Briarcliff Entertainment, Hero Entertainment Acquire Pop Musical ‘Verona’s Romeo & Juliet’

EXCLUSIVE: Briarcliff Entertainment has acquired North American distribution rights to new musical franchise Verona’s Romeo & Juliet, in partnership with Hero Entertainment and Rainmaker Films. A modern reimagining of one of the most beloved love stories of all time, the first of the films will unspool wide on Valentine’s Day 2025, in one of Briarcliff’s biggest releases to date.

Set in 1301 at the end of Medieval times, Verona’s Romeo & Juliet finds our most famous star-crossed lovers turning the tides on the history Shakespeare based his own story on, as they reveal the truth to the very future of the Empire. But the biggest twist in this most beloved of tales is leaving the poetry of Iambic Pentameter in the past to tell the story with the help of original pop music.

With Clara Rugaard (Love Gets a Room) and Jamie Ward (His Dark Materials) in the lead as Romeo & Juliet, the film also stars Rebel Wilson (Pitch Perfect franchise), Rupert Everett (My Policeman), Jason Isaacs (Harry Potter franchise) and Derek Jacobi (Cinderella), as well as Ferdia Walsh-Peelo (CODA), Rupert Graves (Sherlock), Dan Fogler (Fantastic Beasts franchise), Nicholas Podany (Hello Tomorrow!) and Grammy winner Tayla Parx. Written and directed by Timothy Scott Bogart, it features a soundtrack co-created and overseen by Grammy-winning songwriter Evan Kidd Bogart.

Producers of the Verona’s Romeo & Juliet films include Bogart, Jessica Martins and Chris Torto. Executive producers include Laurence Mark (The Greatest Showman, Dreamgirls), Gary A. Randall (Spinning Gold), Tom Ortenberg, Clay Pecorin and Russell Geyser. Voltage Pictures (After franchise) is overseeing the global rollout and representing international rights.

“In today’s Theatrical Marketplace, there’s an unmistakable call for events that reignite audiences’ passion for the cinema,” said Briarcliff Entertainment’s CEO, Ortenberg. “The recent triumphs of ‘Barbie’ and ‘Super Mario Bros’ underscore the enduring strength of intellectual property. However, it’s in the artful reimagining of these beloved IPs where true cinematic magic unfolds. From the breathtaking scope and scale of the world that’s been created to the heart-pumping music and emotion that flows through it all, this is a Film and Franchise that demands a Wide Theatrical Release and we’re setting the stage for what we hope will be a global musical and theatrical phenomenon.”

Continued Ortenberg, “Fans of true movie events continue to crave that electric, collective experience they can only find in a theater. And we are beyond thrilled to be bringing this Franchise to those audiences where it belongs!”

The deal was negotiated by WME Independent on behalf of Hero Entertainment and by Ortenberg, Jessica Rose and Danielle Goodman Strong on behalf of Briarcliff Entertainment.