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Redbox Sets 3-Year Pact With Writer-Producer Charles Murray And Exec Marc Danon’s Command FIlms

Dade Hayes
·2 min read

EXCLUSIVE: Charles Murray, a writer and producer whose wide-ranging credits include Sons of Anarchy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Luke Cage, has set a slate deal with Redbox Entertainment spanning six films over three years.

The pact centers on Command Films, a new production company founded by Murray and Marc Danon, a veteran film exec who also has headed original content at Redbox since 2019. The pair’s collaboration predates the arrival of Danon at Redbox. He had previous exec stints at Broad Green Pictures, Lionsgate and Netflix.

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Command’s mandate is to create content amplifying Black voices and experiences within commercial genres through the Redbox affiliation.

The deal marks Redbox’s latest move in the original film realm as it continues to expand beyond its well-established network of kiosks. In September 2020, Redbox set a long-term deal with established producer Basil Iwanyk’s Thunder Road for the formation of Asbury Park Pictures. The shingle is in the midst of making 12 modestly budgeted action titles.

“Redbox reaches diverse and vibrant communities across America, and our commitment to improving systemic inequalities through representation provides the ideal platform to elevate underrepresented voices and the art they create,” said Galen Smith, CEO of Redbox. “When Marc introduced the plan he and Charles put forth with Command, I knew the partnership would provide an opportunity to develop films that entertain and inspire audiences while giving them ways to connect through stories that move them.”

Murray has been a writer, producer, and director for more than 20 years. A frequent contributor to Lucasfilm and Marvel properties, he was also showrunner for the recent Netflix limited series True Story, starring Kevin Hart and Wesley Snipes. He also set up Blood Brothers, an eight-episode limited series with A&E Studios that chronicled the friendship between Muhammed Ali and Malcolm X.

“Independent filmmaking has been my North Star all my life,” Murray said. “At the heart of this partnership lies a mutual passion and deep respect for Black creatives and the desire to ensure their exceptional talent is felt within the industry.”

“Galen has made it clear that Redbox is committed to championing content that brings diverse perspectives to the world,” Danon said. “His call to action aligned perfectly with what Charles and I have been developing over the past few years – stories that entertain, educate, and inspire, one film at a time.”

Since being formed in 2019, Redbox Entertainment has released more than 21 films.

Redbox also operates a free, ad-supported streaming service. Last spring, the company said it plans to go public via a special-purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, pegging the value of the offering at $693 million in a regulatory filing.

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