Kevin Wilson Named Head Of Amazon Studios & MGM Theatrical Distribution – CinemaCon

Chris Stapleton was crowned Entertainer of the Year at the 2023 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards on Thursday night. The Tennessee Whiskey singer won the night's most coveted honour at the awards ceremony, which was held at The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. It marked the country star's first time winning the prize, and his win qualifies him for the coveted ACM Triple Crown Award, celebrating artists who have won New Female/Male Artist of the Year, Female/Male Artist of the Year, and Entertainer of the Year.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic At the 58th annual Academy of Country Music Awards, the top prize, entertainer of the year, was handed out to Chris Stapleton, even as Lainey Wilson and Hardy won in the the greatest number of categories, with four each — two of which they shared for the duet “Wait in the Truck.” Technically, Hardy walked away with six trophies, since the ACMs offer double awards for artists who co-write their nominated songs. Accepting for album of the year, Wilson said, “I wrote 300 songs during the pandemic.” Noting that some fans have said listening to her “Bell Bottom Country” album helped save their lives, Wilson said, “Writing these songs saved mine.” She quoted one of her own lines: “Be who you are, ’cause everybody else is taken.”

EXCLUSIVE: Vertical on Wednesday announced their appointment of former Amazon Prime Video exec Jason Pecora to the newly created role of Executive Vice President, Distribution.

Latino WGA members and their allies descended upon Universal Studios en masse Monday beginning at 5 a.m. to picket on the sixth day of the Hollywood writers strike.

After 38 days in theateres, Amazon Studios, Skydance Sports, Mandalay Pictures, and Artists Equity’s Air will stream on Prime Video on May 12 in more than 240 countries.

Amazon Studios has acquired worldwide rights to the IMAX Original Documentary, “The Blue Angels,” the company announced on Monday.Bad Robot, Glen Powell’s Barnstorm Productions, Zipper Bros Films, and Dolphin Entertainment produced the project that chronicles a year in the cockpit with one of the most exclusive aviator teams in the world, filmed with awe-inspiring IMAX cameras.“The Blue Angels” follows the newest class of the storied Navy and Marine Corps flight squadron through intense training and into a season of heart-stopping aerial artistry, and the veterans on the team who, this year, will take their final flights. The documentary marks the first time the iconic blue and yellow F/A-18 Super Hornets will be featured in IMAX.

Amazon Studios is going airborne with a spectacular squadron of the U.S. military.

EXCLUSIVE: The invitation list to Amazon’s Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon wedding comedy, You’re Cordially Invited, continues to expand with Celia Weston, Jimmy Tatro, Leanne Morgan, and Keyla Monterroso Mejia joining the Nick Stoller directed and written feature.

EXCLUSIVE: Oscar-winning filmmaker Kevin Costner (Dances with Wolves) has rolled cameras on the second installment of Horizon: An American Saga, announcing the addition of Glynn Turman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom), Kathleen Quinlan (Apollo 13) and Giovanni Ribisi (Avatar: The Way of Water) to the cast of his Civil War Western epic for Warner Bros and New Line.

. “As a result, a small number of roles will be eliminated on some teams. We will be supporting impacted employees through this transition and thank them for the work they have done on behalf of our customers.”The spokesperson noted that new roles will be added in areas for future growth. In addition to Amazon Studios and Prime Video, the tech giant has three other workforce cuts: One in November that impacted its Alexa unit, another in January that impacted 18,000 employees and another in March that impacted 9,000 employees.

The string of media layoffs continues. Amazon is the latest company to trim its ranks with a round of staff reductions across Amazon Studios and Prime Video. About 100 of the divisions’ 7,000 employees are impacted. The list is not believed to include high-level content executives.

Amazon Studios announced in an internal memo on Tuesday that it will combine its theatrical distribution team with that of the recently acquired MGM, with Kevin Wilson serving as president of the division. In addition to Wilson’s promotion, Valenti announced that Amazon Studios’ distribution chief Mark Boxer will remain with the studio as head of specialty distribution, reporting to Wilson.Wilson was a longtime partner of MGM theatrical distribution chief Erik Lomis, who died in March.

Angelique Jackson Longtime film distribution executive Kevin Wilson has been named head of theatrical distribution for Amazon Studios and MGM. News of Wilson’s promotion was shared in a memo to staff from Courtenay Valenti, Amazon Studios and MGM’s head of film, streaming and theatrical. “We are at a very dynamic and exciting time now that the integration of the MGM film group and Amazon Studios is complete,” Valenti wrote, announcing that the studios’ theatrical distribution groups have officially been combined “into one unified team.” Wilson steps into the role following the death of Erik Lomis, who served as MGM’s head of theatrical distribution amid the studio’s acquisition by Amazon. Lomis died in March at 64.

EXCLUSIVE: Just ahead of the premiere of Shea Serrano’s upcoming comedy Primo on Amazon Freevee, Serrano is expanding his relationship with Amazon Studios, the studio behind the series. The bestselling author, screenwriter and podcaster has signed an overall television deal with Amazon Studios, and a first-look podcast pact with Amazon’s Wondery.

True Detective creator Nic Pizzolatto is writing and executive producing The Magnificent Seven TV series in development at Amazon Studios.

Jordan Banjo and his wife, Naomi Courts, have announced the arrival of their third child - a baby boy. The couple made a joint post on Instagram this morning, revealing the child’s unique name.

News of a Kidnapping,” created by Andrés Wood and Rodrigo García, swept the top prizes for best picture on Saturday night at the 2023 Platino Awards, in a sign of how the global streamers – here Amazon Studios and Prime Video – have lured top-of-their-class talent in Latin America. One highlight of the ceremony, dedicated to films and TV shows in the Spanish-speaking world, was Benicio del Toro’s acceptance speech of a honorary Platino in which he reflected on being typecast for many years in Hollywood as a Latino actor.  “If I had to play stereotypes, I tried to find the character’s humanity, a sense of complicity, so that audiences felt what my character felt and whilst they’re watching, don’t forget who I am and where I come from.,” he said. “What’s important is to share more than be divided,” he added. 

Ewan McGregor has had decent luck in TV the past decade with shows like “Fargo,” “Halton,” and Disney+‘s “Obi-Wan Kenobi.” Now Variety reports he’ll star in a new show in development at Amazon called “Lodi,” based on an Alta online article by Andrew Dubbins.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer Bob Yari and Marvin Peart’s new content venture WonderHill Studios has named four key executives to bolster operations, Variety can report exclusively. Joining Oscar winner Yari and Peart are executives including The Weinstein Company veteran Laurent Ouaknine as president of distribution; David McPherson as president of music and VP of alternative TV; former Solstice Studios CFO Shaun Williams in the same role; and CJ Vranca as executive vice president of business and legal affairs. “This incredibly talented team has invaluable experience and are key pillars to what we are building at WonderHill Studios,” said Yari and Peart. “We look forward to sharing our team’s strategic initiatives as we collaborate and grow our upcoming versatile slate within film and television.”