Former William Morris Agency (WMA) UK heads Charles Finch and Luc Roeg have formed a management and production company - Eclipse - with the backing of USA Films and Canal Plus.

London-based Eclipse will produce four pictures a year under the terms of the three-year deal, with USA label October Films handling domestic distribution and Canal Plus handling international sales. Budgets will be 'beyond $15m with some exceptions' according to Finch. The company will also produce television programming - earmarked in the US for USA sister company USA Network - and theatre productions.

Finch and Roeg left WMA's London outpost earlier this month when the company closed UK theatrical activities (Screendaily Feb 2).

Joining Finch and Roeg as partners in Eclipse are former WMA agents Vanessa Pereira and Sophie Simpson. The company's client list includes John Malkovich, Harvey Keitel, Kristin Scott Thomas, Gillian Anderson, Linus Roache and Emmanuelle Beart, and directors Michael Caton Jones, Michael Radford, Ben Ross, Anand Tucker, Hugh Hudson, Brian Gibson and Steven Barron.

Finch emphasised that he would continue to work with agencies that handle Eclipse clients in North America. 'It will not be our culture to solicit clients from other agencies and management companies, and we're happy that we will be continuing to represent clients with WMA, CAA, ICM, UTA and Endeavor - and value those partnerships,' said Finch.

The new outfit plans to reveal its first projects over the next few weeks, many of which will involve Eclipse clients.