Do you ever use fruits to critique films? You likely don’t use real ones, but you’ve probably used Rotten Tomatoes to check a movie’s overall quality. High Rotten Tomato ratings seem to be few as of late, but “Mandy,” a new film coming to the Tower Theatre on Sept. 14, exceeds expectations. With a current Tomatometer ranking of 97%, the heavy metal action-horror film is one you’ll want to see for yourself.
Legion M partnered with RLJ Entertainment, SpectreVision, Umedia and XYZ Films for the film’s anticipated September release. As the first crowdfunded entertainment company in history, Legion M helps fans to invest in and be a part of Hollywood, something Jeff Annison, cofounder and president, believes to be incredibly valuable in the industry.
“It’s very rewarding for fans to invest and own to be a part of it,” Annison said. “… When our movie comes out, we know there’s a legion of people who are invested in it, financially and emotionally … and we know these people are going to come out and bring their friends.”
A fan-owned business model only became a possibility when the JOBS Act passed. Before then, only the wealthiest one percent of the population could invest in the early stages of a startup. However, the new rules established by the JOBS Act empowered anybody to become a shareholder. Cofounders Annison and Paul Scanlan took advantage of this equity crowdfunding immediately.