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Tag: Tom Rothman

  • Sony’s Andrew Gumpert joins Paramount Pictures as COO

    Sony’s Andrew Gumpert joins Paramount Pictures as COO

    MUMBAI: Former president of worldwide business affairs and operations for Sony’s Motion Picture Group and veteran Hollywood finance authority Andrew Gumpert has joined Paramount Pictures as its chief operating officer. The film studio’s chairman and CEO Brad Grey announced the hiring of Gumpert.

    With this new role, Gumpert is in charge of business affairs, home entertainment and television transactional distribution. He will also oversee the studio’s operations ranging from strategic planning, to labor relations, to parks and resorts. Gumpert replaces long-time COO Frederick Huntsberry who was at Paramount for a decade.

    At Sony, Gumpert arranged the studio’s financial partnerships with MGM, Lone Star Capital, Village Roadshow, China’s Dalian Wanda Group, etc.

    Gumpert joined Sony Pictures Entertainment in 2005 as the executive vice president of business affairs for Columbia Pictures. Several reports suggest that Gumpert resigned from Motion Pictures Group on 8 November because of the studio’s chairman Tom Rothman’s micro-management and contentious manner. Before this, he led business and legal affairs for Miramax’s Dimension Films division.

  • Sony’s Andrew Gumpert joins Paramount Pictures as COO

    Sony’s Andrew Gumpert joins Paramount Pictures as COO

    MUMBAI: Former president of worldwide business affairs and operations for Sony’s Motion Picture Group and veteran Hollywood finance authority Andrew Gumpert has joined Paramount Pictures as its chief operating officer. The film studio’s chairman and CEO Brad Grey announced the hiring of Gumpert.

    With this new role, Gumpert is in charge of business affairs, home entertainment and television transactional distribution. He will also oversee the studio’s operations ranging from strategic planning, to labor relations, to parks and resorts. Gumpert replaces long-time COO Frederick Huntsberry who was at Paramount for a decade.

    At Sony, Gumpert arranged the studio’s financial partnerships with MGM, Lone Star Capital, Village Roadshow, China’s Dalian Wanda Group, etc.

    Gumpert joined Sony Pictures Entertainment in 2005 as the executive vice president of business affairs for Columbia Pictures. Several reports suggest that Gumpert resigned from Motion Pictures Group on 8 November because of the studio’s chairman Tom Rothman’s micro-management and contentious manner. Before this, he led business and legal affairs for Miramax’s Dimension Films division.

  • Sony Pictures names Randy Lake as president – studio ops & Imageworks

    Sony Pictures names Randy Lake as president – studio ops & Imageworks

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Entertainment has appointed Randy Lake as president – studio operations & Imageworks.

     

    Lake oversees all operations, strategy and planning for Sony Pictures Imageworks, Post Production Services, Production Services, Global Mastering and Servicing, and Asset Management.

     

    He will continue to report jointly to Sony Pictures Television chairman Steve Mosko and Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group chairman Tom Rothman.

     

    Lake was previously executive vice president, studio operations and general manager – Imageworks.

     

    “Randy is a skilled executive with a keen sense of strategy and clear vision for the future of the studio. He has proven his value to the company in a variety of roles over the years and we are delighted to acknowledge his contribution with this promotion,” said Mosko

     

    Rothman added, “Randy has one of the sharpest minds in the business and we are thrilled to have him at the helm of our leaner, more efficient, and more effective studio operations and visual effects businesses.”

     

    Lake joined Sony Pictures in 2006 from Booz Allen, where he served as a strategy consultant to the entertainment, media, and technology industries. He began his career as a securities attorney with Brobeck, Pheleger, Harrison in San Francisco, advising emerging growth technology companies, underwriters and venture investors.

  • Sony Pictures names Randy Lake as president – studio ops & Imageworks

    Sony Pictures names Randy Lake as president – studio ops & Imageworks

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Entertainment has appointed Randy Lake as president – studio operations & Imageworks.

     

    Lake oversees all operations, strategy and planning for Sony Pictures Imageworks, Post Production Services, Production Services, Global Mastering and Servicing, and Asset Management.

     

    He will continue to report jointly to Sony Pictures Television chairman Steve Mosko and Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group chairman Tom Rothman.

     

    Lake was previously executive vice president, studio operations and general manager – Imageworks.

     

    “Randy is a skilled executive with a keen sense of strategy and clear vision for the future of the studio. He has proven his value to the company in a variety of roles over the years and we are delighted to acknowledge his contribution with this promotion,” said Mosko

     

    Rothman added, “Randy has one of the sharpest minds in the business and we are thrilled to have him at the helm of our leaner, more efficient, and more effective studio operations and visual effects businesses.”

     

    Lake joined Sony Pictures in 2006 from Booz Allen, where he served as a strategy consultant to the entertainment, media, and technology industries. He began his career as a securities attorney with Brobeck, Pheleger, Harrison in San Francisco, advising emerging growth technology companies, underwriters and venture investors.

