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Veteran producer Michael De Luca is going back into the executive ranks of the studio world — he has been named president of production for Columbia Pictures at Sony Entertainment.
He will partner with existing production president Hannah Minghella to oversee development and production for the Columbia Pictures label, and he will report to Columbia Pictures president Doug Belgrad.
De Luca became president of production at New Line after rising through the ranks. In 2001, he moved to DreamWorks, becoming the company’s president of production until 2004. In that year, he became a solo producer, setting up shop at Columbia with a first-look deal.
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From a man who made multiple Nightmare on Elm Street movies and whose first film as a producer was Ghost Rider, De Luca has morphed into one of the industry’s premier prestige producers. He has been involved in the Oscar-nominated productions of The Social Network and Moneyball, as well as this year’s potential contender Captain Phillips.
He currently is in production on Fifty Shades of Grey for Universal and Focus Features, and he just wrapped production on Dracula Unborn, also for Universal. He will see both productions through completion — even as he takes on his new mantle.
“Mike has worked with us on several of our highest-quality and most commercial recent films, and he’s nurtured many of our generation’s most-important filmmakers,” Belgrad said in a release. “Likewise, Hannah is a tremendous creative executive who has made major contributions to our entire slate, in particular our key Spider-Man and Jump Street franchises. Together, Hannah and Mike will be a formidable team.”
“My years as a producer with Columbia have been the happiest of my life, and I consider Amy, Doug and Hannah to be three of the best and most-talented executives working today,” De Luca said in a release. “I’m honored to be formalizing my relationship with the studio and look forward to working with the team to reach new heights.”
At the same time as De Luca takes on the new position, Sony is expanding Belgrad’s duties across SPE’s Motion Picture Group.
“Doug’s role has continued to evolve over the past few years, so I am pleased we will continue to benefit from his extraordinary business and creative expertise,” said Amy Pascal, the co-chairman of SPE and chairman of SPE’s Motion Picture Group. “I am confident this leadership team will help guide our company to further success, and I want to congratulate Doug and Mike on their new roles.”
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