Oilers Entertainment Group yesterday announced that Chair DARYL KATZ is "partnering with producer JOEL SILVER to create Silver Pictures Entertainment," a new company that will "develop, produce and provide or arrange financing for feature films, television and digital projects," according to a front-page piece by Bill Mah of the EDMONTON JOURNAL. The productions "will be made both within and independent of the traditional studio system." OEG in a statement said, "Silver Pictures will take an active role in helping to enhance and expand OEG’s entertainment platform." OEG CEO & Vice Chair BOB NICHOLSON said of the partnership, "It’s been something we’ve been working on for over a year. We are the Oilers Entertainment Group and so this is part of Daryl’s vision. Daryl has a very big vision and it’s around entertainment -- and entertainment is the movies and it’s also sports." He added that it is "too early to say if any production will take place in Edmonton, but there could be opportunities for the OEG’s Hollywood and Oilers arms to work together." Mah notes Silver Pictures will be based in Venice, Calif. (EDMONTON JOURNAL, 4/28). Katz said that there is "huge potential in cross promotion, but they haven't dug into specifics." When asked if there would be a "MIGHTY DUCKS"-style movie for the Oilers, Nicholson laughed and said that he "didn't think they'd be going down that path" (EDMONTON SUN, 4/28).