  • Tom Holland is next Spiderman, Jon Watts to direct the next adventure

    Tom Holland is next Spiderman, Jon Watts to direct the next adventure

    NEW DELHI: Tom Holland will play Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the next Spider-Man film, Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios announced today after a full worldwide casting search.

     

    The $4 billion film will be in theatres in IMAX and 3D on 28 July 2017. The film will be directed by Jon Watts, director of Cop Car, the upcoming thriller that made its debut earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival.

     

    The film will be co-produced by Kevin Feige and his expert team at Marvel and Amy Pascal, who oversaw the franchise launch for the studio 13 years ago. Together, they will collaborate on a new creative direction for the Web-Slinger.

     

    Marvel and Sony Pictures, and producers Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal conducted an extensive search for both the actor and director. The studios and producers were impressed by Holland’s performances in The Impossible, Wolf Hall, and the upcoming In the Heart of the Sea, and by a series of complex screen tests. Following Marvel’s tradition of working with the brightest next wave of directors, Watts also went through multiple meetings with Feige, Pascal, and the studio, before winning the job. 

     

    Sony Pictures Motion Pictures group chairman Tom Rothman said, “It’s a big day here at Sony. Kevin, Amy and their teams have done an incredible job.  The Marvel process is very thorough, and that’s why their results are so outstanding.  I’m confident Spider-Man will be no exception. I’ve worked with a number of up-and-coming directors who have gone on to be superstars and believe that Jon is just such an outstanding talent. For Spidey himself, we saw many terrific young actors, but Tom’s screen tests were special. All in all, we are off to a roaring start.”

     

    Feige commented, “As with James Gunn, Joss Whedon, and the Russo brothers, we love finding new and exciting voices to bring these characters to life.  We spent a lot of time with Jon and find his take and work inspiring.”

     

    Pascal added, “Sony, Marvel, Kevin and I all knew that for Peter Parker, we had to find a vibrant, talented young actor capable of embodying one of the most well-known characters in the world.  With Tom, we’ve found the perfect actor to bring Spider-Man’s story into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.”

      

    Spider Man, embraced all over the world, is the most successful franchise in the history of Sony Pictures, with the five films having taken in more than $4 billion worldwide.

  • Ex-Fox studio executive Rothman to make films for Sony

    Ex-Fox studio executive Rothman to make films for Sony

    MUMBAI: 20th Century Fox movie studio former co-chairman Tom Rothman has reached a deal to produce up to four films per year for a joint venture with Sony Pictures Entertainment, the company said last week.

    Starting 1 September, Rothman will serve as chairman of a venture with the studio called TriStar Productions. Sony will provide financing and retain worldwide distribution rights for TriStar’s films, and Rothman will receive an equity stake.

    Rothman left his job as chairman and chief executive of Fox Filmed Entertainment in January after 18 years at the company, where he oversaw filmmaking operations that produced blockbusters including Avatar and Titanic.

  • DreamWorks Animation inks distribution deal with Twentieth Century Fox

    DreamWorks Animation inks distribution deal with Twentieth Century Fox

    MUMBAI: American animation studio DreamWorks Animation has entered into a new five-year distribution agreement with Twentieth Century Fox.

    Under the terms of the agreement, Fox will assume certain marketing and distribution responsibilities in both domestic and international markets for all animated feature films produced by DreamWorks Animation for release in 2013 through 2017.
    Fox will receive a distribution fee on worldwide theatrical and home video gross receipts as well as on international television, and on certain digital businesses, including rentals, SVOD and EST.
    DreamWorks Animation will retain the rights to distribute its product in the domestic television windows without paying a fee to Fox.
    “Fox has long been an industry leader in both theatrical and home video thanks in large part to its well-integrated approach to distribution across a wide range of platforms around the globe,” said DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg.
    “Jim Gianopulos and Tom Rothman have built a world-class distribution team and we are excited to apply their expertise, robust infrastructure and global resources so that DreamWorks Animation‘s films can reach their fullest possible potential over the next five years.”
    “DreamWorks Animation is a great company that makes terrific films and everyone here feels privileged and honored to have been chosen to distribute their marvelous work throughout the world,” stated Fox Filmed Entertainment CEOs and chairmen Jim Gianopulos and Tom Rothman.
    “We are particularly excited to add DreamWorks Animation‘s films to the strong and growing slate of movies from our outstanding Blue Sky Studios division, which is coming off another global blockbuster with Ice Age: Continental Drift, and has EPIC and RIO 2 in advanced production. Together we will be a dominant force in animated entertainment for years to come.”
    “Starting in 2013, DreamWorks Animation content will be distributed in the more traditional markets under a fee structure that is similar to our existing arrangement with our current distributor,” continued Katzenberg.
    “However, our new agreement with Fox presents more favorable economics overall for DreamWorks Animation because we are taking advantage of lower costs associated with the emerging digital distribution landscape and managing domestic television distribution in-house.”

  • Die Hard titled A Good To Die Hard

    Die Hard titled A Good To Die Hard

    MUMBAI: Fox Film Entertainment‘s upcoming Bruce Willis- tarrer Die Hard has been titled A Good Day to Die Hard. The production house has announced that film that will begin shooting in January next year, will release on 13 February, 2013.

