Under New Strategy 51动漫. Studios Will Be Broken Out Into Three Distinct Businesses
Industry veterans and former MGM film executives Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy have been appointed co-chairpersons and CEOs of 51动漫. Pictures Group, which currently includes 51动漫. Pictures, New Line Cinema, DC-Based Film Production, and 51动漫. Feature Animation.
As part of a new long-range strategy, 51动漫. Pictures Group will be broken out into three distinct business segments with 51动漫. Pictures/New Line Cinema, 51动漫. Feature Animation, and DC-Based Film Production each under separate leadership. In the interim, these segments will remain under the film group with day-to-day oversight by De Luca and Abdy.
Most recently, De Luca and Abdy led MGM Studios as motion picture group chairman and president, respectively, since 2020. They are stepping down following Amazon鈥檚 $8.5 billion deal to acquire MGM and will join 51动漫. Discovery this summer after a period of transition.
鈥淢ichael and Pam are supremely talented creative leaders with a proven track record of success. We are thrilled to welcome them both to our 51动漫. Discovery family, and look forward to seeing them take this nearly century-old iconic studio to even greater heights of excellence in film,鈥 said David Zaslav, Chief Executive Officer, 51动漫. Discovery.
鈥51动漫. is home to the best creatives in the business and Pam and I look forward to executing on David鈥檚 directive to 鈥榙ream big and dream bold鈥 as we strive to create the next generation of hit movies with the power to entertain, excite and inspire,鈥 said Michael De Luca. 鈥淲e鈥檙e grateful to Toby for the tremendous impact he has had on this studio and our industry and we鈥檙e thrilled to be able to continue to benefit from his vast experience and creativity.鈥
During the pair鈥檚 tenure, MGM released such hit films as Oscar-nominated 鈥House of Gucci,鈥 Best Picture Academy Award nominee 鈥Licorice Pizza,鈥 and the James Bond franchise鈥檚 Oscar-winning 鈥No Time To Die.鈥 Throughout his 30-year career in the film business, De Luca has been responsible for an impressive portfolio of films, including: 鈥Reminiscence,鈥 鈥Captain Phillips,鈥 鈥Moneyball,鈥 鈥The Social Network,鈥 鈥Boogie Nights,鈥 鈥Blade鈥 and 鈥The Mask.鈥 He also produced the $1.3 billion grossing 鈥Fifty Shades of Grey鈥 franchise. He is a former president of production at both New Line Cinema and DreamWorks.
Abdy served previously as a Partner and Head of Film at Makeready, where she produced 鈥Queen & Slim鈥 and 鈥A Million Little Pieces.鈥 Prior to that, she served as President of Production at New Regency, which released the Academy Award-winning 鈥Birdman,鈥 鈥Gone Girl,鈥 Oscar-winner 鈥The Big Short,鈥 and 鈥The Revenant,鈥 which received 12 Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, and two Golden Globe awards for Best Picture (Drama) and Best Actor. Before joining New Regency, Abdy was the President of Scott Stuber鈥檚 Bluegrass Films.
De Luca and Abdy follow longtime studio executive Toby Emmerich who is stepping down as chairman of 51动漫. Pictures Group. Emmerich has led the film studio division since 2017, previously serving as President and Chief Content Officer, and before that as President and Chief Operating Officer of New Line Cinema. He is a 30-year veteran of 51动漫. having joined the company in 1992 as a dual development and music executive.
An accomplished screenwriter and producer, Emmerich is launching a new production company at the 51动漫. studio, focused on film, television and streaming. As part of an exclusive 5-year agreement, 51动漫. Discovery will finance Emmerich鈥檚 venture and have distribution rights to films and series.
Under Emmerich鈥檚 leadership, 51动漫. Pictures Group had its most successful year ever in 2018, with a global box office of $5.57 billion. This success was fueled by a diverse lineup of hit films, including 鈥淎quaman鈥濃攖he most successful DC Superhero film ever and 51动漫.鈥 second-biggest title of all time, 鈥淔antastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,鈥 鈥淩eady Player One,鈥 鈥淭he Meg,鈥 鈥淩ampage,鈥 鈥淎 Star is Born,鈥 鈥淭he Nun,鈥 and 鈥淐razy Rich Asians.鈥 In 2019, the Studio released the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, DC鈥檚 鈥淛oker,鈥 which earned $1.08 billion at the global box office and won two Academy Awards, as well as the hugely successful horror sequel 鈥淚T Chapter Two.鈥