Ben Lerer, CEO & co-founder of leading digital lifestyle publication and commerce platform Thrillist, joins GeekChicDaily as a strategic advisor
LOS ANGELES – (Tuesday, January 25, 2011) – GeekChicDaily, the leading pop culture, opt-in email newsletter and publisher has successfully completed a strategic transaction with Thomas Tull’s Legendary Pictures, and closed on an investment round led by Revolution Studios Founder Joe Roth and Seattle investor and internet pioneer Mike Slade. Joining the round as new investors will be industry notables Gamespy founder Mark Surfas, EA and Activision veteran and current Legendary Digital President Kathy Vrabeck and Machinima Chairman/CEO Allen DeBevoise. Existing investor and Clear Channel Chairman of Media and Entertainment Robert Pittman and his partner Andrew Russell will also join the round. Pittman and Russell invested in thriving newsletters DailyCandy, Thrillist, Tasting Table and VitalJuice. Proceeds from the raise are earmarked for infrastructure, further brand extension and marketing of the daily publication.
GeekChicDaily, a shot-in-the-arm focused on all things popular culture (comics, video games, film, television, toys, collectibles and applications) debuted in October 2009. It was co-founded and is operated by digital media and video game veteran Peter Y. Levin. Gareb Shamus, co-founder of GeekChicDaily is also founder of Wizard World which owns and operates 12 comic conventions across the U.S. GeekChicDaily’s current investors include Clear Channel Chairman of Media and Entertainment Bob Pittman, Mandalay Entertainment Group CEO and former Sony Pictures Chairman and CEO Peter Guber, as well as the Japanese media juggernaut Yoshimoto Kogyo.
“In a short amount of time, GeekChicDaily has established a voice and tone that resonates with an audience we are consistently servicing,” stated Revolution Studios’ Joe Roth. “We are thrilled to add GCD to our arsenal and plan to leverage them as a resource for marketing and discovery. We look forward to working closely with Peter and his team to grow the GeekChicDaily brand.”
In addition, Ben Lerer, CEO & co-founder of digital lifestyle publication Thrillist has joined GeekChicDaily as an advisory board member whose ranks include former DailyCandy CEO Pete Sheinbaum, Andrew Russell, Managing Partner at Bob Pittman’s Pilot Group and Broadway Video CEO Jack Sullivan.
“This group represents all we could ask for in terms of strategic investors and partners,” said GeekChicDaily CEO and co-founder Peter Levin. “As a popular culture product, the collective experience, street credibility and access this group brings to the table will be invaluable as we continue to grow the business.”
About GeekChicDaily:
GeekChicDaily (www.geekchicdaily.com) is a free, opt-in, daily email newsletter and cross-platform publisher appealing to popular culture enthusiasts with a focus on comics, video games, film, television, applications, toys, collectibles and gear. GeekChicDaily was founded in October of 2009 by digital entertainment entrepreneur Peter Y. Levin, Wizard World founder Gareb Shamus and Mandalay Entertainment Group CEO and former Sony Pictures Chairman and CEO Peter Guber.
About Legendary Pictures:
Founded in 2004, Legendary owns, produces and delivers some of the world’s most popular intellectual property, focusing on franchises targeted at mainstream audiences but with a special emphasis on the powerful fandom demographic. With partner Warner Bros., Legendary Pictures’ productions include the recently released, critically acclaimed Inception, which has been a box office smash grossing more than $823 million worldwide, as well as global blockbuster Clash of the Titans ($493 million worldwide), The Dark Knight ($1 billion worldwide), 300 ($456 million worldwide) and The Hangover ($467 million worldwide). The company has established itself as a trusted brand which consistently delivers high-quality, commercial entertainment, and through complete or joint ownership, Legendary is building a library of marquee media properties. Among the film projects that Legendary is currently developing is an adaptation of the phenomenally successful interactive game universe Warcraft, to be directed by Sam Raimi (Spiderman); Godzilla, based on Toho Company’s famed character; Warren Ellis’ Gravel; and Mass Effect, based on Electronic Arts and BioWare’s hit videogame franchise. Legendary Pictures recently launched Legendary Comics, and will debut its inaugural publishing work in the first half of 2011.
About Joe Roth:
Joe Roth is the founder of Revolution Studios. In seven years of operation Revolution released 47 films, including Black Hawk Down, XXX, Maid in Manhattan, Anger Management, and Rocky Balboa. He most recently produced Alice in Wonderland for Disney with Director Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp and Knight and Day with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz for Twentieth Century Fox.
Prior to founding Revolution Studios, Mr. Roth served as Chairman of both the Walt Disney Studios and Twentieth Century Fox. In 2004, Mr. Roth was the Emmy AwardÒ nominated producer of the 76th Annual Academy Awards, which won an Emmy AwardÒ for Outstanding Directing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program.
Equally noted for his diverse civic and charitable activities, Joe Roth has received various awards such as the 1991 Variety Club’s Man of the Year award, the 1996 Humanitarian award from the NCCJ, The 1997 American Museum of Moving Image award, and was honored in 1998 by APLA and The National Multiple Sclerosis Society. He was also the recipient of the 2004 Dorothy and Sherill C. Corwin Human Relations award from the American Jewish Committee.
Joe Roth is the majority owner of the Seattle Sounders FC, a Major League Soccer team.
About Mike Slade:
Mike Slade began his career at Microsoft in 1983 and spent seven years there in a variety of product marketing roles. Products he introduced to the market at Microsoft include Excel (1985), Works (1987), and Microsoft Office (1989). He served as director of corporate marketing in Microsoft’s systems software division before leaving in late 1990. He has served on several public company boards, including Metricom, Inc (1994-96); The CKS Group (1996-98), and Aquantive (2002-2007) before it was acquired by Microsoft. Slade became CEO of Starwave, Paul Allen’s trailblazing venture into the Internet and multimedia products arena, in 1993. While at Starwave, Slade launched ESPN.com ABCNews.com and the Go.com network, among other premier websites that have now become household names. Mike Slade retired as chairman and chief executive officer of Starwave Corporation upon the completion of its sale to the Walt Disney Corp. in late 1998.
Slade spent 1991-92 as the VP-Marketing for NeXT Computer, Inc., reporting to Steve Jobs. From 1998 until 2004 Slade consulted for Apple Computer CEO Steve Jobs, where he sat on the executive team.
Slade has also worked as a strategic consultant for the NBA, Starbucks, Real Networks, Disney, the NFL and various Paul Allen companies. Slade co-founded the venture capital company Second Avenue Partners in 2000. He currently sits on the boards of the following companies: Azaleos; EmptySpaceAds; Fanzter; Fantasy Moguls; Professional Bowler’s Association; RealSelf; Flowplay; Kiha Software; and TheWrap.com. In 2000 he became a co-owner of the Professional Bowlers Association and is actively involved in that company today.
Slade earned a B.A. in Economics from Colorado College in 1979, and an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 1983. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of Colorado College, and serves on the board two other nonprofits: Pandrillus and Seattle Theatre Group. He has two teenage daughters and he and his wife, Megan, have two young sons.
The Dark Knight Rises was able to stay at the top of the box office this weekend beating out the remake Total Recall, which came in below expectations. The Dark Knight Rises earned another $36.4 million compared to Recall‘s anemic $26 million. That $26 million was better than the $25.5 million the original brought in (but adjusted for inflation would be less) and is on the lower end of studio predictions.
