James Stern, the Tony Award-winning producer of stage hits The Producers and Stomp, has announced the formation of production and financing house Endgame Entertainment.

The company comprises development and production division Endgame Productions and The Endgame Fund, a financing source for third party producers and distributors covering a range of options from P&A to gap and equity funding. The fund will enable Endgame to self-finance development, production and distribution costs on its own projects.

Endgame's first acquisition is Electroboy, based on 1990s enfant terrible Andy Behrman's best-selling memoir of manic depression that was published by Random House. The screenplay will be written by Matthew Chapman, whose credits include Grave Goods and What's The Worst That Could Happen'

Endgame is also currently producing a picture based on Yao Ming, the National Basketball Association's Chinese superstar, with producer Adam Del Deo. Stern is set to direct with international releases planned later this year.

Company executives comprise president of production Julia Eisenman, previously with Jay Roach's Everyman Pictures, and Endgame Fund operations chief Doug Hansen. Hansen has extensive financing experience and worked in the entertainment divisions of Union Bank and Banque Paribas.

'I enjoy the process of acquiring a piece of quality material, developing it and seeing it come to life on both film and stage,' Stern said in a statement. 'Doug, Julia and I have created a collaborative environment where film-makers can flourish. At the same time, we have structured a solid financing model so we can have the ability to fund quality projects which have commercial and financial value.'

The company will continue to acquire material including books, articles and screenplays for features, television and the Broadway stage.

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