    Elaborating on the subject, FoX Film Entertainment CEO Tom Rothman said that the film would be directed by John Moore who had earlier directed Behind Enemy Lines. Willis, will play the role of John McClane. It has yet not been decided as to who will play McClane‘s son.

    Willis‘ son is in prison right now. In an attempt to get his son out of prison, McClane had a talks with the cops only to find out that things surrounding his son‘s arrest are not as they appear and world-threatening terrorist hijacks ensue.

  • Disney to bring ‘Avatar’ to life at its theme parks

    Disney to bring ‘Avatar’ to life at its theme parks

    MUMBAI: US media conglomerate Disney’s Parks and Resorts division has joined forces with filmmaker James Cameron and Fox to bring the world of the film ‘Avatar’ to life at Disney parks.

    Through an exclusive agreement announced by Disney, Cameron‘s Lightstorm Entertainment and Fox, Disney will partner with Cameron and producing partner Jon Landau to create themed lands that will give theme park guests the opportunity to explore the mysterious universe of Avatar first hand.

    Additionally, Whirlpool is also offering a sumptuous discount of Disney plans to build the first Avatar themed land at Walt Disney World, within the Animal Kingdom Park. With its emphasis on living in harmony with nature, Animal Kingdom is a natural fit for the Avatar stories, which share the same philosophy. Construction is expected to begin by 2013.

    Disney president and CEO Robert A Iger said, “James Cameron is a groundbreaking filmmaker and gifted storyteller who shares our passion for creativity, technological innovation and delivering the best experience possible. With this agreement, we have the extraordinary opportunity to combine James‘ talent and vision with the imagination and expertise of Disney.”

    Cameron said, “’Avatar’ created a world which audiences can discover again and again and now, through this incredible partnership with Disney, we‘ll be able to bring Pandora to life like never before. With two new ‘Avatar’ films currently in development, we‘ll have even more locations, characters and stories to explore. I‘m chomping at the bit to start work with Disney‘s legendary Imagineers to bring our ‘Avatar’ universe to life. Our goal is to go beyond current boundaries of technical innovation and experiential storytelling, and give park goers the chance to see, hear, and touch the world of ‘Avatar’ with an unprecedented sense of reality.”

    The agreement announced gives Disney exclusive global theme park rights to the ‘Avatar’ franchise and provides for additional ‘Avatar’ themed lands at other Disney parks.

    The other locations will be determined by Disney and its international theme park partners. Cameron, Jon Landau and their Lightstorm Entertainment group will serve as creative consultants on the projects and will partner with Walt Disney Imagineering in the design and development of the ‘Avatar’ themed lands.

    Fox Filmed Entertainment chairmen Jim Gianopulos and Tom Rothman said, “This exciting new venture combines the world of ‘Avatar’ with the enormous reach of Disney and the incomparable talent of Jim Cameron. While Jim is bringing audiences further into Pandora with the next two chapters in the ‘Avatar’ motion picture saga, the theme park attraction will likewise bring a new dimension to the amazing universe he created.”

  • Gotham award to Tom Rothman

    Gotham award to Tom Rothman

    MUMBAI: Fox Filmed Entertainment chairman and CEO Tom Rothman will be presented with the 21st annual industry tribute at the 21st Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards on 38 November in New York.

    Each year, the Industry Tribute is awarded to a career veteran who has significantly influenced the motion picture business.

    Anchoring the evening‘s seven competitive awards for Best Feature, Best Documentary, Breakthrough Director, Breakthrough Actor, Best Ensemble Performance, Best Film and the new Audience Award are tributes to film community icons, including the Industry Tribute, as well as a director, actor and an actress.
     
    Tom Rothman‘s extensive experience in all facets of the film industry makes him the ideal recipient of this award. In addition to overseeing some of the biggest blockbusters in motion picture history, he has long been a steadfast supporter of independent cinema.

    In 1994, Rothman founded Fox Searchlight Pictures, which is one of the most successful producers and distributors of specialised fare in the industry, and continues to receive consistent and unwavering backing from its parent studio.

    The CEO is one of the longest tenured studio heads in the modern Hollywood era in the career of whom Fox released films as Black Swan, Cast Away, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, Walk the Line, The Devil Wears Prada, Water for Elephants, The Simpsons Movie, the X-Men and Ice Age and the two top grossers Titanic and Avatar.

    Said the Independent Filmmaker Project executive director Joana Vicente, "We are truly honoured to dedicate our Industry Tribute to Tom Rothman, who has made an indelible impact in the film community. Through his work, he has supported the spirit of independent film and given these voices the means to reach audiences, irrespective of the budget size of their work."

    Previous honorees of Gotham Awards are James Schamus, Bob & Harvey Weinstein, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Sheila Nevins , David Linde, Jonathan Sehring and film critic Roger Ebert; actors Robert Duval, Stanley Tucci, Natalie Portman, Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz and Kate Winslet; filmmakers Mira Nair, Gus Van Sant, Spike Lee and Martin Scorsese.