EXCLUSIVE: Sony’s Columbia Pictures, 3000 Pictures, and Sony Pictures Television (SPT) have made a partnership with leading literary agency Aevitas Creative Management to develop film and television projects based on the agency’s roster of authors’ books. Sony needs IP and Aevitas Creative Management is a gatekeeper to some good stuff. As part of the agreement, Sony Pictures will also have a first look at projects from Aevitas Entertainment, the agency’s production arm.
Aevitas Creative Management lit clients include Wild author Cheryl Strayed, Catherine Newman, Anthony Marra, Claire Jiménez, Safiya Sinclair, Ann Packer, Lynn Steger Strong, Lily Brooks-Dalton, Yume Kitasei, and Wanda M. Morris. The concern has over 50 agents in major cities worldwide, and since it was founded in 2016, Aevitas has repped over 100 New York Times bestsellers, a dozen of which reached the top of the list. So far this year, clients have generated 18 NYT bestsellers and three Pulitzer Prize winners.
“This stands to be a historic and highly promising partnership between one of the nation’s largest independent literary agencies and one of the world’s most celebrated film and television studios,” said Todd Shuster, Co-CEO of Aevitas Creative Management.
Aevitas co-CEO David Kuhn said the company sparked to forging a “new chapter with Elizabeth Gabler, Sanford Panitch, Katherine Pope and their brilliant colleagues across Sony. Their passion for literature and creative storytelling, and their commitment to championing original works and bold voices align perfectly with Aevitas’ mission to support authors whose works are innovative, entertaining, and courageous. We couldn’t be more excited to get to work with our new partners to bring these stories to the screen.”
Sanford Panitch, President of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, Elizabeth Gabler, President of 3000 Pictures and Katherine Pope, President of Sony Pictures Television Studios jointly called Aevitas Creative Management “one of the most creatively dynamic and prolific book agencies in the world. Their diverse and acclaimed roster of authors offers a deep well of stories rich with cinematic potential. Together, we aim to develop bold, distinctive IP that inspires filmmakers across every genre. With the breadth of opportunities across the Sony Pictures Entertainment ecosystem, the creative possibilities are as expansive as they are thrilling.”
