I cover the top dealmakers paid customersI wrote about the return of film crowdfunding Analysis conducted as new players bet on fan-investors Animation box office successsee who is scoring big feature film deals and interviewed WME’s indie film co-head Deborah McIntosh,
“If you have Jason Statham With any movie, it’s not necessarily about who will buy it,” says co-head of WME Independent alex walton“It’s about how much you’re going to sell it for,”
I didn’t plan to write a column about Jason Statham. I set out to understand the new economics governing the indie marketplace – and why overseas presales have quietly become a deciding force in what actually gets funded. But when almost every dealmaker I interviewed mentioned Statham without prompting, it became clear: He’s not the story here, but he is a prime example of what buyers want in this market as a tried-and-tested model evolves.
The old assumptions – that US releases matter most, that streamers will swoop in with global rights deals – no longer track. As the market for domestic and worldwide deals tilts disappointingly bearish, today’s indie films depend on whether foreign buyers believe that the project is genuine, the budget is disciplined and the entire package will resonate with their specific audience.
It’s certainly a tough sell, but international distributors are still willing to spend for projects that feel like sure bets — just with a lot more scrutiny and a lot fewer shortcuts. That’s why agent can do Still sells “Jason Statham movies” in an increasingly risk-allergic market. Their name immediately answers the first two questions asked by buyers: “Will this film sell in my area?” and “Will my downstream TV partner pay for this?”
As 2025 draws to a close, and the annual analysis of the industry begins, sales agents are continuing to push packages brought to the American film market – including Statham’s upcoming sixth feature film with the director. guy richieblack bear viva la madnessAnd beekeeper 2 – in hopes of pre-selling enough areas to raise its remaining financing before shooting in 2026.
So it’s the perfect time to talk with Dealmakers about why this fresh take on the tried-and-true indie finance playbook is important to the new market.
I spoke to WME’s Walton, UTA rena ronsonCAA roeg sutherland And sarah schwitzmanShepard Mullin’s robert darwell and Akin’s bank-side experts chris spicer Breaking down the new rules of overseas presales, the genres that still travel and what it really takes to make a movie in 2026.
- Foreign buyers are keeping indie films alive – And the areas that matter now aren’t the ones you think about
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Local language boom is undermining US importsForcing American films to prove they’re worth shelf space
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Buyers use a new presale test before touching a contract: Is this project actually real?
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Decisions are being taken at the international level: Styles That Travel, Those That Don’t, And A Surprising Category Is Growing
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drama struggling at home But it’s thriving overseas, and what it says about global audience behavior
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Manufacturers are closing the financing gap Because presales, tax credits and equity don’t go that far anymore
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Budget should be very strictAnd why that pressure will lead to smarter, more inventive movies
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Image credits: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images, Unomat/Getty Images, Ramberg/Getty Images
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