The world of film distribution is getting a new player. Umbrelic Entertainment co-founders Thomas Zambeck and Brian Katz have announced the launch of a new distribution arm, Anchor Bay Entertainment to shake up the industry. This new venture will go beyond the typical Hollywood blockbusters, seeking out a diverse mix of undiscovered indie gems, retro cult classics, and remastered catalog titles.
Commenting on the news, Zambeck said, “We had an opportunity to take the name of a beloved genre film brand, one we feel a personal connection to, for our new company … This is a new venture, unaffiliated with any previous incarnations. We aim to honor the history and spirit of the past as we look for interesting films that break the mold, and will be discovered by new generations for years to come.”
Since the launch of Umbrelic Entertainment in 2018, Zambeck and Katz have produced and executive produced over 14 feature films. Recent releases include the Chris Sivertson-directed horror thriller Monstrous, starring Christina Ricci; the crime thriller American Murderer, starring Tom Pelphrey and Ryan Phillippe; the sci-fi thriller Share with Bradley Whitford and Alice Braga; director Adam Sigal’s dark comedy Nandor Fodor and the Talking Mongoose, starring Simon Pegg, Minnie Driver and Christopher Lloyd; and the Emile Hirsch murder mystery Helen’s Dead. The pair are currently in post-production on three additional films: Hellfire, toplined by Stephen Lang and Harvey Keitel, Deep Six, starring Tom Welling and Cam Gigandet, and the screen life horror Stay At Home, featuring Jenna Davis and Lilah Pate.
Umbrelic Entertainment is represented by Nick LoPiccolo and Babacar Diene of the Paradigm Agency.
Scheduled for distirbution through the Anchor Bay Entertainment arm are Evan Marlowe’s (The Impact) ABRUPTIO, the first of its kind feature horror film, enacted entirely with lifelike puppets in realistic settings, and Michael Kallio’s (The Skeptic) DINNER WITH LEATHERFACE, the anticipated documentary on Gunnar Hansen, the actor who portrayed the character Leatherface in the 1974 The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
A 16-year post-production veteran who has shepherded more than 1,500 projects to global delivery, Zambeck, who started his career at Anchor Bay Entertainment, has also previously held roles at Starz, Sony, and Post Haste Digital. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan, and currently resides in Los Angeles.
Katz is a film production veteran and a sales professional with more than 20 years of experience within the technology, manufacturing and private equity fields. He resides in the Detroit Area.
Both Zambeck and Katz are traveling to the Berlin International Film Festival to acquire additional films for Anchor Bay Entertainment.
