Munich / Woodcliff Lake. The new short film “The
Escape”, featuring Clive Owen, Dakota Fanning, Jon Bernthal and Vera
Farmiga, will premiere on BMWFilms.com on 23 October. The film
continues in the tradition of “The Hire”, a series of unique short
films released between 2001 and 2002 that created a stir on the
international marketing scene and beyond: The eight films, aired in
two seasons, realised a totally new approach.
David Fincher, who was already well-known as the director of films
such as “The Game” with Michael Douglas and “Fight Club” with Brad
Pitt, executive produced the first series. Renowned authors, directors
and actors brought gripping stories to life. In each film, British
actor Clive Owen played the lead role alongside a BMW. The supposedly
most popular film of the first season titled “Star” featured Madonna
as Clive Owen’s “passenger” in a BMW M5. The second series, which was
released in 2002, was executive produced by cult Hollywood producers
Ridley and Tony Scott.
15 years on, BMWFilms.com returns with a tribute film, once again
featuring Clive Owen behind the wheel and also starring Dakota Fanning
(“War of the Worlds,” “I am Sam”), Jon Bernthal (“The Punisher,”
“Daredevil”) and Vera Farmiga (“The Departed,” “Up in the Air”). The
film was directed by South African director and Academy Award®
nominee Neill Blomkamp (“District 9”, “Elysium”) and realised
for BMW North America by Geisel Productions, New York.
“The Escape” will premiere on Sunday, 23 October 2016, at 12.00 CET
on BMWFilms.com.
“I firmly believe that ‘Sheer Driving Pleasure’ can be communicated
effectively through emotional stories and that, by this, we can
strengthen our BMW brand’s core values. With a Hollywood-quality
realisation, global stars, an Academy Award®
nominated director and a consistent ‘online first’ approach,
we are once again setting new standards for content marketing,”
explained Hildegard Wortmann, Senior Vice President Brand BMW. “The
new short film ‘The Escape’ is designed as an homage to the 15th
anniversary of ‘The Hire’. Clive Owen was keen from the start when he
heard of our plans. We are delighted to have Clive on board again –
with his style and coolness he is perfect for the role.”
“The Hire” – the original BMW short-film series with eight
unique episodes
Season 1 of “The Hire” premiered on BMWFilms.com on 26 April 2001
with John Frankenheimer’s “Ambush,” followed by “Chosen” from Ang Lee,
who would go on to win Academy Awards® for “Brokeback Mountain” and
“Life of Pi.” The third film in the series, “The Follow,” was
directed by Wong Kar-wai and featured Forest Whitaker, Adriana Lima
and Mickey Rourke. Completing Season 1 was Guy Ritchie’s “Star,”
featuring pop icon Madonna, and “Powder Keg,” starring Stellan
Skarsgård and directed by then up-and-comer and current multiple
Academy Award® winner Alejandro G. Iñárritu. Season 1 was executive
produced by David Fincher (“The Social Network,” “The Girl with the
Dragon Tattoo”) and was viewed over 11 million times in four months.
Season 2 of “The Hire” was executive produced by Tony and Ridley
Scott and debuted in October 2002 with Tony Scott’s “Beat the Devil”,
starring soul legend James Brown, with Gary Oldman as the devil. John
Woo’s “Hostage” featuring Maury Chaykin, and Joe Carnahan’s “The
Ticker”, with Don Cheadle, completed the series.
Acclaim for “The Hire” series
“The Hire” was released exclusively online at BMWFilms.com and
received more than 100 million views prior to the proliferation of
high-speed internet connectivity and introduction of YouTube.
After the first two films in “The Hire” series premiered online, Wong
Kar-wai’s third film, “The Follow,” made its debut at the Cannes Film
Festival in May 2001 to critical acclaim. The media also praised “The
Hire”. The New York Times wrote that the films “tingle with zest”,
while Time magazine added that it “deserves the attention of
discerning movie watchers”.
“The Hire” inspired the Cannes International Advertising Festival to
create the Titanium Lion in 2003, to honor creative ideas that point
to a new direction for the industry and redefine the creative
landscape. Besides taking home the inaugural Titanium Lion, the films
went on to win the top honour in virtually every creative competition.
They were named “The Best of the Digital Decade” by The One Show in
2011 and accepted into the Clios Hall of Fame in 2009. “The Hire“
series was inducted into the permanent collection of the Museum of
Modern Art (MOMA) in 2003.
BMWFilms.com online
“The Escape” will premiere on Sunday, 23 October 2016, at 12.00 CET
on BMWFilms.com. Already today, you can see the sneak peek on BMWFilms.com.
If you have any questions, please contact:
Corporate Communications
Bernhard Ederer, Business
and Finance Communications, Marketing Telephone: + 49 89
382-28556, Fax: + 49 89 382-24418 Bernhard.Ederer@bmwgroup.com
Ralph Huber, Head of Product Communications BMW Telephone: +49 89
382-68778
Ralph.Huber@bmwgroup.com
The BMW Group
With its three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group is the
world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles
and also provides premium financial and mobility services. As a global
company, the BMW Group operates 31 production and assembly facilities
in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.
In 2015, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.247 million cars and
nearly 137,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the
financial year 2015 was approximately € 9.22 billion on revenues
amounting to € 92.18 billion. As of 31 December 2015, the BMW Group
had a workforce of 122,244 employees.
The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term
thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established
ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain,
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