‘1917’s’ Mogambo, ‘Mummies’ 4Cats Pictures Launch Joint Venture 12K Films (EXCLUSIVE)

Two of the movers and shakers on Spain’s movie scene, “1917” co-producer Mogambo and “Mummies” producer 4Cats Pictures have joined forces to launch a 50/50 joint venture, 12K Films.

Madrid-based 12K Films, which is positioned by the partners as their production arm, hits the ground running with a slate which includes animated features “Mummies 2” and “Mummies 3”, as well as “Dreams” and Mat Whitecross’ motorcycle-world action movie “Idols.” 

4Cats’ first involvement in a substantial international co-production, at $12 million-plus, “Idols” weighs in as one of the biggest-budgeted movies now coming out of Spain. 

Idols” is set in the world of MotoGP, but “seen from a human point of view, where there are sentiments and emotions,” said 4Cats Pictures head Jordi Gasull.

Now initiating animation, ”Dreams” turns on a girl who wants to be a professional singer, but has to conquer her father’s fears in order to do so.

12K Films combines a common ambition extending beyond Spain, as well as the financial and international co-production savvy of Mogambo and the strong box office track record in general audience animation in and outside Spain of Jordi Gasull and Toni Novella’s 4Cats Pictures. 

Headed by Ignacio Salazar-Simpson and Ricardo Marco Budé, Mogambo co-produced Pedro Almodóvar’s “Pain and Glory” and helped organize a tax rebate for Netflix smash hit “Elite” Season 1.

Produced by Gasull and Novella and co-written by Gasull, “Mummies” took $54.5 million worldwide, making it the second-highest grossing and the most profitable Spanish animated film in history.

For third party companies, 12K Films is now offering to partner in Spain on investing and financing, co-production, production services and animation.

“We’d like to be involved in international co-production and service international productions in Spain, export more our films and make ever bigger movies,” Gasull told Variety.

“Joining with Mogambo, we will be able to open up to the world,” Novella added.

“12K Films is born with a vocation to help Spanish and foreign producers to finance their projects in a quicker and more efficient way,” Salazar-Simpson told Variety.

“The company “is the result of the union of two production houses with a recognized prestige both in animation as in live-action fiction aiming at producing films of quality with an international vocation,” added Budé.