Eugenio Derbez & Ben Odell’s 3Pas Studios Re-Ups First-Look Film Deal At Lionsgate

EXCLUSIVE:  Lionsgate has renewed its first-look film deal with 3Pas Studios, the production company run by producer Ben Odell and bilingual star Eugenio Derbez, Deadline has learned.

The deal continues the longstanding relationship between the companies, which resulted in the breakout box office success of 2018’s Overboard ($91.2 million at the global box office). The last three Derbez movies — including the blockbuster Instructions Not Included, released by Lionsgate’s Pantelion Films — made more than $250M off a $35M production cost before P&A.

Their latest collaboration is this summer’s Hulu Original The Valet, a remake of the eponymous French film. It stars Derbez, Samara Weaving and Max Greenfield. The studios are currently working together on several upcoming film including the development project Unsafe House.

“Eugenio and Ben are productive and prolific producers who have delivered a wide range of hits to Lionsgate over the years and we are thrilled to be extending our relationship and excited about the projects we have in development together,” said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group president Nathan Kahane. “Our previous collaborations have been tremendously successful, including Overboard, How to Be a Latin Lover, and Instructions Not Included, the highest-grossing Spanish-language film ever released in the U.S. We adore their humor and the way they develop stories and believe the best is yet to come.”

“Lionsgate has always understood the power of my core audience since I made Instructions Not Included, and supported me when I wanted to reach audiences around the world and started making movies in English, like Latin Lover and The Valet. Ben and I are grateful to Joe Drake, Nathan Kahane, Erin Westerman, and the whole Lionsgate team for their tremendous freedom and support,” said Derbez.

“As we continue to position 3Pas as the market leader in producing content for one of the fastest-growing audiences in the United States and the world, renewing our deal with Lionsgate helps us to reach the broadest possible audience in a variety of ways,” added Odell.

3Pas Studios also announced that it has bolstered its production ranks with two new executives, with Agustine Calderon and Liliana Granados joining as director, Motion Picture Development. In their new roles, Granados will focus on dramatic elevated content, with Calderon centered on genre movies. They will service the Lionsgate deal and report to Odell and Derbez.

“We are excited to bolster our team with two great new hires with Agustine and Liliana. They each come with fresh perspectives on how to build movies for our audience and beyond,” added Odell.

Lionsgate and 3Pas also continue to work together in television. Their comedy Acapulco, which they produce with Lionsgate Television and The Tannenbaum Company, is now airing its first season on Apple TV+.