuit alleging trademark infringement and unfair competition concerning the rights to Dirty Grandpa.{{cite news |last1=McNary |first1=Dave |title=Bill Block, QED Settle Legal Dispute |url=https://variety.com/2015/film/news/bill-block-qed-settle-legal-dispute-1201634036/ |accessdate=July 24, 2018 |work=Variety |date=November 5, 2015}}
He was named CEO of Miramax in April 2017. He left the studio in October 2023 following the lapse of his contract with them, forming another production company, BlockFilm, later that month.{{cite web |url= https://deadline.com/2023/10/miramax-ceo-bill-block-exits-1235561838/|title= Shocker! Shakeup At Miramax As CEO Bill Block Exits|date= October 2, 2023|access-date= October 2, 2023|first1= Mike Jr.|last1= Fleming|first2= Nellie|last2= Andreeva}}{{cite web|title=Jason Statham To Star In David Ayer-Directed Sylvester Stallone Script 'Levon's Trade' From Black Bear & Bill Block's BlockFilm — AFM Hot Package|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Andreas|last=Wiseman|date=27 October 2023|access-date=28 October 2023|url=https://deadline.com/2023/10/jason-statham-david-ayer-sylvester-stallone-levons-trade-black-bear-bill-block-afm-1235585741/}} Producer Jonathan Glickman subsequently replaced Block as CEO of Miramax on April 2, 2024.{{cite web|title=Miramax Names Jonathan Glickman CEO|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Anthony|last=D'Alessandro|date=2 April 2024|access-date=2 April 2024|url=https://deadline.com/2024/04/miramax-jonathan-glickman-1235874073/}}
Personal life
Block lives in the Hollywood Hills with his wife, Eugenia Kuzmina, a model, actress and comedian, his two sons and a daughter.{{cite news |title=At Home With Eugenia Kuzmina In Hollywood Hills |url=https://www.pumpfashionmag.com/stylepulse/2017/6/23/at-home-with-eugenia-kuzmenia-in-hollywood-hills |accessdate=July 24, 2018 |work=Pump Magazine |date=June 25, 2018 |archive-date=July 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180724123546/https://www.pumpfashionmag.com/stylepulse/2017/6/23/at-home-with-eugenia-kuzmenia-in-hollywood-hills |url-status=dead }}
Filmography
He was a producer in all films unless otherwise noted.
=Film=
;Production manager
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes | |||
| 1998 | Belly | rowspan=5| Executive in charge of production | |
| 1999 | Stir of Echoes | ||
| 2000 | The Way of the Gun | ||
| rowspan=2| 2001 | The Center of the World | ||
| Made | {{center|Uncredited}} |
;Thanks
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role | ||
| 1997 | Spawn | Thanks |
=Television=
| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Title ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Credit ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes | |||
| 2015 | Good at Life | Executive producer | Television film |
| 2020 | Spy City | Executive producer | |
| 2023 | Project Greenlight: A New Generation | Executive producer | Documentary |
| rowspan=2| {{TableTBA}} | Serendipity | Executive producer | |
| The Gentlemen | Executive producer |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|1088848|Bill Block}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Block, Bill}}
Category:Businesspeople from New York City
Category:Columbia University alumni
Category:Film producers from New York City
Category:American talent agents
Category:American chief executives in the mass media industry