United Artists score $500 million in funds

Tom Cruise. After Paramount dropped the actor prematurely from his deal with the studio last year, Cruise was probably at the rock bottom of his career. He had no movie roles on the horizon and was hounded by the press week in and week out for his personal life. Some said his career was in huge jeopardy which was a little hasty, but I think even I was surprised at how quick he turned a bad situation around. Cruise quickly set-up a deal to resurrect the forgotten studio United Artists along with his long time producing partner Paula Wagner and he soon got offers from directors wanting to make their films for him. Robert Redford came in with a political drama Lions for Lambs and offered Cruise a role in the movie which he accepted and then the same thing happened with Bryan Singer who pitched his Valkyrie film to Cruise, who liked it so much he asked Singer if he could start in that movie too. These are two huge movies, not just for Cruise as a producer but Cruise as a movie star too. It's a chance for him to get himself back into the spotlight, and more specifically for his acting rather than anything that's going on at home. Some good for United Artists has come through a massive $500 million deal with Merrill Lynch, one of the world's leading wealth management companies whose cash will fund 15 to 18 movies through UA over the next five years. More info from Coming Soon...

UA's slate will include a combination of films it develops itself, films that are co-produced or co-financed with other major studios or independent partners, and films that may be acquired through negative pickups or other distribution agreements. The studio expects to release four to six films annually, with green-light authority continuing to vest in UA co-owners Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner, who also serves as the studio's chief executive officer. UA is a partnership between Cruise, Wagner and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM).

Cruise is truly back and as powerful as ever. He can greenlight any movie he wants that comes to him and hell he can probably star in any movie that comes to him too. It's his studio! What a position to be in.