Hollywood Newcomer Row K Snags Van Sant's Star-Powered 'Dead Man's Wire'

Olivia Bennett, 9/10/2025Darlings, Row K Entertainment is making waves with a $4M splash, snagging Gus Van Sant's "Dead Man's Wire" as their debut acquisition. With Al Pacino leading a divine ensemble cast, this Venice and TIFF darling proves that Hollywood's newest player isn't just claiming the sweet spot – they're absolutely owning it!

The film itself? Pure catnip for awards season. Think Bill Skarsgård (finally stepping out of that creepy clown shadow), Dacre Montgomery (serving serious dramatic chops), and—be still my beating heart—Al Pacino himself. They're telling the wild-but-true tale of Tony Kiritsis, who went from hustling Indianapolis businessman to America's most fascinating anti-hero during that scorching summer of '77.

Fresh off its victory lap through Venice and Toronto's festival circuit (darling, the film's been collecting praise faster than a Kardashian accumulates Instagram followers), "Dead Man's Wire" seems poised to deliver exactly what post-pandemic audiences are craving—substantial storytelling with a dash of star power.

Row K isn't playing small ball here. Backed by Media Capital Technologies—you know, the folks who've been quietly bankrolling everything from "Saw X" to that delicious "John Wick" spinoff "Ballerina"—they're making it crystal clear that they mean business. Their theatrical distribution debut feels less like a tentative toe-dip and more like a cannonball into the deep end.

Christopher Woodrow and Raj Singh, MCT's head honchos and Row K's co-chairmen, are practically floating on cloud nine. "When we launched Row K less than a month ago," they gushed (in what one imagines was a very sleek conference room), "we knew exactly the kind of films—and more importantly, filmmakers—we wanted to align ourselves with."

The deal itself reads like a who's who of industry power players. Cassian Elwes of Elevated Films joined forces with Paula Paizes and Sam Pressman to broker the deal, while WME Independent continues handling worldwide rights. It's the kind of lineup that makes rival studios nervously adjust their ties.

Row K President Megan Colligan—clearly riding the high of this inaugural coup—couldn't contain her enthusiasm about Van Sant's latest masterpiece. And honestly? Who could blame her? With streaming services throwing elbows for content and traditional studios playing it safer than a banker in a recession, Row K's bold move feels refreshingly old-school Hollywood.

In an industry that's seen more shakeups lately than a bartender's Friday night shift, Row K's emergence—backed by MCT's impressive portfolio of over 20 films with Lionsgate—suggests we might be witnessing the birth of Hollywood's next major player. And if this first move is any indication of what's to come, well... pass the popcorn, darlings. This show's just getting started.

Well, darlings, Hollywood's newest power player just made quite the splash, and it's giving veteran studios something to talk about over their kombucha meetings. Row K Entertainment—whose clever name will have cinema purists nodding in approval—has swooped in to claim Gus Van Sant's "Dead Man's Wire" for a cool $4 million. Not bad for a company that's barely finished setting up their office furniture.The film itself? Pure catnip for awards season. Think Bill Skarsgård (finally stepping out of that creepy clown shadow), Dacre Montgomery (serving serious dramatic chops), and—be still my beating heart—Al Pacino himself. They're telling the wild-but-true tale of Tony Kiritsis, who went from hustling Indianapolis businessman to America's most fascinating anti-hero during that scorching summer of '77.Fresh off its victory lap through Venice and Toronto's festival circuit (darling, the film's been collecting praise faster than a Kardashian accumulates Instagram followers), "Dead Man's Wire" seems poised to deliver exactly what post-pandemic audiences are craving—substantial storytelling with a dash of star power.Row K isn't playing small ball here. Backed by Media Capital Technologies—you know, the folks who've been quietly bankrolling everything from "Saw X" to that delicious "John Wick" spinoff "Ballerina"—they're making it crystal clear that they mean business. Their theatrical distribution debut feels less like a tentative toe-dip and more like a cannonball into the deep end.Christopher Woodrow and Raj Singh, MCT's head honchos and Row K's co-chairmen, are practically floating on cloud nine. "When we launched Row K less than a month ago," they gushed (in what one imagines was a very sleek conference room), "we knew exactly the kind of films—and more importantly, filmmakers—we wanted to align ourselves with."The deal itself reads like a who's who of industry power players. Cassian Elwes of Elevated Films joined forces with Paula Paizes and Sam Pressman to broker the deal, while WME Independent continues handling worldwide rights. It's the kind of lineup that makes rival studios nervously adjust their ties.Row K President Megan Colligan—clearly riding the high of this inaugural coup—couldn't contain her enthusiasm about Van Sant's latest masterpiece. And honestly? Who could blame her? With streaming services throwing elbows for content and traditional studios playing it safer than a banker in a recession, Row K's bold move feels refreshingly old-school Hollywood.In an industry that's seen more shakeups lately than a bartender's Friday night shift, Row K's emergence—backed by MCT's impressive portfolio of over 20 films with Lionsgate—suggests we might be witnessing the birth of Hollywood's next major player. And if this first move is any indication of what's to come, well... pass the popcorn, darlings. This show's just getting started.