Cutting Edge Group has acquired the royalty streams to Emmy Award-nominated and BAFTA-winning composer John Paesano’s catalogue.
His catalogue comprises 80-plus scores across films, television and video games.
“This acquisition is the latest step in Cutting Edge’s ongoing strategy to invest in best-in-class music from premier works of film, television and video games,” said a statement.
The compositions and recordings from this acquisition join CEG's total portfolio of over 400,000 owned and/or managed media music rights, valued at more than $1 billion.
Paesano is one of the world’s top-grossing composers, with a cumulative global box office of over $1.8 billion. His music has accompanied commercially successful entertainment properties, many of which remain active franchises with ongoing sequels, reboots and cross-platform expansions.
Tara Finegan, COO of Cutting Edge Group, said: "John’s music has defined some of the most moving and visceral works of entertainment of the last decade. It is hard to imagine global hits like the Maze Runner trilogy or Daredevil series without the brilliant music that accompanied them, elevating their storytelling in ways that stick with viewers long after the credits roll. We are delighted to have this opportunity to invest in John’s remarkable catalogue and are excited to see how these works can continue to reach new audiences in the years to come.”
Tim Hegarty, head of M&A at Cutting Edge Group, said: "Our dealmaking has always been focused on a clear thesis: seek out the best publishers, composers and songwriters who offer access to globally recognised IP with lasting commercial and artistic value. John's award-winning catalogue, which includes multiple active franchises and highly significant box office returns, sits exactly where artistry meets commercial durability, which is where Cutting Edge is firmly focused.”
John’s music has defined some of the most moving and visceral works of entertainment of the last decade
Tara Finegan
John Paesano said: “I've been incredibly fortunate to come up in this business surrounded by great composers, directors, producers and executives. I learned the craft by doing – absorbing everything I could and finding the language of storytelling through music. When I sat down with Cutting Edge Group, they really understood what I was seeking and showed great respect for the value of my work. This now allows me to move beyond momentum and focus on like-minded creators and projects that feel creatively aligned with who I am. I've learned that this is where I do my strongest and most satisfying creative work, and I'm deeply grateful to my team for making that possible.”
The catalogue includes Paesano's film scores for 20th Century Studios' Maze Runner trilogy, which collectively grossed nearly $950 million worldwide across The Maze Runner (2014), The Scorch Trials (2015) and The Death Cure (2018).
It also includes his score to the recent box office hit, Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes (2024), which launched a new trilogy within the franchise, with further films expected throughout the late 2020s.
Paesano's work on major television properties form part of the transaction, including Amazon’s animated series Invincible, as well as Daredevil, one of Marvel Television's earliest breakout originals.
Other notable works in Paesano's catalogue include the Diary Of A Wimpy Kid franchise; the DreamWorks Dragons series based on the How To Train Your Dragon universe; the latest Night At The Museum feature, Night At The Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again; and the television series Truth Be Told.
Beyond film and television, Paesano has also scored the award-winning Marvel's Spider-Man video game series, as well as the video games Mass Effect: Andromeda, Gran Turismo Sport and Detroit: Become Human.
Paesano's work has earned him a BAFTA Games Award for Best Music (Spider-Man: Miles Morales), among other wins. He has received Emmy and Grammy nominations for his work on The Defenders and Spider-Man 2, respectively.
PHOTO: Todd Williamson
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