Jake Weiner Exiting Good Fear to Launch Production, Management Firm Harvest Hill Entertainment (Exclusive)

Why It Matters

Weiner’s move creates a fresh platform for high‑profile talent and could reshape content pipelines as boutique firms gain influence over film and TV development. The shift signals a broader industry trend toward specialized, creator‑centric management models.

Key Takeaways

• Harvest Hill starts with Oscar‑nominated writer Allison Schroeder
• Co‑manages select Good Fear clients, maintaining existing collaborations
• First projects include Warner Bros. thriller Flowervale Street
• Weiner’s departure reflects shifting dynamics in Hollywood talent agencies
• New firm aims to champion bold, original storytelling

Pulse Analysis

The launch of Harvest Hill Entertainment underscores a growing appetite for boutique production houses that combine talent management with hands‑on development. By assembling a client list that spans Academy‑nominated screenwriters, bestselling authors, and genre‑savvy directors, Jake Weiner positions his firm to negotiate directly with studios and streaming platforms, bypassing traditional agency layers. This model not only offers creators more personalized representation but also gives studios a streamlined source for packaged projects, a valuable asset in an era of content saturation.

Industry observers note that Weiner’s decision reflects a broader migration of seasoned producers toward independent entities that can act as both talent incubators and production engines. The ability to co‑manage select Good Fear clients ensures continuity while allowing Harvest Hill to cultivate its own brand identity. Early slate items like Flowervale Street, slated for a Warner Bros. release, and the Neon horror sequel They Follow demonstrate the firm’s immediate access to high‑budget, high‑visibility projects, signaling confidence from major distributors in the new venture’s capabilities.

For the market, Harvest Hill’s emergence could intensify competition for top‑tier writing and directing talent, prompting larger agencies to reassess their value propositions. As streaming services continue to chase original, risk‑taking content, a nimble outfit that promises bold storytelling and close‑knit client relationships may become a preferred partner. Investors and industry analysts will likely watch Harvest Hill’s performance as a bellwether for the viability of hybrid management‑production models in the evolving entertainment ecosystem.

Jake Weiner Exiting Good Fear to Launch Production, Management Firm Harvest Hill Entertainment (Exclusive)

By Borys Kit · Senior Film Writer · February 17, 2026 · 2:20 pm · Image: Jake Weiner and Harvest Hill Entertainment logo (Courtesy of Walt Disney Co.)

After a 25‑year partnership with producer Chris Bender, longtime producer and manager Jake Weiner has exited the firm he co‑founded and is launching his own management and production company, Harvest Hill Entertainment.

Weiner is starting his new venture with a muscular list of working clients, including writers such as Academy Award‑nominee Allison Schroeder (Hidden Figures, Minecraft), New York Times bestselling novelist Jennifer Weiner (The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits), and Paul Haapaniemi (Netflix’s Ransom Canyon). He also represents filmmakers David Robert Mitchell (It Follows) and Julian Higgins (God’s Country); documentary filmmaker Clay Tweel (Gleason); and writers/podcast creators Jake Emanuel and Willie Block (The Reunion).

On the roster are also emerging voices, including playwright/screenwriter Kaley Roth Mamo (Shells), filmmakers Zoe Simone (At Night), Reid Antin (It Will Devour You), and Jake Remington ($$$).

Weiner will also share select clients with Good Fear, and will co‑manage Kirill Sokolov (the upcoming They Will Kill You) and Carly Stone (North of Normal).

“Harvest Hill is the street I grew up on and where my passion for storytelling began,” Weiner said in a statement. “I’m excited to be working with such an incredible group of clients who are telling bold, original stories, and I look forward to finding and championing new voices.”

Weiner and Bender first worked together at early‑2000s firm Benderspink, racking up numerous credits as that firm evolved into Good Fear. The movies the duo produced ranged from David Cronenberg’s A History of Violence and Ryan Reynolds rom‑com Just Friends to Amy Adam rom‑com Leap Year and thriller Under the Silver Lake, to Disney’s live‑action take on Mulan. They most recently produced Amazon’s Dave Bautista family action comedies My Spy and My Spy: Eternal City.

“This has been an incredible journey with Chris and more recently, our other partner Scott Stoops,” continued Weiner. “We built a company that sought out and embraced new voices and helped launch their careers. We made some amazing films and TV that I’m so proud of and still rewatch with a smile. I’ve met some phenomenal people on projects who have become close friends. I’ve traveled the world from New Zealand to Regina, Saskatchewan and loved every minute. Most importantly, over the past two and a half decades, Chris Bender and I have been there for each other through all of the ups and downs of life. And while I’m headed down a different path, we have plenty we’ll be working on together.”

Several projects are already in motion. They are executive‑producing Flowervale Street, the newest thriller from Mitchell slated for an Aug. 14 release from Warner Bros., starring Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor with J.J. Abrams producing. They are also set to produce Mitchell’s sequel to his critically acclaimed horror movie It Follows, titled They Follow, slated to go into production this June for Neon.

Weiner will remain attached with Bender to many of the projects developed at Good Fear, including Care Bears at Warner Bros. with GoldDay and They’re Still Here at New Regency with Phantom Four.

“For more than two decades, Jake Weiner has been an invaluable and trusted creative partner, and one of the best people I know,” stated Bender. “I’m deeply grateful for everything we’ve experienced together, so much over the years, and I’m excited for our many creative collaborations to come. Harvest Hill will no doubt be a great success, and his clients could not be in better hands.”