The long-time president of Tyler Perry Studios, Ozzie Areu, is leaving the company to start his own film and television studio, Areu Bros., according to The Hollywood Reporter. The move could open the door for a string of new Latino-produced content.
With his brother, Will, joining the company, the venture will be a family affair. And Ozzie will stick close to home, as the duo has purchased Perry’s former Atlanta studio for its base of operations. Areu hopes to make the studio a “a multifaceted media campus encompassing music, tech, motion pictures, and television operations.”
The Cuban-American brothers will also make history with Areu Bros., as it will become the first US-based major film and television studio owned by Latinos. Though Robert Rodriguez’s El Rey TV network is also based in the US and Latino owned, it features a mix of original programming and curated product and is a joint venture with Univision. Areu Bros. will not follow a similar model, though the siblings do hope to build something that shines a spotlight on Latinos.
“I look forward to following in the steps of Tyler, my mentor, by owning a studio that also creates content and I’m especially inspired to build a 360 world that supports minority storytellers, creators, and innovators,” Areu said, according to Variety.
There’s currently no word on what projects are in the works.