What Astral Plane does

Astral Plane is a privately held, Los Angeles-based film and television production company founded in 2019 and led by President Mike Stern. It produces socially-conscious thriller and horror content for theatrical and streaming distribution. Its commercial portfolio centers on the feature film Mid-Century, which received a limited theatrical release via Lionsgate in 2022 and is now available on Amazon Prime Video and Peacock; Mid-Century won Best Picture, Best Director (Sonja O'Hara), and Best Supporting Actor (Bruce Dern) at the 2022 IFS Los Angeles Film Festival and is certified fresh by Rotten Tomatoes Top Critics. Additional projects include The Dregs (comedic horror-thriller in post-production with Stephen Lang, Nava Mau, Piper Curda, and Oscar-nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo), three features in active development (Maybe You're the One, And Hell Followed With Him, Night Terrors), and television projects including the Untitled Treasure Hunt Series being co-written for AMC Networks and American Horseman (adapted from the NPR podcast 'Ride of Passage').

The company has no disclosed external funding and operates with approximately 12 employees, sourcing work exclusively through referral and industry relationships rather than open solicitation. Its business model combines one-time theatrical licensing (Lionsgate) with streaming licensing royalties (Amazon Prime, Peacock) and television development agreements (AMC Networks). Mike Stern, a WGA screenwriter and former story analyst at Sony, WME, Broken Road Productions, Signature, and Resolution, is the central creative and operational driver. Distribution reach is global via streaming platforms but domestic for theatrical. The company owns no patents, proprietary technology, or AI capabilities; its competitive basis is creator talent, industry relationships, and an award-recognized content library.

Name

Astral Plane

Legal name

Astral Plane

Website

https://astralplanefilms.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Astral Plane is a Los Angeles-based, privately held film and television production company founded in 2019, producing socially-conscious thrillers for theatrical and streaming distribution through Lionsgate, Amazon Prime, Peacock, and AMC Networks, led by President Mike Stern.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Theatrical Distribution: Mid-Century had a limited theatrical release distributed by Lionsgate.
2. Streaming Licensing: Mid-Century is now streaming on Amazon Prime. Content is licensed to streaming platforms for distribution.
3. Streaming Licensing (Peacock): Mid-Century is available on Peacock streaming platform.
4. Television/Series Development: Developing television content including co-writing the Untitled Treasure Hunt Series for AMC Networks and executive producing American Horseman.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Astral Plane is a Los Angeles-based independent film and television production company that develops, produces, and licenses socially-conscious feature films and TV content. The company's flagship film Mid-Century won Best Picture at the 2022 IFS Los Angeles Film Festival, received a limited theatrical release by Lionsgate, and is currently streaming on Amazon Prime and Peacock. Astral Plane operates on a referral-only basis and is actively developing additional feature films and a television series for AMC Networks.

Product overview

Astral Plane is a Los Angeles-based film and television production company operated by Mike Stern (President). The company produces feature films and television content. Their portfolio includes: the award-winning feature film 'Mid-Century' (distributed by Lionsgate, streaming on Amazon Prime), 'The Dregs' (in post-production), and several projects in active development including 'American Horseman' (TV adaptation of NPR podcast), 'First Motion Picture Unit' (TV project for AMC Networks), and feature films 'Maybe You're the One', 'And Hell Followed With Him', and 'Night Terrors'. The company operates exclusively by referral and does not accept unsolicited materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mid-Century Critically acclaimed social thriller film directed by Sonja O'Hara, starring Stephen Lang, Shane West, Bruce Dern, Sarah Hay, Chelsea Gilligan, and Mike Stern. Won Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor at the 2022 IFS Los Angeles Film Festival and is certified fresh by Rotten Tomatoes Top Critics. Licensed for theatrical distribution (Lionsgate) and streaming (Amazon Prime, Peacock).
• The Dregs Comedic horror-thriller feature film starring Stephen Lang (Avatar), Nava Mau (Baby Reindeer), Piper Curda (Hopper), and Oscar-nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo. Currently in post-production.
• American Horseman Television project based on the acclaimed NPR public radio podcast 'Ride of Passage' about 24-year-old Matt Parker's solo horseback ride across the United States. Executive produced by Astral Plane.
• First Motion Picture Unit Television project about two Golden Age Hollywood hotshots (Sam Starling and Ronald Reagan) taken off Casablanca by studio boss Jack Warner to create The First Motion Picture Unit during WWII. Based on the forthcoming book by Major Douglas A. Cunningham, USAF (Ret.).
• Maybe You're the One Feature film actively in development by Astral Plane and written by Mike Stern.
• And Hell Followed With Him Feature film actively in development by Astral Plane.
• Night Terrors Feature film actively in development by Astral Plane.
• Untitled Treasure Hunt Series Television series co-written by Mike Stern for AMC Networks, currently in development.

Quantifiable outcome

• Best Picture winner at 2022 IFS Los Angeles Film Festival
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• PeacockcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2023Mid-Century is available for streaming on Peacock, NBCUniversal's streaming platform, expanding digital distribution reach.
• LionsgatecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2022Lionsgate distributed Mid-Century with a limited theatrical release. Lionsgate is a major independent film studio with extensive theatrical distribution capabilities.
• Amazon PrimecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2022Mid-Century is streaming on Amazon Prime Video, providing wide digital distribution reach to the platform's subscriber base.
• AMC NetworkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAstral Plane is co-writing the Untitled Treasure Hunt Series for AMC Networks, representing a significant television development partnership.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• STX Entertainment: Independent film and television production/distribution company working across theatrical, home entertainment, and streaming. Comparable broad GTM across platforms versus Astral Plane's narrower production-only model.
• Lionsgate: Major independent studio and distributor with broad film and television portfolio. Comparable as Astral Plane's theatrical distribution partner and as a larger incumbent with which Astral Plane competes for indie film and series commissions.

Direct peers

• A24: Independent film and television production company known for distinctive, critically acclaimed content with festival pedigree. Comparable as a small-to-mid sized production outfit prioritizing quality and awards recognition over scale.
• Participant Media: Independent film/TV production company focused on socially-conscious content that drives social impact. Most directly comparable given Astral Plane's stated mission of producing socially-conscious cinema emphasizing change and possibility.
• Annapurna Pictures: Independent film production and distribution company focused on auteur-driven, critically acclaimed cinema. Comparable operating model producing one-off features and limited series for major platforms.
• Blumhouse Productions: Independent production company specializing in horror and thriller content, including comedic horror-thrillers like Astral Plane's The Dregs. Operates a lean production model on similarly modest budgets.
• Neon: Independent film production and distribution company with a track record of festival hits and awards success. Comparable distribution strategy for limited theatrical releases of mid-budget indie features like Mid-Century.
• FilmNation Entertainment: Independent production and distribution company focused on premium feature films and television series. Comparable pipeline of mid-budget films sold to streaming platforms and networks.
• Roadside Attractions: Independent film distribution company specializing in limited theatrical releases of mid-budget features. Comparable distribution path for prestige indie films like Mid-Century.
• Plan B Entertainment: Independent production company developing feature films and television with strong talent attachments. Comparable model of producing prestige content with established actors and filmmakers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/astral-plane

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Astral Plane