STX Entertainment

Overview

STX Entertainment is an independent film studio headquartered in Burbank, California, producing and distributing star-driven films for global audiences. The company was acquired in January 2026 by Crown Productions, a subsidiary of insurance platform A-CAP, with Peter Coleman installed as CEO. Founder Robert Simonds and former CEO Noah Fogelson departed as part of the acquisition. Sam Brown remains as President of STX Film & Television.

Under the new ownership, STX is targeting films with budgets up to $20 million, aiming for two to three releases in 2026 and doubling to six to eight in 2027. The studio retains residual rights to remakes and sequels from its library, which includes Bad Moms ($183.9M worldwide on a $20M budget), Hustlers ($157.6M worldwide), Molly's Game ($59.3M worldwide), The Gentlemen, The Upside ($122.7M worldwide), and Greenland ($52M+ international). STX also holds IP for potential new projects based on Bad Moms, Hustlers, and Countdown.

The studio has a marketing and distribution pact with Lionsgate for North American theatrical releases. STX handles international distribution through its own global network of partners. Greenland 2: Migration, produced by Anton, STX, Thunder Road Pictures, and G-Base Entertainment, opened January 9, 2026 via Lionsgate domestically and grossed $17.7M in the US.

For filmmakers seeking a home for mid-budget, star-driven commercial films, STX represents one of the few independent studios actively rebuilding domestic distribution operations. The new slate announcement is expected in early 2026.

History

Robert Simonds founded STX Entertainment in 2014, raising approximately $700M in total funding across multiple rounds from private equity and international partners. The company launched with the goal of filling the mid-budget gap ($20M to $80M) that major studios had largely abandoned in favor of franchise tentpoles. Early releases included The Gift (2015, $43.9M domestic) and Bad Moms (2016, $113.3M domestic, $183.9M worldwide), which became the studio's breakout hit and spawned a 2017 sequel, A Bad Moms Christmas ($104.2M worldwide).

STX distributed several commercially successful films through 2019: Molly's Game (2017, written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, starring Jessica Chastain, $59.3M worldwide), The Upside (2019, starring Kevin Hart and Bryan Cranston, $122.7M worldwide), and Hustlers (2019, starring Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu, $157.6M worldwide, $104.9M domestic). Hustlers opened to $33.2M domestically in 3,250 theaters.

In April 2020, STX announced a merger with Indian studio Eros International, completed in July 2020, forming ErosSTX Global Corporation. The merger was intended to combine STX's Hollywood library with Eros's Bollywood content. In December 2021, Jahm Najafi announced the acquisition of STX from ErosSTX for $173 million, completed in April 2022. Eros retained a 15% non-voting stake.

In 2023, STX sold a portion of its library to Lionsgate, retaining most residual rights to remakes and sequels. The two companies also signed a marketing and distribution pact for STX's North American theatrical releases. Adam Fogelson, brother of former STX CEO Noah Fogelson, chairs Lionsgate Studios' motion picture group.

In January 2026, Najafi sold STX to Crown Productions (A-CAP), with Peter Coleman, a board member and CEO of Film Services International (FFI), a holding company for completion bond company Film Finances, taking over as CEO. The acquisition gave Crown Productions 100% ownership. The company has approximately 40 to 50 employees and reported annual revenue in the $400M to $500M range.

House Style / Genre Focus

STX built its identity on star-driven, mid-budget commercial films that major studios stopped making. The library spans R-rated comedies (Bad Moms, A Bad Moms Christmas), crime dramas (Hustlers, Molly's Game), and action-thrillers (Greenland). STX does not produce arthouse cinema, documentary features, or festival-circuit films. The new ownership narrows the focus further: sub-$20M budgets, commercial genres, and projects with franchise or IP potential. Films without star attachment or clear theatrical genre appeal do not fit the current slate strategy.

How They Typically Find Talent / Take Submissions

STX does not operate an open submission portal. Projects reach the studio through talent agencies (CAA, WME, UTA), entertainment lawyers, and producer relationships. CEO Peter Coleman's background at Film Finances (FFI) connects STX to the completion bond and insurance ecosystem, which surfaces projects that have already secured partial financing. The Lionsgate distribution pact also creates a referral pipeline: projects too small for Lionsgate's own slate can route to STX. Filmmakers should monitor the STX Entertainment website for the initial slate announcement expected in early 2026.

Recent Output / Slate Year

STX is in post-production on the first installment of Katie Holmes' Happy Hours Trilogy, starring Holmes and Joshua Jackson. Projects in development and pre-production include Mom Prom (producer Toby Emmerich), Crime After Crime (producers Nick Stoller, Ike Barinholtz, and Dave Stassen), and new projects based on the Bad Moms, Hustlers, and Countdown IP.

Greenland 2: Migration, the sequel to the 2020 disaster film starring Gerard Butler and Morena Baccarin, was released January 9, 2026 through Lionsgate domestically. STX handled international distribution. The film grossed $17.7M domestically and was available for streaming January 27, 2026.

The studio also expanded into television with FBoy Island (HBO Max/The CW, 2021 to present), The Gentlemen (Netflix, 2024, with Moonage Pictures and Miramax Television), and Lovers and Liars (The CW, 2024 to present).

What Filmmakers Should Know

STX under its new ownership is targeting films with budgets up to $20 million, a significant reduction from its original $20M to $80M range. The studio plans to start with two to three films in 2026 and scale to six to eight in 2027. CEO Peter Coleman has stated the company will focus on "quality films" and "a renewed commitment to indie filmmakers."

The Lionsgate distribution pact means STX films receive North American theatrical releases through Lionsgate's infrastructure, while STX retains international distribution through its own partner network. This is relevant for filmmakers whose projects have international market potential.

STX's existing IP library (Bad Moms, Hustlers, Countdown, Greenland, My Spy) provides the studio with franchise development opportunities. Filmmakers with projects that could leverage existing IP or fit the sub-$20M budget range with star attachment and commercial genre appeal are the most likely fit.

The company's sister companies under A-CAP include Film Finances (FFI), the global leader in completion bonds, and several production and post-production firms. This corporate structure could provide filmmakers with access to completion guarantee services and post-production infrastructure alongside distribution.

For submission or pitch inquiries, filmmakers should monitor the STX Entertainment website for the initial slate announcement expected in early 2026.

Key Financial Data

Notable Productions

Watch: Trailers & Behind the Scenes

See Also

For understanding how mid-budget studio models work, see Distribution Deals Explained. To model revenue across global markets, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator. For calculating break-even on distribution deals, use the Ad Spend Break-Even Calculator.