EXCLUSIVE: Big news here. Hot off his Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for Barbie, Ryan Gosling is launching a new production company General Admission with former Apple Original Films executive Jessie Henderson. In launching the new venture, the duo have inked a three-year first-look film deal at Amazon MGM Studios.
General Admission’s objective will be to collaborate with world class filmmakers to create bold theatrical and streaming events within all genres – fun, transportive entertainment for everyone. Under the pact, Amazon MGM Studios will have a first look on narrative features–some of which Gosling will star in–that General Admission intends to produce for both theatrical and streaming.
“We are so thrilled that Ryan Gosling and Jessie Henderson will make Amazon MGM Studios the home of their new company, General Admission,” said Courtenay Valenti, head of film, streaming, and theatrical at Amazon MGM Studios. “ As the name of their company conveys, these passionate and extraordinary filmmakers want to tell stories for audiences all over the world. Ryan Gosling is a truly singular artist who possesses boundless talent and creativity. We could not be more excited to make big, bold, signature movies with him. Everyone here at Amazon MGM Studios is not only inspired by Ryan and Jessie’s previous work as individual artists, but deeply energized by all that General Admission will create going forward.”
“I feel incredibly fortunate to have partners like Jessie Henderson and Courtenay Valenti in this endeavor,” said Gosling. “The gift of partnering with Jessie Henderson in General Admission is one that cannot be understated. I’m a huge fan of Jessie’s and the films she’s produced and developed. Her unique experience, intuition, work ethic, relationships, as well as the impressive road she’s paved for herself in both comedy and drama have led to a unique ability to make the rare films that combine both.” Gosling continued: “It has been such a privilege to work with Courtenay Valenti on Barbie and our upcoming film Project Hail Mary. Her strong leadership; artistic instincts and clarity of vision make Courtenay a dream collaborator and one of proven expertise in the industry. From The Wizard of Oz to Rocky, MGM has made many of, not only my favorite films, but some of the greatest films of all time. I’m very excited about the future Courtenay and the team are building at Amazon MGM, and feel honored to be a part of the next chapter of this truly iconic studio.”
“Ryan brings a unique and brilliant perspective to everything he does, and I’m so impressed by his vision as a producer,” said Jessie Henderson. “We’re both true movie lovers who want to create stories that stick in audiences’ heads and hearts, and feel very lucky to be working with Courtenay Valenti and the entire team at the studio whose exceptional taste and leadership inspires us.”
Henderson had a three-year run at Apple Original Films where she worked on such titles as the upcoming Jon Watts-directed theatrical release, Wolfs, starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Amy Ryan, as well as Steve McQueen’s Blitz, and Joe Kosinski’s F1 movie starring Pitt, Javier Bardem and Damson Idris. She’ll be departing Apple Original Films next month where she reported to Head of Features, Matt Dentler.
Prior to Apple, she spent over six years running Paul Feig’s Feigco Entertainment. She started the company with Feig and spearheaded its expansion from film, to film and television in 2018. At Feigco Entertainment, she produced films including the Golden Globe and Critics Choice-nominated Spy ($235M-plus at the global B.O.), A Simple Favor (near $100M WW B.O.), Someone Great, and Last Christmas ($123.4M WW B.O.). She also executive produced the 2016 Ghostbusters ($229M-plus global B.O.), Holler, and the Emmy-winning Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. Prior to Feigco, she was one of the early employees at Chernin Entertainment where she set up and co-produced another Feig and Melissa McCarthy hit, The Heat, which was the year’s top grossing domestic comedy at $230M worldwide. Henderson started her career as Neal Brennan’s assistant on the final season of Chappelle’s Show, and prior to Chernin Entertainment, worked at Universal Pictures.
Three-time Academy Award nominee Ryan Gosling recently brought down the Dolby Theatre house with his sublime performance of Barbie Oscar nominated ditty “I’m Just Ken,” that Greta Gerwig movie Warner Bros.’ highest grossing title ever at $1.44 billion. From dramas to blockbusters to cutting edge movies, the Gosling canon includes seminal independent films like Ryan Fleck and Anna Bodin’s Half Nelson; Derek Cianfrance’s Blue Valentine and The Place Beyond the Pines to Nick Cassavetes’ beloved romance movie The Notebook, as well as neon-noir movie, Nicholas Winding Refn’s Cannes Film award-winning Drive. Gosling also starred in the original feature musical revival La La Land. Gosling’s latest film The Fall Guy from Universal, on which he also produced, premiered to rave reviews from both critics and audiences at SXSW. Next up, he’s both producing and starring in the highly anticipated Lord and Miller’s Project Hail Mary based on the bestselling book for Gosling’s new home at Amazon MGM. He’s also an EP on Universal and Blumhouse’s Wolf Man. Gosling’s other feature producing credits include his 2014 directorial debut Lost River which world premiered at Cannes, and the 2010 documentary ReGeneration. His EP credits include 2013’s White Shadow, Nicolas Winding Refn’s Only God Forgives as well as the Oscar nominated Blue Valentine.