History In The Making: William Morris/Endeavor Merger

Posted on October 6, 2009 - 11:10pm by tammy This is huge!!! Hollywood history in the making right here. William Morris and Endeavor, two of the leading entertainment agencies, have reached a historic agreement today and finalized their merger. For months these two talent agencies have been talking about a merger. Endeavor is said to have momentum, while the William Morris Agency has depth. These two combining has created a shifted leverage from movie studios and record labels back to artists, actors, writers, and directors. The new agency will be called William Morris Endeavor Entertainment. The leadership team for the new agency will be Jim Wiatt, Chairman, Ariel Emanuel, Patrick Whitesell and Dave Wirtschafter, Co-CEOs. Although the new company will be wracking in an estimated $250-$300 million year, layoffs are still to be expected, estimated at around 100 personal. The new powerhouse will hopefully bring together some of the most respected in motion pictures, television, music, theater, publishing, commercials, sports, marketing and below-the-line production. Endeavor was the #1 television agency packing shows like "30 Rock" and "Gossip Girl" and had a stable of marquee young movie stars such as Shia LeBeouf and Amy Adams. William Morris had a blockbuster music unit such as Britney Spears, Kanye West and lucrative clients such as Coca-Cola and Hasbro. I'm not so sure everyone is entirely happy about this merger. Both companies are private and the balance of power inside each is not clear. What will become of this merger is up in the air. To read about the William Morris-Endeaver merger decision, the big picture, click here.