Renny Harlin Launches Harlin House Fellowship for Emerging European Filmmakers, Taps Colin Trevorrow, Tim Miller as Advisors

Finnish director Renny Harlin has set up Harlin House, a production company that will mentor emerging European directors and help them turn their projects into genre features with commercial reach.

Harlin unveiled the venture and its fellowship program on Nov. 13 at Helsinki’s Night Visions International Film Festival.

Filmmakers chosen for the Harlin House Fellowship will develop their projects with Harlin and an advisory board, and the company will pick titles from the program to produce. Harlin House aims to make its first film next year, then scale up to a minimum of two films annually. It is targeting seven to 10 features over its first five years.

Harlin co-founded the company with producer Johanna Harlin, who will run its community and podcast, and Max Michael of M3 Global Strategy.

“I also know what it means to arrive from Europe with a story to tell and no clear path into Hollywood,” Harlin said. “Helping another filmmaker find that path is a central part of this company’s mission.”

The founding advisory board is made up of Colin Trevorrow (“Jurassic World,” “Jurassic World Dominion”), Tim Miller (“Deadpool,” “Terminator: Dark Fate”), “Minions” and “Despicable Me 3” director Kyle Balda and Janet Change Balda. Between them, they cover live action, VFX and animation.

“Fans have been the driving force behind my career. They are the reason these films get made and the reason they continue to find new audiences years later,” Harlin said. “With Harlin House, I want to bring them closer to the process and give them an opportunity to participate in what we build.”

Using the global investment platform Republic Film, fans can come aboard as founding investors and share in the films’ earnings alongside the Harlin House team. Those backers will be able to track the fellows’ work as it moves from development into production, then help promote the finished films. The investment window will open a week after the Helsinki launch.

Any Harlin House investor will also be able to submit an original film idea. The company will option some of those pitches for development and give their authors a story credit. Members will also be invited to suggest scenes and story ideas as projects progress.

The Helsinki launch doubles as the company’s first event. Harlin said Finland was where his career began before he left for Hollywood, adding that “it feels right to come back to my roots to make this announcement.” Harlin House events will move on to other big international and genre-focused festivals to scout local talent and bring filmmakers and audiences together.

Harlin’s directing credits over four decades include “Die Hard 2,” “Cliffhanger,” “The Long Kiss Goodnight,” “Deep Blue Sea,” “A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master” and “The Beast.” He has worked with Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Geena Davis and Jackie Chan.

Johanna Harlin started out in Finnish television. Her international credits include “The Strangers” trilogy, “The Bricklayer,” “Deep Water” and “The Beast.” Michael, previously head of Asian business development at UTA, has spent almost 20 years developing talent and packaging projects. At Harlin House, he will tie creative development to packaging, financing and overseas partnerships.