QED International founder and CEO Bill Bock is leaving the sales, financing and production company behind District 9, Fury and W.

Sources speculated the move would free up Block, a former agent who founded the company in 2002, to dedicate more time to Merced Media.

Block announced the $500m film fund last October alongside PalmStar Media Capital CEO Kevin Frakes and Merced Capital.

A spokesperson declined to comment on the future QED International and its skeleton staff in Los Angeles.

Media Content Capital heads Sasha Shapiro and Anton Lessine, who made an eight-figure investment in QED International last May, told The Hollywood Reporter they plan to personally assume the reins and will head to Cannes with new sales titles.

The company took a hit on the Arnold Schwarzenegger action thriller Sabotage, which allegedly cost $35m to produce and took less than $17m worldwide.

However the Brad Pitt WWII tank thriller Fury has proved a lucrative investment given QED’s first dollar gross position.  The film reportedly carried a $68m production budget and has grossed more than $211m worldwide.

Films on the QED slate include Rock The Kasbah, which Open Road will distribute in the US and stars Bill Murray, and Dirty Grandpa with Robert DeNiro and Zac Efron, which Lionsgate will release in the US.

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