LOS ANGELES/LAS VEGAS—For adult industry powerhouse Wicked Pictures, 2016 will be remembered as a year of unwavering commitment to brand identity. The company stayed true to its core vision as a purveyor of large-scale entertainment for couples, treating audiences to such hits as Stormy Daniels' Wicked/Adam & Eve co-production Wanted and blockbuster parodies like Peter Pan XXX: An Axel Braun Parody. This tradition of excellence was rewarded Saturday evening, January 23, when the company received a dozen glittering prizes at the 2016 AVN Awards Show, dominating the Best Drama and Movie of the Year categories for the third year in a row.
The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino’s famed music venue The Joint provided an ideal backdrop for the star-studded gala, which saw hitmaker Axel Braun’s Wicked Fairy Tales hit Peter Pan XXX: An Axel Braun Parody earning Movie of the Year, Best Parody, Best Director - Parody and Best Supporting Actor (Steven St. Croix). The stylish blockbuster is only the second spoof in AVN history to win both Best Parody and Movie of the Year, a record it shares with last year’s 24 XXX: An Axel Braun Parody. At the 2014 Awards, Wicked snared Movie of the Year honors with Brad Armstrong’s darkly erotic fantasy Underworld.
Turning to the director's Wicked Comix franchise, Kleio Valentien received Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Harley Quinn in Batman v Superman XXX: An Axel Braun Parody. The movie was also honored with Best Screenplay (Axel Braun & Mark Logan), Best Art Direction, Best Makeup and Best Special Effects.
Looking at the host of trophies earned by Braun, Wicked Pictures President and owner Steve Orenstein observed, “Axel has just completed his second year with Wicked, and we’re thrilled to see he has continued his winning ways with us. He created the Wicked Fairy Tales and Wicked Comix lines, and continues to create innovative productions. We look forward to the surprises he brings us in the future.”
Veteran Wicked writer, director, and contract star Stormy Daniels’ sprawling western epic Wanted set records of its own, snaring the gifted filmmaker her first Best Drama award, as well a Best Soundtrack trophy for co-star/musician Brendon Miller and his talented collaborators, the Wicked Outlaws. Eight years in the making, Wanted was a true passion project for the industry icon and the first collaborative production from Wicked and Adam & Eve since the 1990s.
Regarding Ms. Daniels’ impressive achievement, Orenstein said, “Stormy has been exclusive with Wicked for about 14 years and has won more awards than we can count over that time for her standout movies. Wanted is a great show with fantastic performances and mainstream quality production design. We thank the reviewers for recognizing Stormy and her movie, and we’re pleased to share this award with Adam & Eve, who co-produced the movie with us.”
The evening came to a rousing conclusion as contract superstar and sex educator Jessica Drake received the Mainstream Star of the Year award in recognition of her tireless work as a thoughtful and compassionate industry spokesperson, global humanitarian and sexual wellness authority.
It is with tremendous gratitude that Wicked Pictures thanks AVN’s veteran editors and insightful reviewers for awards which speak not only to its legacy as a premiere producer of contemporary adult features, but its efficacy in satisfying evolving audience needs.
For more, please visit Wicked.com.
