World Wrestling Entertainment Films

WWE Creates New Los Angeles-Based Film Division; Names Joel Simon As WWE Films President

New Division to Seek Film, Television Opportunities for WWE Brand


STAMFORD, CONN., July 31, 2002 -- Having made itself into a global television and live event powerhouse, World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., has established WWE Films to focus its efforts on expanding its role within the film and television industries and has appointed Joel Simon to be the new division's president. Simon, a well-known producer of feature film and television, will be based in WWE's new Los Angeles office.


"We're very excited to open WWE Films in Los Angeles. This new division will focus on developing movie and television projects," said WWE CEO Linda McMahon. "In Joel Simon, we have someone with the tenure and expertise to make this new venture a success. WWE Films will create and produce new and exciting material that will appeal not only to our loyal fans but to a larger public as well."


Mrs. McMahon said Simon will create feature film opportunities in which WWE will play a role as producer. The success of The Rock and the theatrical feature with Universal, The Scorpion King, is one example of the type of opportunity WWE will continue to seek in feature films by placing WWE Superstars in prominent roles. In addition, Simon will develop new television projects -- such as movies, specials or series-that will benefit from an affiliation with WWE or its Superstars. WWE will finance its own overhead and development for these projects.


Simon said he was thrilled with the opportunity. "WWE is a powerful brand that is an untapped creative resource for Hollywood," he said. "I believe that WWE has created a new breed of action-adventure hero, one with a ready-made audience. WWE attracts a strong, youth-oriented audience, the type of moviegoers and viewers who can financially make or break a film. My job is to show how the WWE brand and its Superstars can be used to best advantage to bring its global audience of teens and young adults to new film and television projects."


Simon comes to WWE from his own production company, Joel Simon Productions, formed in October 2001. He was formerly president of Quincy Jones Media Group and Quincy Jones/ David Salzman Productions. He was also a Producer/ Partner in Todman/Simon Productions.

Among his feature production credits is X-Men and X-Men 2 (due in 2003), Til Death Do Us Part (due in 2003, starring Michael Douglas), Wild Wild West, Hard to Kill and Married to the Mob. For television, he produced the series, The People Next Door, for CBS/ Lorimar, as well as movies of the week for NBC/ Warner Brothers and Turner Network Television. He also produced the five-hour documentary, Say It Loud, for VH-1.


Scott Stuber, President of Production, Vivendi UNIVERSAL Entertainment, said, "We had a great experience working with WWE on The Scorpion King, and the hiring of a pro like Joel Simon to head WWE Films demonstrates the company's commitment to playing a meaningful role in the film industry."


Leslie Moonves, President and Chief Executive Officer of CBS, said, "WWE has a proven track record for producing popular television shows. Expanding their brand is a natural next step and Joel Simon is a good guy to have leading that effort."

President of WWE Films discusses new company
by Phil Speer

Joel Simon started a company, Simon Marketing, 20 years ago and eventually took it global, with offices around the world. Vince and Linda McMahon no doubt are hoping he'll be able to grow the new WWE Films company just as aggressively. WWE.com chatted with the New York City native, who played basketball at the University of Miami before moving to Los Angeles, in a phone interview on Tuesday evening. We asked the newly appointed President of WWE Films for his thoughts on World Wrestling Entertainment's latest enterprise.

WWE.com: You were spotted backstage at the Judgment Day Pay-Per-View a few months ago in Nashville. What was purpose for attending the show?

Simon: The purpose was to get me more acquainted with the world. I wasn't a hardcore fan, but I was definitely a strong casual fan. I knew the players. I knew some of the storylines that were going on. But it gave me an inside look at what Vince and you guys do every day, and that's what I thought was most impressive.

WWE.com: Judgment Day was two months ago. What have you been up to since then? Why did we wait until now to announce your hiring?

Simon: What we were doing was really getting ourselves together -- finding offices, finding some people who we just hired. It's really just getting ready.

WWE.com: How many people do you have working in the office?

Simon: I have a young man named Jed Blaugrund, who's going to be the VP, and two assistants.

WWE.com: What can fans expect from WWE Films?

Simon: We're not going to get away from what the expectation is. I think the fans expect strong storylines. I think they expect fun and big action, some rock 'n' roll, a little T&A.

