News

Veteran German film and TV executive Dirk Schweitzer has left his position as CEO of producer/distributor Splendid Medien and has taken over as CEO of Mmc Group, the parent company of Cologne’s Mmc Studios.

Björn Siecken, former CFO at Splendid, will join Schweitzer as CFO of Mmc. Nico Roden will stay on as managing director of Mmc Studios, who run the Cologne backlot, and Bastie Griese will remain managing director of production division Mmc Movies, working together with Schweitzer to expand the company’s film and TV operations nationally and internationally.

Former Splendid boss Andreas Klein, son of company founder Albert E. Klein, has returned to run the company as CEO. Schweitzer took over operations at Splendid from Klein in 2020, with Klein continuing as an advisor to the company. Schweizer joined Splendid in 2013 from producer/distributor Tele-München Group, where he was managing director. Before that, he spent 10 years...

Berlin – German distributor Splendid Film has signed a VOD deal with Sony Entertainment Network that will see Splendid license its film catalogue for use across Sony’s online and mobile devices, including on Sony tablets, PlayStation games consoles and PlayStation Portable devices. The agreement, announced Friday, will include recent hits, such Sylvester Stallone’s actioner The Expendables, as well library titles such as Steven Soderbergh’s Traffic and Gangs of New York from director Martin Scorcese. "The marketing of programs via Internet platforms is becoming increasingly significant,” said Splendid CEO Andreas Klein. “In the Sony Entertainment Network, we have gained another

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COLOGNE, Germany -- German production-distribution group Splendid Medien said Tuesday that it has acquired the remaining 51% of Warner Vision Vertriebs from Warner Music Group Germany, giving Splendid full control of the Hamburg-based video company. Warner Music and Andreas Klein's Splendid signed a joint distribution agreement two years ago to release product through Warner Vision, with Warner holding 51% of the company and Splendid holding 49%. Warner Vision handles titles from Splendid subsidiaries Splendid Film and Polyband as well as children's titles from the Kids for Kids group. Alexander Welzhofer will remain as Warner Vision's managing director. Splendid said it intends to allow Warner Vision management to take an equity stake of as much as 10% in the company.

Opens

Friday March 12

Agent Cody Banks, the teen secret agent who last year helped MGM bide a bit of boxoffice time while awaiting the arrival of the next real James Bond installment, crosses over the pond to again save the world in Agent Cody Banks: Destination London.

In terms of inspiration or even the slightest shred of ingenuity, Banks ranks more like an 000 than an 007.

Even more than the so-called original, the sequel's content to trot out the flimsiest of heavily worn spy-movie cliches without bothering to give star Frankie Muniz an opportunity to pull off anything truly heroic or at the very least quick-witted.

That probably won't bother its not-so-demanding junior demo, but even that segment seemed a little restless at a preview screening, which could portend OK but at less-than-stellar numbers.

While the first Cody Banks was able to have some fun with its young protagonist trying to maintain a "normal" teenage life while undergoing all that extensive spy training, the second quickly dispenses with a similar summer camp scenario before sending Muniz's Banks off to England, where a rogue CIA agent is planning to implement a stolen, top-secret mind-control device for his own diabolical purposes.

With Hilary Duff, his previous partner in crime-fighting, now busy with her own film career, Banks is paired up with Derek (the ubiquitous Anthony Anderson), a CIA reject who's recruited to protect Cody Cover's as a clarinet prodigy at an elite music boarding school.

When he's not faking practicing, Cody runs around London on the trail of the bad guys with a little help from a fellow student (Hannah Spearritt) who just happens to be Cody's British secret service counterpart.

As directed by Kevin Allen and written by Don Rhymer, there's a whole lot of running around going on without pausing to get maximum mileage out of such potential goodies as dental retainer listening devices, exploding Mentos and piano-playing pooches.

Rather than give much in the way of day-saving to do, Muniz and company have to settle for taking in the local scenery (actually provided by London, not Vancouver), which has been colorfully captured by cinematographer Denis Crossan.

Agent Cody Banks: Destination London

MGM MGM Pictures presentsa Bob Yari/Maverick Films/Dylan Sellers production

Credits:

Director: Kevin Allen

Screenwriter: Don Rhymer

Story: Harald Zwart, Dylan Sellers, Don Rhymer

Based on the characters created by: Jeffrey Jurgensen

Producers: Dylan Sellers, Guy Oseary, David C. Glasser, Bob Yari, David Nicksay

Executive producers: Madonna, Jason Alexander, Jennifer Birchfield-Eick, Kerry David, Danny Gold, Michael Jackman, Andreas Klein, Mark Morgan

Director of photography: Denis Crossan

Production designer: Richard Holland

Editor: Andrew MacRitchie

Costume designer: Steven Noble

Music: Mark Thomas

Cast:

Agent Cody Banks: Frankie Muniz

Derek: Anthony Anderson

Mrs. Banks: Cynthia Stevenson

Mr. Banks: Daniel Roebuck

Emily: Hannah Spearritt

CIA director: Keith David

Jo Kenworth: Anna Chancellor

Diaz: Keith Allen

Kenworth: James Faulkner

Running time -- 99 minutes

MPAA rating: PG...