Yahoo News EverWonder Launches Live Division, Adds Michael Antinoro as President (Exclusive)
EverWonder Studio, the nonfiction production venture led by Ian Orefice and financed by Jeff Zucker’s RedBird IMI, has hired Michael Antinoro as its president, and is making a significant push into live programming with a new division.
The studio says that Antinoro will oversee production and strategy for the company, as well as its nascent live division. The executive is a veteran of the NBA, ESPN and Dick Clark Productions, and most recently was president of Endeavor’s Film 45.
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“I’ve known Mike for nearly 20 years and have had the privilege of seeing him achieve incredible success. We are beyond thrilled to welcome such a talented and storied producer as Mike, drawing on his experience leading companies and producing some of the world’s biggest and most iconic properties,” said Orefice in a statement. “Our goal is to create a diverse slate of globally commercial content, and live events are unmatched in the ability to move the needle and captivate audiences. It’s an honor to have someone with Mike’s track record lead our efforts in this space and across the company.”
“I couldn’t be more excited to join the team. Ian is a rare combination of business innovator and passionate storyteller and I’m honored to partner with him to help bring his unique vision for EverWonder to life,” added Antinoro. “It’s an exciting time for non-fiction content as more and more distributors are looking for compelling original live productions, and we’re building EverWonder to be at the forefront of creating in this space.”
In the live space, EverWonder was behind the recent Premier Boxing Champions event on Prime Video, and is attached to the still-in-development Players Era Tournament, which reportedly would see college basketball teams square off for cash.
EverWonder has also signed a first look deal with producer Bryan Zuriff and his company BZ Entertainment, which was behind TNT Sports’ The Match, and The Netflix Cup. He also served as executive producer on the Showtime series’ Ray Donovan and Escape At Dannemora.
“Bryan has one of the most unique creative minds in sports and entertainment. Full stop. His ability to originate an idea and make it a reality is magic and we are ecstatic to have the chance to create with him at EverWonder Studio,” Orefice said. “To work with someone who has created captivating live and scripted content across multiple mediums and platforms will help us launch original content that moves audiences all over the world.”
“Working with EverWonder Studio presents the perfect opportunity to partner with a studio and team that shares our creative vision for developing original content,” added Zuriff. “I love their approach to pursuing mass-appeal entertainment that can connect with audiences and fans across multiple platforms, and I can’t wait to get started on some of the exciting projects we already have in the works.”
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