Mark Hamill, star of the original Star Wars, has become a founding board member of Berkeley Square Films.
Berkeley Square is about to go out to the market and raise money through an investor share offer. Nobody from BSF was available to tell me how much it wants to raise, nor how the company plans to go about it. Which is pretty odd given it’s the day they’ve put out a press release. Daniel Figuero, one of Berkeley Square’s directors, is one name I do recognise though. Figuero was involved in several low-budget British films in the 90s including An Ideal Husband and The Scarlet Tunic that raised money through the Enterprise Investment Scheme. So I guess that’s what Berkeley Square will be trying to do too.
The company plans to make movies budgeted up to $7 million. William Morris Endeavor agent Graham Taylor will be packaging BSF projects. As to what these projects are, all will be revealed during the Cannes Film Festival apparently – although there’s been chatter that one will be an adaptation of Hamill’s own comic book creation, The Black Pearl.
BSF is also planning to launch its own sales agency, which will handle other people’s projects too.
The idea is that the creatives will be based in Los Angeles, with London handling the financial side. Other board members include Paul Tamasy, a Los Angeles-based multi-hyphenate who created the Air Bud franchise for Disney; Stephen Metcalfe, former co-head of equity capital markets for Asia Pacific at investment bank Nomura International; Justin Howard, ex co-manager of equity fund Charterhouse Investments (Hong Kong); and business entrepreneur John Tibbs. Let’s hope the Force is with them.


Let’s hope BSF isn’t a load of BS
May the force be with you, Mark.
In this economy I am prone to be highly suspect of new financial players, especially since I am involved in complex financial transactions for a living. Having said that, I have had the opportunity to perform due diligence on this venture and they seem to have a realistic risk assessment strategy blended with a focus on creative relationships. It will all come down to execution in the end, but the creative and financial team is top rung and they recognize what they’re up against in today’s marketplace (pro and con).
GO LUKE!
His voice will always be The Joker to me. The Dark Knight was a good movie, but Mark Hamill is THE one and only Joker.
Same for Kevin Conroy. Was and is the one and only Batman voice actor. Christian Bale could learn a thing or two from him.
He should play the Joker in the next Batman movie. That would rule. He’s gotten older and with his old scars he would look uber creepy in Joker make-up. Plus he has the perfect voice for it.
I think its wonderful. and Mark your still dreamy
Poor Mark Hamill — he’ll always be Luke Skywalker to us.
Luke’s bravery in the movie is just like for real
FTA: The company plans to make movies budgeted up to $7 million.
You’d have to trust in the force to make this one float.