LOS ANGELES and MONTREAL — Wicked Pictures Founder and President Steve Orenstein announced today that his company and its extensive catalog of features and series, as well as Wicked.com, have been sold to Gamma Entertainment.
The acquisition, explained a rep for Gamma, includes "renewed relationships with Brand Ambassador Jessica Drake and exclusive director Axel Braun, who will also serve as head of production. Gamma aims to cement the iconic brand’s future as a key studio within its portfolio of membership sites."
The two companies first inked a strategic web partnership in September 2019.
"My experience with every person on the Gamma team over the past year-and-a-half of managing Wicked.com has been nothing short of remarkable," Orenstein said.
"They have truly been the ideal partner to help with the company I founded 27 years ago that grew into one of the biggest, most recognizable brands in the adult industry today," he continued. "While it is difficult to let go of my creation, they have shown me their desire to take the best of what Wicked has to offer and advance it to the next level as it continues to evolve for years to come, as I focus my energy on Wicked Sensual Care, the pleasure products company I began eight years ago."
He described the acquisition as "incredibly beneficial" for the company's "loyal fans and longtime members of Wicked.com."
"Gamma is dedicated to elevating brand visibility while continuing to deliver the high standard of quality in adult entertainment our followers have come to expect," continued Orenstein. "Two great examples of that include continuing the relationship with Jessica Drake, who has been the heart, soul and face of Wicked for the past 17 years as she helped guide the brand in more ways than most know, along with Axel Braun, who over the past seven years has brought us some of our highest-profile and most-awarded projects. Like Jessica has been more than a performer, Axel has been more than a director for Wicked, and I am pleased to see him in the role of head of production to help carry out Wicked’s vision for the long term."
“There are many key people to thank for Wicked’s success over the years who deserve to be mentioned, and in the weeks to come, they will be. In the meantime, I want to express my gratitude to the Gamma team and offer my wish of continued success for years to come,” concluded Orenstein.
Braun expressed excitement for the new venture.
“The past seven years as an exclusive director for Wicked have been the most professionally rewarding of my career, and I am thrilled to have been offered the opportunity to stay on board not only as a filmmaker, but also in a position where I can use my 30 years of experience to help raise the bar in terms of quality on all of the company’s projects," he said.
"It’s definitely a bittersweet moment, because I have enormous respect and genuine affection for Steve Orenstein, a man of unmatched honesty, loyalty and decency," he continued, "and the people at Gamma are brilliant, ambitious, and they understand the history and the value of the Wicked brand, so there is no doubt in my mind that this acquisition will be incredibly beneficial for the company that Steve created, and I will make it my mission to further his legacy and make him proud of what we will accomplish."
Braun proposed 2021 will be "an absolutely phenomenal year for Wicked. We have so much in store and I have the support of an incredible team, so I’m pumped up and ready to raise the bar.”
Drake described signing as Wicked contract star 17 years ago as one of the proudest moments of her career.
"With their support and encouragement to grow throughout the years as a performer, director and educator, I have reached a level of success I never imagined attainable. I greatly appreciate being given the opportunity by Steve Orenstein to be a part of the growth and development of our brand and I value the hard work from our entire team," she said.
"Since the relaunch of Wicked.com last year with Gamma, I have been impressed by their teamwork, creativity and vision, and I am thrilled to continue my journey with Wicked as we merge forces with Gamma," Drake continued. "I’m looking forward to being a part of Wicked’s promising future as I step into a new role to create and develop new projects for the brand while still living out my fantasies and pleasing fans as a performer. The synergy between the two adult powerhouses will make for a very exciting 2021, and I will continue to help build the brand with as much heart and soul as I ever have."
Gamma Entertainment President Karl Bernard looks forward to new opportunities presented by the acquisition.
“By blending our creative approach with Wicked’s commitment to quality, I am confident we will be able to explore new territory together within Gamma," he said.
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