Reliable sources indicate that Morton Jankel Zander, Rocky Morton's production home and the West Coast headquartered outfit, will be setting up a London office on its own.
Soho had fomerly been ablaze with rumours of deals between MJZ and local shops, and executive producer David Zander was linked persistently to Spectre's Bertie Miller.
The decision to go it alone will result in Spike Jonze, Dante Ariola and Kuntz & Maguire - whom MJZ snapped up in the wake of Propaganda's demise - signing off from Jani Guest and Richard Packer's London arm of Propaganda, once MJZ's London office is operational.
Guest indicates that she and Packer are in talks with a number of American production companies about representing other directors.
The company, whose new name is yet to be announced, is this week hosting a job for Lowe Lintas being directed by Kuntz & Maguire.
Zander is expected to make a formal announcement as to his European expansion plans, which are thought to involve representation deals with leading production companies in other European cities, next week.
Meanwhile, Spectre, albeit without a deal with MJZ on the table, has poached Rory Rooney from London production company Godman where his work included spots for Renault, Batchelors, Carte D'Or and workthing.com.
Rooney cut his teeth working as Tony Kaye's assistant, researching, casting and second unit directing spots for Nike (Wieden & Kennedy), Volvo (AMV) and Reebok (Lowes). He directed a test film for style magazine The Face, which scored him a place in the shots New Directors showcase, leading to a signing with Mustard (at that time known as The Directory).
