Leonard Maltin Joins Advisory Board
Today, Legion M is excited to formally welcome Leonard Maltin to the Legion! If you've watched any of our recent live-streams, you're probably already aware of how involved Leonard has become in the Legion. From hanging out with shareholders at our Fantastic Fest meet-up to joining the cast of Pitch Elevator and hosting celebrity interviews at our Sundance Lounge, Leonard has already become a wonderful thread in the fabric of our community.
We couldn't be more excited about Leonard formally joining our advisory board. He knows more about movies than pretty much anybody on the planet (if you don't believe us just read his bio in the press release below). Leonard was IMDB when the internet was nothing more than a glimmer in Al Gore's eye! We're brimming with ideas for ways that we can work with Leonard to tap his unparalleled knowledge, experience, and insight.
Not only that, but when you work with Leonard you work with the entire Maltin family--his daughter and podcasting partner Jessie, his son-in-law Scott, and his wife Alice (who, trust us, is the real seat of power in the organization!). Top to bottom, they've been a warm, wonderful group--EXACTLY the sort of people Legion M loves to work with. We can't wait to DO GREAT THINGS together!!
-Jeff and Paul
Official press release included below.
Legion M Names Renowned Film Critic and Historian Leonard Maltin to its Board of Advisers
Film Expert and Author of Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide to Help Guide Rapid Growth of the World’s First Fan-Owned Entertainment Company
LOS ANGELES (January 10, 2018) – Film critic and historian Leonard Maltin, whose work in television, print and digital has made him one of the most acclaimed and recognized film scholars in the world, has been named to the board of advisers of Legion M, the world’s first fan-owned entertainment company.
Production, acquisition and development activities at Legion M are continuing to grow at a rapid pace, including its role as a production partner, along with XYZ Films, Umedia, on Spectrevision’s Mandy, which will debut this month at the Sundance Film Festival. As Legion M expands its business, Maltin will work with the company’s senior management team as a key member of Legion M’s board of advisers.
“Leonard Maltin is quite literally the foremost expert in movies. Cinephiles and filmmakers worldwide have turned to his Movie Guide for years, and his vast knowledge combined with his spot-on reviews have guided a nation of film lovers for decades. We are beyond excited that Leonard is joining our mission to revolutionize the entertainment industry,” said Paul Scanlan, co-founder and CEO of Legion M.
Jeff Annison, Legion M co-founder and president, added, “Leonard knows more about movies than anyone else on the planet, and also happens to be a wonderfully warm and friendly person to work with. We’re honored to have him in the Legion, where he’ll be more than simply an adviser and also be directly involved in many great projects, starting with our Legion M Lounge at the Sundance Film Festival.
In addition to Maltin, Legion M’s board of advisers includes Neon and Alamo Drafthouse founder Tim League; publicity executive Lisa Taback; Stoopid Buddy Studios’ Seth Green, Matthew Senreich, John Harvatine and Eric Towner; and Sony Pictures Television’s Scott Landsman.
Legion M uses new equity crowdfunding laws enabled by the federal JOBS Act to give fans the opportunity to invest directly in an early stage entertainment company. Legion M has raised more than $3 million in equity crowdfunding, making it one of the most successful JOBS Act companies in history.
In response to being named to Legion M’s board of advisors, Maltin said, “Legion M is changing the way business is being done in the entertainment industry in a very exciting and innovative way. Fans are at the cornerstone of any successful film, and I’m excited to join the Legion and provide any insight that is asked of me.”
Maltin is one of the world’s most respected film critics and historians. He is best known for his widely-used reference work Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide and its companion volume Leonard Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide, as well as his 30-year run on television’s Entertainment Tonight. He teaches at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, appears regularly on ReelzChannel and Turner Classic Movies, and hosts the weekly podcast Maltin on Movies with his daughter Jessie for the Nerdist network. His books include The 151 Best Movies You’ve Never Seen, Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons, The Great Movie Comedians, The Disney Films, The Art of the Cinematographer, Movie Comedy Teams, The Great American Broadcast and Leonard Maltin’s Movie Encyclopedia.
Maltin served two terms as president of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, votes for films to be selected for the National Film Registry, and was appointed by the Librarian of Congress to sit on the Board of Directors of the National Film Preservation Foundation. He hosted and co-produced the popular Walt Disney Treasures DVD series and has appeared on innumerable television programs and documentaries. He is the recipient of awards from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, American Society of Cinematographers, the Telluride Film Festival, George Eastman Museum, Anthology Film Archives, and San Diego’s Comic-Con International. Perhaps the pinnacle of his career was his appearance in a now-classic episode of South Park. (Or was it Carmela consulting his Movie Guide on an episode of The Sopranos?). In January of 2017, he was named a Chevalier of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques (Order of Academic Palms) as a testimony of the recognition he has brought to French culture in the United States. He holds court at leonardmaltin.com. Fans can follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
Legion M encompasses a global community that has grown to more than 20,000 members, including more than 7,000 fan-owners. Its slate of film, TV, digital and VR projects includes feature-film projects in various stages of development; multiple series for network, cable and digital TV; as well as interactive and VR-based projects. Legion M was an investor in the critically acclaimed Colossal, starring Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis, and directed by Nacho Vigalondo.
For more information about Legion M, please visit www.legionm.com.