Producer Scott Rudin signs first-look deal with Sony Pictures

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One of Hollywood’s most powerful producers has found a new studio home.

Oscar-winning producer Scott Rudin has signed a three-year deal with Sony Pictures that gives the studio right of first refusal on all of his projects in exchange for funding overhead costs for the producer and his staff.

It has been widely expected in Hollywood that Rudin would sign a non-exclusive arrangement with Sony as he has recently worked on a number of high-profile projects at the studio, including last year’s ‘The Social Network,’ which was nominated for a best picture Oscar.

He is also producing Sony’s upcoming 2011 releases ‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,’ the first of a trio of big screen adaptations based on the hit Swedish book series, and the baseball book adaptation ‘Moneyball’ starring Brad Pitt.

Rudin had a similar overall production deal with Walt Disney Studios that lasted from 2005 until 2010. He left last year after the studio sold its art house label Miramax Films, which had released many of his films during that period, such as ‘The Queen’ and ‘Doubt.’

Prior to joining Disney, Rudin had spent 15 years as a producer for Paramount Pictures.

Since the demise of Miramax as a production entity, Rudin has worked frequently with Sony, where he has a number of projects in the works. He is also producing the Sacha Baron Cohen comedy ‘The Dictator,’ to be released next May, for Paramount.

First-look agreements have become less common in Hollywood as studios, including Sony, have looked to cut costs and have shed or scaled back many producer deals. Rudin is the only producer to sign a new deal at Sony so far this year.

-- Ben Fritz

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