Hammer Horror, the studio that put out 1957’s The Curse of Frankenstein and 1958’s Dracula with Christopher Lee, has a new owner and is planning a slate of movies and other projects.
As reported by Variety, Hammer Films and Studios has been acquired by John Gore, who will act as chair and CEO for the company. Gore is known for his live theatre company, John Gore Organization, and has won numerous Tony, Emmy, and Oliver awards as an entertainment producer.
Under Gore’s guidance, Hammer Films plans to reveal a new slate of films and other projects in the near future. The first film being released under Hammer’s new leadership is Doctor Jekyll starring Eddie Izzard, which begins playing in theaters later this year.
“Ever since I was a young boy, I’ve been enchanted by the magic of Hammer Films,” Gore said of the acquisition. “It’s stories, its characters, and its unique place in British heritage and cinema have been a source of inspiration and wonder. Today, as I stand at the helm of this iconic studio, my commitment is twofold: to celebrate and preserve the unmatched legacy of Hammer and to usher in a new era of storytelling that captivates audiences worldwide. With significant investment and a fresh creative vision, we will ensure that the spirit of Hammer not only endures but thrives in the modern age.”
The horrific history of Hammer Film Productions
Hammer Film Productions was founded in 1934 by William Hinds. The studio became heavily invested in distributing horror films in the 1950s, as they put out a number of monster movies such as 1959’s The Mummy, 1960’s The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll, 1961’s The Curse of the Werewolf, and many more.
The studio stopped producing movies in the 1980s before being bought out in 2000 and then again in 2007. In recent years, Hammer has produced films such as 2010’s Let Me In, 2012’s The Woman in Black, 2014’s The Quiet Ones, and 2019’s The Lodge.