WWE.com: Is the material WWE Films produces going to be solely based around the superstars? Or will WWE Films release movies that it just think our fans will like?

Simon: I think we're going to do both. Our first concentration is to produce action movies -- and that's a big term. By action movies, I may utilize some of our entertainers. It's not like I'm going to say, "I have to look for something for The Rock or Triple H." I think what we're going to do first is find good stories that are contemporary, that are fun, that fill that ingredient of good villains and good heroes. We're utilizing (the WWE's) format -- strong hero, strong villain, good storyline, good action. The other types of movies I believe we can do here are movies like "The Fast and the Furious" and "American Pie.

" Because I do feel that fans who come to our wrestling events go to those types of movies -- popular culture movies. A typical film I would very much like to do which is coming out in the next couple of weeks is "XXX." It's James Bond in popular culture days.

WWE.com: But you will also be seeking out roles for the superstars.

Simon: Yes.

WWE.com: How did this arrangement come about?

Simon: I was recommended through my law firm, who knew Ed Kaufman (head of WWE's legal affairs department). We were introduced that way. I think it was perfect synergy. Having done "The Scorpion King," and with the success of The Rock, it was an easy transition for WWE, because they're already in the entertainment business. What they do every day is entertain. They create something -- a live event -- that entertains. So I think the movie business was a natural progression for them. I was introduced to Vince and to Linda, and we had numerous meetings. And because of my background, the synergy worked.

WWE.com: I know you were the executive producer for "Wild Wild West" in addition to other movies. What else do you want to say about your background?

Simon: Part of my background that works with yours -- having always followed what Vince and Linda have accomplished -- is that the first part of my life I spent as a marketing person. I did all the marketing promotions -- sales promotions -- for McDonald's worldwide, on a retainer. The company was called Simon Marketing. That is in a sense a very similar world, because I had to sell retail outlets to lots of people. What can I create that would attract large groups of people? Every time (WWE goes) into an arena, you have to attract. You have to sell it out, you have to create something that people will enjoy. So I understand that we have to fulfill people's needs. Then I took my marketing background and took it to the movie area where I created movies like "Hard to Kill" with Steven Seagal, "Married to the Mob," "X-Men," and we're doing "X-Men 2" right now. I think it's also a breeding ground for our entertainers to become the next action heroes. Because right now there aren't any. When you think about Seagal and you think about Clint Eastwood, Schwarzenegger and Stallone, they're basically no longer our action stars. They only real action stars right now are The Rock and obviously Vin Diesel, but Vin wants to do more mainstream stuff.

WWE.com: You mentioned The Rock.

Which other superstars do you think could make the crossover into films?

Simon: Those are conversations that Linda, Vince and I are going to have. There's Triple H, Booker T. I think there's potentially a lot of players. You look at the Big Show. He has wonderful timing, if you look at him on "Saturday Night Live" and what he did there. That's why I say I'm not looking for anybody specific. I'm looking for good material, and then we'll decide who we're going to put in it, either as a lead or a second lead, or a villain. Surely we have some of the great villains.

WWE.com: Is there a first project yet? Is there anything on the horizon we can talk about?

Simon: We're just starting. We opened our door, and we officially open basically once (the news) appears in the trades. We've been taking meetings with agencies, and just starting to talk about what we're looking for specifically. We're just starting to read. So the answer to that question is no. There's not anything specific yet.

WWE.com: What's "Till Death Do Us Part"? You're listed as a producer.

Simon: "Till Death Do Us Part" is the remake of (the 1979 comedy) "The In-Laws." It's from my old company, with Michael Douglas. I'm producer by name. I'm 150 percent here (with WWE). That movie is being shot in Canada. I helped put it together maybe five or six years ago. So that's being made in Canada as we speak, but my partner Bill Todman is taking care of it.

WWE.com: So are you going to continue to produce other movies outside WWE Films?

Simon: No. I'm exclusive to WWE.

WWE.com: Anything you want to add?

Simon: We're excited. If we're going to put our brand on something, I want to make sure we satisfy our fans. One of the things I found so impressive about what you guys are doing and how you're doing it each and every week is that you truly try to understand your fans and who they are, and their expectations. And I hope to fulfill that also.