Strong Leaves Anabolic/Diabolic for Platinum X Pictures

Director/performer John Strong today left Anabolic/Diabolic for Platinum X Pictures, Platinum X announced.

Strong will direct exclusively for Platinum X and will perform exclusively for Platinum X and sister company Red Light District, Platinum X co-founder Michael Stefano told AVN.com.

Stefano said that unlike at Anabolic/Diabolic, Strong will own his titles at Platinum X.

“I’m definitely excited and happy to be with the best performers and the best directors in the business and to own my own movies,” Strong said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for me and I’m looking forward to doing lots of things for Platinum and Red Light.”

Strong said he will direct one title a month for Platinum X, the first of which, as-yet untitled, is scheduled to street in late August. “I’m going to continue shooting what I’m known for — the hardcore nasty sex,” he said.

Stefano said Strong will be signing a formal contract with Platinum, probably for an initial one-year term.

“I’ve known John for seven years now,” Stefano said. “We both started in the industry about the same time. He’s a good guy and I think an asset for Red Light and Platinum. He’s a great performer and a great director. He has the whole thing in one package.”

Strong has performed in some 300 or so hard-edge titles since 1998. He began directing in 2002 and has about 15 of so credits to his name for Anabolic/Diabolic, including volumes of A2M, Double Stuffed, Bring 'um Young, Down the Hatch, Incumming, and Initiations

Strong joins a stable of directors/performers at Platinum X that includes Stefano, AVN’s reigning Male Performer of the Year, Brandon Iron, Steve Holmes and Sean Michaels. Platinum X co-founder Jewel De’Nyle also directs for the company, but recently retired from performing.

Strong said he gave notice to Anabolic/Diabolic this morning. In his meeting with Chris Alexander, he was asked, “What would it take to keep you here, because we do respect your hard work?” His response was that it would have to be an ownership deal.

Alexander requested Strong wait till Diabolic president Greg Allen was reached. Alexander thought this would hold, until, “I read this story on AVN.com and I guess he made up his mind.”

Alexander added, “Quite often the grass may appear greener on the other side of the fence. We wish John Strong well and hopefully, this business decision that he’s made fulfills his expectations.”

Strong is the latest in a string of directors to leave Anabolic/Diabolic in the last two years at least in part because they didn’t own their titles there. Directors who exited before him included Lexington Steele, Mike John and Eric Everhard. All three went over to Red Light District, where they own their own titles. Steele has since left Red Light to form his own company, Mercenary Pictures.

On a related note, Stefano said that starting in September, Platinum X will go from six releases a month to eight.