QED’s Block off to Miramax

US film and TV production outfit Miramax has appointed the founder and CEO of production and finance firm QED as its CEO.

Bill Block

Bill Block replaces Steven Schoch, who stepped down in January after almost five years in the role.

Block was behind recent hit comedy movie Bad Moms and was president of Artisan Entertainment before setting up QED. He also worked for ICM, overseeing its West Coast operations.

Schoch had been CEO since 2012 and was replaced by Miramax chairman Nassar Al-Khelaifi on an interim basis.

“Bill’s extensive experience across numerous platforms, combined with his deep knowledge of the industry, makes him outstandingly qualified to propel Miramax into this new and transformative world of distribution, content and sales,” said Al-Khelaifi, who is also chairman of Miramax parent company BeIN Media Group, based in Qatar.

“Miramax is committed to expand production and acquisitions in film and television, and Bill’s strong leadership will surely lead Miramax successfully into the future. We are thrilled to have him on board.”

Block added: “Miramax is a storied brand that is poised for growth across all of its divisions – film, TV, licensing and beyond. Its library offers a wealth of opportunities for the global entertainment business that I look forward to exploring.”

As well as its established feature film department, Miramax has also found success with TV, with shows including HBO’s Project Greenlight and El Rey Network’s From Dusk Till Dawn.

The company was founded in 1979 by Bob and Harvey Weinstein. The Walt Disney Company acquired the firm in 1993 and sold it as a joint venture consisting of Colony Capital, Tutor-Saliba Corporation and Qatar Investment Authority in 2010, before Miramax was subsequently acquired by BeIN Media last March.

In 2015, Miramax agreed a deal with US feature film specialist Revolution Studios to distribute its TV content and movies, and bolstered its TV aspirations by poaching Working Title Television boss Daniel Pipski.