EXCLUSIVE: Shout! Factory has announced the creation of a filmed entertainment, production and distribution arm that will specialize in content development. And the company just pegged three films for a 2018 release: Sam Hoffman’s Humor Me, which will be released January 12; The House of Tomorrow for April; and Izzy Gets the F Across Town for March. Danny Baron’s Basmati Blues, starring Brie Larson and Donald Sutherland, also will bow from the label.

Sam Hoffman’s Humor Me stars Jemaine Clement and Elliott Gould; Peter Livolsi’s The House of Tomorrow, stars Ellen Burstyn, Nick Offerman, Asa Butterfield and Alex Wolff; and Christian Papierniak’s Izzy Gets the F Across Town stars Mackenzie Davis, Carrie Coon and Alex Russell. Also released through this label will be Xuan Liang’s animated feature Big Fish & Begonia and Dan Chuba and Mark Dippé’s The Boxcar Children: Surprise Island, featuring the voice talent of Martin Sheen, J.K. Simmons and Dane DeHaan.

Veteran Shout! executive David McIntosh has been named to the newly created post of SVP Content Licensing & Strategy for the Studio, effective immediately.

NY Times/Doubleday

In addition, Shout! Studios is active in series development with Bill Carter’s nonfiction bestseller Desperate Networks, chronicling the inner workings of the television industry circa 2000’s, networks ratings wars, and the true-life portraits of larger-than-life moguls who navigate this high-stakes business. Bill Carter will pen the adaption.

“We’ve come a long way over the last five years,” said Shout! founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos in a joint statement. “Establishing Shout! Studios is exciting for us, as well as the next logical step for the company. While staying true to our entrepreneurial spirit, we want Shout! Studios to be the place for director/artist-driven films and an incubator for new content.”

McIntosh brings his expertise and more than 20 years of experience in business affairs and creative brand management to maximize the potential of Shout! Studios projects. He and Vishal Panchal, Director of Licensing & Strategy, will spearhead the distribution strategy of this newly launched division, and oversee the content windowing strategies across all platforms, including theatrical releases, SVOD and broadcast sales, and transactional digital sales (EST, TVOD). McIntosh has been with Shout from its early days and has been a key driver in the company’s ongoing transition into multi-platform distribution. He previously served as SVP of Business Affairs & Digital Distribution.

Additional senior executive appointments at Shout! Studios include Vanessa Keiko Flanders as VP Business Affairs, Jordan Fields as VP Acquisitions and Film Development, Melissa Boag is SVP of Family Entertainment,Michael Ribas is VP Marketing, Brian Blum is VP Production and Digital Media, and Aaron Meyerson will serve as independent consultant for special projects.

All these executives will maintain oversight responsibilities at both Shout! Studios and Shout! Factory.