Times are tough when even an A-list actor who pulls down $40 million paydays can’t make a go of it as a producer
Just four years after launching Wild State, Chris Hemsworth is shuttering his production company, following what has been described by sources familiar with the situation as a fraught few months.
Earlier this month, Wild State staffers received word — first from Hemsworth’s CAA agent Ida Ziniti and attorney Matt Galsor and then from the “Avengers” star himself — that they would be paid through the end of 2026.
asserted
they → pull → 2026
The company’s website has a blank page that says “expired.”
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that → have → page
How an outifit with plenty of options — including a potential partnership backed by Saudi money — could dissolve has left even insiders perplexed.
uncertain
dissolve → include → insiders
Naturally, the finger pointing has begun.
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pointing → begin → ?
Some blame Wild State co-founder Benjamin Grayson, who allegedly paid himself handsomely but had a very thin development slate to show for it.
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who → blame → it
(We hear he enjoyed a seven-figure salary and received four pay bumps over four years.)
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he → hear → years
Others blame CAA and Ziniti for wanting Hemsworth to focus on the big acting paydays rather than his low-reward side hustle as a producer.
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Hemsworth → blame → producer
(Can you blame them?)
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you → blame → them
Sources tell Page Six Hollywood that Ziniti steered Hemsworth away from a $3 million partnership offer from Erik Feig’s Arena SNK Studios — a company swimming in cash after Saudi leader Mohammed bin Salman reportedly invested $1 billion of the Kingdom’s money in the startup.
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Salman → tell → startup
An insider dubs Hemsworth’s decision to close up shop “more of a life choice,” and says he is proud of what they’ve accomplished with the company’s projects.
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they → dub → projects
When reached for comment, Grayson said, “Let me go to [Hemsworth’s publicist] Robin Baum, and then I can return your call.”
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I → reach → call
He never did, nor did Baum.
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Baum → do → ?
CAA declined comment.
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CAA → decline → comment
Trouble has been brewing at Wild State for some time.
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Trouble → brew → time
Soon after the company’s inception in 2022, Hemsworth and Grayson announced a first-look deal with National Geographic for unscripted projects — a continuation of a relationship that had already yielded a shark doc and the three-season series “Limitless” about the secrets of superagers.
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that → announce → superagers
(Presumably both are topics of interest to the Fitmaxxing Aussie, but neither scream “big commission.”
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neither → scream → commission
The following year, Wild State entered into a “strategic partnership” with Artists Equity, the company founded by Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and RedBird Capital’s Gerry Cardinale.
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State → enter → Affleck
At the time, Affleck enthused: “We look forward to collaborating with Wild State as we expand our reach in storytelling.”
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we → enthuse → storytelling
But the deal expired last year and wasn’t renewed.
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deal → expire → ?
Not a single notable project — film or TV — emerged from that deal.
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project → emerge → deal
Sources say there were Artists Equity-Wild State projects that had begun to gain momentum.
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that → say → momentum
But every time, Hemsworth had to commit to another movie outside of the deal.
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Hemsworth → have → deal
While Damon and Affleck remain friends with Hemsworth, a knowledgeable source suggested that Artists Equity learned its lesson and will likely avoid entering into another similar arrangement in the future.
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Equity → remain → future
“There’s a little bit of a perspective that Chris only works for the money now.
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Chris → ’ → money
It’s about whoever will pay him the most,” the source adds.
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source → ’ → most
(Back in July, we told you that Hemsworth will receive $40 million for the two upcoming “Avengers” films, which were shot back to back.
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which → tell → back
Around the time of Amazon’s “Crime 101” release in April, Wild State began shopping for a new deal.
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State → begin → deal
After being rebuffed by several major studios, Hemsworth and Grayson opted to go the private equity route.
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Hemsworth → rebuff → route
Sources say they met with a few major players in town including Peter Chernin’s North Road Company.
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they → say → Company
Then, things began looking up.
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things → begin → ?
Earlier this year, Wild State secured a $3 million offer from SNK Studios, the film production banner launched in October 2025.
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State → secure → October
But the actor got cold feet.
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actor → get → feet
Sources say Hemsworth sat on a term sheet for an overall deal for months as Wild State began to unravel.
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State → say → months
At the same time, Hemsworth appeared to be pursuing a side gig far more lucrative than producing: Entrepreneurship and brand integration.
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Hemsworth → appear → gig
Last month, the “Thor” star officially acquired a stake in Archie Rose Distilling Co., Australia’s premier indie craft distillery.
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star → acquire → Co.
Major brands have been looking to hitch their logos to Hemsworth for some time.
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brands → look → time
We hear that he landed an eight-figure commitment for a multi-year branding deal from a prominent Fortune 500 company.
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he → hear → company
It is unclear if that deal will come to fruition.
uncertain
deal → come → fruition
Either way, Hemsworth the actor is mighty busy and well compensated.
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Hemsworth → compensate → ?
He is currently shooting Netflix’s “Extraction 3.”
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He → shoot → Extraction
…and 2 more, not listed.
The Aporia
