Hemisphere tentpole fund tops $200 million

Hemisphere Capital Management has released the Hemisphere Tentpole Co-Financing Fund, a turning equity and debt fund established to co-finance tentpole photos. Sony's "The Smurfs," launched last Friday, marks Hemisphere's first pic, then "The Adventures of Container Container: The Key from the Unicorn" and "Males in Black 3." Variety first reported June 2 that individuals game titles were area of the financing package discussions, which came to the conclusion Friday. Hemisphere also introduced Tuesday it would fund the Kaira Pitt toplined "World War Z," presently in production. Fund expects to select 12 - 16 studio opportunities within the next 4 to 5 years. Aggregate investment for that first four photos will exceed $200 million in capital obligations to both galleries. Hemisphere's traders and proper partners include Toho-Towa Company and Kadokawa Shoten of Japan in addition to Lotte Cinema of Korea. JPMorgan is supplying the fund's debt financing. Hemisphere Capital Management partners Jean-Luc P Fanti, Shaun Sagansky and Eli Baker will manage the Tentpole Fund additionally towards the Mezzanine and Special Possibilities Funds (formerly operating underneath the "Winchester Capital" banner) that centered on certain possibilities in media, film and tv space. Winchester released the Hemisphere fund this past year, announcing its intention to funnel $400 million for approximately 10 photos over 4 years at various galleries (Daily Variety, November. 2). Contact Rachel Abrams at Rachel.Abrams@variety.com