Bleecker Street Appoints Former Paramount Pictures Head Kyle Davies As President Of Distribution

Former Paramount Pictures head Kyle Davies has joined Bleecker Street as President of Distribution. In his new role, the veteran distribution executive will be responsible for spearheading the company’s theatrical distribution strategies, planning and execution as well as managing the wider distribution team.

Upcoming wide releases from Bleecker Street that he will oversee include Infinite Storm with Naomi Watts on March 25th; Montana Story with Haley Lu Richardson on May 13th; Emma Holly Jones’ Mr. Malcolm’s List with Freida Pinto on July 1st; James Ponsoldt’s Summering on July 15th; Dale Dickey’s A Love Song on July 29th; Abi Damaris Corbin’s 892 with John Boyega on August 26th; and Academy Award-winning director Guy Nattiv’s Golda starring Academy Award winner Helen Mirren, which has been slated for release later this year.

Davies was previously at Paramount Pictures, where he most recently served as President of Domestic Distribution. During his tenure there, beginning in 2016, he was responsible for distribution strategy across such major titles as Rocketman, A Quiet Place, Book Club, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Bumblebee, Arrival, Fences, Daddy’s Home 2 and Annihilation, among others.

“Kyle has unparalleled relationships with exhibitors and a stellar track record in the theatrical distribution space,” said Bleecker Street CEO Andrew Karpen. “His perspective is very much in line with our business and he really is the perfect addition to our executive team.”

“I couldn’t be more excited to join the team at Bleecker Street and share the energy and opportunity that exists within their sophisticated and diverse slate of independent films,” added Davies. “I’ve always admired Bleecker’s belief in the theatrical experience and approach in acquiring films for broad audiences. I look forward to being a part of their evolution.”

Prior to his time at Paramount, Davies served as President of Worldwide Distribution at Relativity Media, playing an instrumental role in the company’s evolution from a financing and producing entity into a full-fledged studio. Following the creation of the joint venture company Relativity EuropaCorp Distribution in 2014, his responsibilities expanded to include oversight of both companies’ domestic and international distribution strategies.

Davies initially served as Executive Vice President of Theatrical Distribution for Overture Films, handling the distribution of such films as Law Abiding Citizen, Brooklyn’s Finest and The Visitor. He was named President of Theatrical Distribution in 2010, after Relativity acquired Overture Films’ marketing and distribution assets. Before joining Overture, Davies had an earlier stint at Paramount Pictures as Senior Vice President of Distribution following its purchase of DreamWorks, working on such titles as Mission: Impossible III, Dreamgirls, Over the Hedge, Gladiator, Saving Private Ryan, American Beauty, Shrek and Shrek II.

Bleecker Street Media is an independently financed distributor based in New York City that was founded by Karpen in 2014 and has since released more than 45 films. Recent releases include Michael Franco’s Sundown starring Tim Roth and Charlotte Gainsbourg; Dream Horse starring Toni Collette and Damian Lewis; Together Together with Ed Helms and Patti Harrison; the Sundance and Venice Film Festival romance The World to Come with Katherine Waterston and Vanessa Kirby; the Colin Firth-Stanley Tucci starrer Supernova; Kitty Green’s The Assistant starring Julia Garner; Military Wives with Sharon Horgan; and Wild Mountain Thyme starring Emily Blunt and Jamie Dornan.

Bleecker Street has also been active on the acquisitions front of late, buying Sundance titles 892 and A Love Song, as well as Catherine Hardwicke’s Mafia Mamma starring Toni Collette which will shoot this spring. The company recently entered into an exclusive three-year output deal with Showtime Networks Inc.