Actor/director Jiang Wen is among the clients of Leeding Management. (Photo : www.hollywoodreporter.com)
Leeding Management, a new boutique agency put up by David U. Lee's Leeding Media, aims to bridge talents between Hollywood and China and has Chinese actor and director Jiang Wen, who was recently cast in "Star Wars: Rogue One," as one of its first clients.
The firm will be co-managed by Steven Squillante ("A Haunted House," "Locke" and "Revenge of the Green"), a veteran producer and former president of IM Global's physical production, as a partner and COO.
The new management agency will have headquarters based in Los Angeles and Beijing.
Founded in 2008, Leeding Media was able to market 12 feature films and control exclusive digital distribution rights to 400 titles in the country. These include "Underworld," "Million Dollar Baby," "Nightcrawler," "Whiplash," "Insurgent," "Ender's Game," "A Single Man" and "John Wick," among others.
The media firm was also significant in the establishment of the subscription streaming services deal between Alibaba and Lionsgate, the Lionsgate Entertainment World.
Lee is proud that since he founded Leeding Media, it has become "one of the premier film entertainment enterprises that bridge China and the West."
"With the addition of Steve and his invaluable resources to our team, I believe the company is well positioned to continue to be competitive into the future," he added.
Meanwhile, Squillante remarked that the new venture is something to look forward to.
"It is exciting to continue engaging in the challenges of the entirety of the filmmaking process, while also supporting and growing the careers of our multi-talented clients," he said.
Both Lee and Squillante started their careers at Miramax/Dimension Films as interns way back 1997.
