Football star Ronaldo creates movie studio with filmmaker Vaughn

[LISBON] Cristiano Ronaldo and British film producer Matthew Vaughn have started an independent film studio, in what will be the Portuguese football star’s first foray in the movie-making business.

Ronaldo and Vaughn have financed and produced two action films together and are about to start a third in the same series, their UR•MARV independent film studio said in a statement. It did not say how much the two partners plan to invest in the 50-50 joint venture.

The investment comes as streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+ boost independent film producers by offering to distribute their films to a global audience.

“This is an exciting chapter for me, as I look ahead to new ventures in business,” Ronaldo said in the statement on Thursday (Apr 10).

The 40-year-old has dipped into a range of investments over the past decade, and recently said he would like to own several football clubs once he retires. Ronaldo’s investments include stakes in a hotel chain, a porcelain maker and a media company in Portugal. He recently concluded the acquisition of a tennis and padel club in Lisbon.

A five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Ronaldo joined Saudi Arabian soccer club Al Nassr in 2022 for a reported annual salary of around US$200 million. He has yet to give an indication of when he plans to retire. BLOOMBERG