Private capital is reshaping Hollywood moviemaking

A view of the Hollywood sign, in Hollywood, California, Sept. 30, 2025.Mario Tama | Getty ImagesAt the Toronto International Film Festival last month, audiences saw "Wicked" star Cynthia Erivo return to the big screen for her newest movie, "Prima Facie."Behind the scenes, there was a notable difference. While "Wicked" was a massive Universal undertaking, Erivo's new movie was produced in part by Camelback Productions, a smaller Hollywood venture aiming to fund independent film, according to CEO Anita Verma-Lallian. She's one of many private investors who are betting big on Hollywood as the moviegoing landscape shifts and a handful of indie films catch fire."It's a different point of view to invest in these projects," Verma-Lallian said. "It's been so hard for people that are not in Hollywood to get into the industry ... We've been able to fund stories that otherwise would have had a hard time getting greenlit by the traditional studio system."Camelback has also produced films "Doin' It" and "Runner," with stars such as Lilly Singh and Owen Wilson.Big blockbuster films such as this year's "The Odyssey" and "The Devil Wears Prada 2" are still the domain of legacy Hollywood studios. B...