Galaxy Pictures: New Film Distribution Venture in Australia and New Zealand by Rialto and Vertigo Releasing
Australian company Rialto and the UK’s Vertigo Releasing have formed a partnership to establish Galaxy Pictures, a new film distribution company in Australia and New Zealand.
Galaxy Pictures will focus on distributing “broad-appeal, star-driven commercial pictures” that cater to consumers in an increasingly digital landscape.
The partnership between Rialto and Vertigo Releasing has been ongoing for three years, during which they have handled 120 film titles. This new company formalizes their collaboration.
Some of the titles they have worked on together include “Honest Thief,” “Boss Level,” “Ainbo: Amazon Princess,” “Dreambuilders,” “The Misfits,” and “Cosmic Sin.”
Galaxy Pictures’ 2024 releasing slate includes films such as “Land of Bad” starring Russell Crowe and Liam Hemsworth, “Long Legs” with Nicolas Cage, “Sleeping Dogs” featuring Russell Crowe and Karen Gillan, and “Armoured” starring Sylvester Stallone. Other titles include “The Canterville Ghost” with Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, a culinary romance called “The Taste of Things” (aka “Pot Au Feu”), and “The Rule of Jenny” starring John Lithgow and Geoffrey Rush.
Rupert Preston, the CEO of Vertigo Releasing, expressed excitement about launching Galaxy Pictures, highlighting the success of their past collaborations and the strength of their current film slate.
Kelly Rogers, the CEO of Rialto, emphasized the fantastic relationship between the two companies and their shared passion for film.
This announcement follows a recent trend in the Australia-New Zealand film distribution market, as Canada’s VVS Films also revealed plans to launch operations in the region. Like Galaxy Pictures, VVS Films is set to distribute a Nicolas Cage title, “Dream Scenario.”
The Australian theatrical market has shown signs of recovery post-COVID, but it remains subject to potential changes as traditional studio business transforms, and streaming services become more dominant, even including major pay-TV providers like Foxtel transitioning into streaming and content aggregation.