HIT Ent. is set to launch HIT Movies, a new division dedicated to making family-oriented movies out of HIT's library of children's properties, as well as identifying and developing new stories and characters for future family movies. The launch is part of an effort by the company to expand the reach of HIT properties across a variety of platforms, and use films as a means to introduce new HIT stories and characters to a family audience.
To head HIT's Los Angeles office and film division, HIT Ent. President and CEO Jeff Dunn has tapped industry veteran Julia Pistor to run HIT Movies. Most recently, Pistor served as Nickelodeon's EVP of Movies, where she developed and produced a total of 16 movies that grossed more than $1.5 billion combined at the box office.
The new film division will initially focus on developing family film franchises based on HIT's top properties, such as THOMAS & FRIENDS, BARNEY, BOB THE BUILDER, ANGELINA BALLERINA and RAINBOW MAGIC.
As part of the expansion, HIT Ent. has signed with Beverly Hills-based talent and literary agency United Talent Agency to help create new opportunities in film, television and digital entertainment. UTA will also assist in establishing new brand extensions and corporate partnerships for HIT Ent. properties that have achieved phenomenal success worldwide in toys, books, television, home entertainment and live events. Additionally, UTA will work closely with Pistor to ramp up its feature film development slate.
This will be the second pairing of Dunn and Pistor. Previously Pistor ran the movie division for Dunn when he was Nickelodeon's president of film and enterprises. Pistor's feature resume includes both animation (RUGRATS: THE MOVIE, SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, THE WILD THORNBERRIES and BARNYARD) and live action (LEMONY SNICKET'S SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS, NACHO LIBRE, GOOD BURGER and SNOW DAY).
