Emmett/Furla Oasis Films (EFO Films), previously known as Emmett/Furla Films and Oasis Ventures Entertainment separately, is an American film and television production and financing company founded by Randall Emmett and George Furla in 1998. It is notable for funding and producing the films End of Watch, 2 Guns and Lone Survivor. To date, Emmett/Furla Oasis Films has produced more than 80 films which have grossed a total of $1 billion from box office ticket sales worldwide—an average of roughly $13 million per film.
History
The company was founded as Emmett/Furla Films by Randall Emmett and George Furla in 1998.[1] The company was later joined by Dubai-based financier Oasis Ventures Entertainment on July 22, 2013. Emmett said, "We are excited about working with Oasis and really see tremendous synergy. We will continue financing our bigger budget studio co-productions and will be more aggressive than ever in our financing commitments."[2] On June 3, 2014, Emmett/Furla Oasis Films signed a first-look deal with Craig Piligian's Pilgrim Studios to develop and produce docu-series and other unscripted shows.[3]
Nemesis Finance had filed a lawsuit in June 2016 against Randall Emmett/George Furla Productions and also both of them as individuals for breach of contract, fraud and violating the RICO Act. The suit had claimed Nemesis faced losing $1.6 million after producers Randall Emmett and George Furla allegedly misrepresented the amount of debt owed to investors so that they could reduce the residuals reserve deposits required by the major guilds. The case was settled in September 2016. In a joint statement announcing the settlement, the parties said they have "amicably resolved the dispute…and look forward to continuing an ongoing business relationship."[4]
On August 18, 2017, director Jonathan Baker filed a lawsuit against Emmett/Furla Oasis Films over breach of contract and fraudulent inducement over a two way co-finance and production deal. Jonathan Baker claims Randall Emmett told him if he agreed to Inconceivable he'd return the favor by co-financing and producing a film of Baker's choosing. According to the agreements Baker and Emmett Furla entered into, the suit states, Baker was to be paid $125K for directing fee and it was later agreed that he would also have 49% of the copyright. The producing fee for Baker Entertainment was to be $425K and $550K for Emmett Furla. He entered into the agreement because he was told that in order to do his passion project Fate, he would have to do one of their films first. However, the suit states, shortly after Baker put the $1M into escrow in exchange to become the only equity player, the filmmaker says in the suit that Emmett/Furla began paying themselves $650,000 (each) in producer fees, said Baker, and then brought in more equity players and paid them out first in breach of their initial contract. He is seeking at least $4.5M in damages and has asked for a jury trial.[5] As of August 18, 2017, Martin Barab (attorney for Emmett/Furla) advised The Hollywood Reporter that Baker Entertainment had already been repaid half of its investment in the weeks since the film's June 30 release. He described the suit is "bogus and frivolous."[6]
MoviePass Films
In May 2018, Helios and Matheson Analytics, the parent company of MoviePass, acquired the option to purchase the assets of Emmett/Furla Oasis Films plus gain its executives' expertise in making films for a new subsidiary, MoviePass Films. The new company would be 51% owned by Helios and the remainder by EFO.[7] By early August 2018, Helios and Matheson completed the acquisition of Emmett Furla Oasis Films assets for the MoviePass subsidiary, MoviePass Films. The first film produced under the MoviePass Films was announced to be 10 Minutes Gone starring Bruce Willis,[8] which the first of a three film pact with Willis.[9] In late September 2018, the company acquired equity stakes and co-distribution in two films distributed by Neon to be released soon.[10]
In March 2019, The Boies/Schiller Film Group filed suit on Tuesday, accusing Emmett/Furla Oasis Films of breaching a deal to produce two Escape Plan sequels starring Sylvester Stallone. According to the suit, Boies/Schiller put up a $6 million loan for the $65 million project. The arrangement also gave Boies/Schiller rights to finance and produce the sequels, Escape Plan 2: Hades and Escape Plan: The Extractors. Boies/Schiller alleges that Emmett/Furla Oasis Films breached that agreement, and did not allow Boies/Schiller to put up financing for the sequels. The suit claims Emmett/Furla also failed to pay an executive producing fee on each of the two movies.[11]
Oasis Ventures Entertainment sued MoviePass Films on October 14, 2019 over the theft of films and for lack of consent from Oasis in making the deal with Helios and Matheson.[12]
Today, MoviePass Films is the only company to bear the MoviePass name after MoviePass was shut down in 2020.
