US entertainment company Sony Pictures Entertainment has seen off what it claims was industry-wide competition to land a multi-year development and production deal with Unanimous Media, the newly-formed production company of NBA basketball superstar Stephen Curry.
Founded by the Golden State Warriors point guard and partners Jeron Smith, chief executive; and Erick Peyton, chief creative officer, Unanimous Media will leverage the breadth of the studio’s content platforms to develop and produce film and television projects with a focus on family, faith, and sports themes.
The deal will extend to opportunities in partnerships, electronics, gaming and virtual reality. Curry's (pictured) production headquarters will be located on the Sony Pictures studio lot in Culver City, California.
Smith said: “Sony's broader ecosystem perfectly aligns with our mission, vision and position. The essence of who Stephen is centres around inspiration and while there's an immense opportunity here, we see this as an anomalous adaption of social entrepreneurship. It's deeper than just business.”
Bryan Smiley, vice-president of production for Columbia Pictures, shepherded the deal and will oversee production and development with Unanimous Media for the motion picture group.
Jeffrey Godsick, executive vice-president of brand strategy and global partnerships, will oversee partnerships and brand extension opportunities across Sony platforms. Chris Parnell, co-president of Sony Pictures Television, will oversee television projects with Unanimous Media in both the scripted and non-scripted space.