Negeen Yazdi Joins Tom Harper’s Popcorn Storm Pictures As Partner

Nancy Tartaglione

April 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m.·2 min read

EXCLUSIVE: Veteran industry executive Negeen Yazdi has joined Tom Harper’s Popcorn Storm Pictures as Partner. Yazdi, who was formerly SVP of Film Development & Production at Fifth Season, will oversee Popcorn Storm’s film and TV development slate in a move that reunites her with Harper after the pair previously collaborated on 2016 BBC miniseries War & Peace.

Popcorn Storm is a London-based, talent-led firm founded in 2018 by Harper. His diverse portfolio spans two decades with credits including directing the first season of Peaky Blinders (2013), BBC miniseries War & Peace (2016) and features Wild Rose (2018), The Aeronauts (2019) and Heart of Stone (2023). Harper and Yazdi previously collaborated on the Emmy-nominated War & Peace which laid the foundation for this new partnership.

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Yazdi’s appointment comes at an exciting time for Popcorn Storm which is building on the success of its current Paramount+ series A Gentleman in Moscow, exec produced by Harper and the company’s first production under its first-look deal with Lionsgate Television.

Yazdi, who is known for her taste and filmmaker relationships, joins Popcorn Storm following a six-year tenure at Fifth Season where she managed the film development team and slate. During her time at Fifth Season, Yazdi played a pivotal role in shepherding acclaimed productions such as Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Academy Award-nominated The Lost Daughter, William Oldroyd’s Eileen and John Carney’s Flora and Son. Prior to her role at Fifth Season, Yazdi served as President of International Production and Acquisitions for The Weinstein Company, Director of International Production and Acquisitions at Universal Pictures International, and began her career as an agent at Independent Talent.

In welcoming Yazdi, Harper enthused, “Negeen’s drive to bring ambitious projects to life and develop stories that can connect with audiences across the world makes her a perfect fit for Popcorn Storm Pictures.”

Yazdi added, “Tom has always been a kindred spirit, and I relish the opportunity to work with him to build a slate of high-quality projects borne out of the alchemy of strong talent relationships and the desire to tell great stories.”

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