Imagine Entertainment Names Justin Wilkes Chief Creative Officer

EXCLUSIVE: Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s Imagine Entertainment is partnering with Impact to launch a global call to discover an emerging writer to pen a new basketball comedy. An idea hatched by Imagine, the feature is described as a “School of Rock meets Moneyball“.

EXCLUSIVE: Longtime John Wells Productions executive Ned Haspel has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer. He was previously EVP, Business and Financial Affairs.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaFirst Look Media has appointed Ian Stratford as its new chief legal officer and head of business affairs. Prior to joining First Look Media, Stratford served as SVP, associate general counsel at Endeavor where he helped found Endeavor Content, the agency’s production, financing and sales arm.

EXCLUSIVE: Film and TV exec and producer Mark Bauch, has been named Senior Vice President of Imagine Entertainment’s Feature Film Group. Bauch will be responsible for bringing in new projects, helping to oversee the development and packaging of Imagine’s current feature slate, as well as targeting IP and books.

Wheelhouse, the company run by Brent Montgomery, the founder of Pawn Stars producer Leftfield, is ramping up its investment division with the hire of Ann Berry.

Elaine Low Senior TV WriterWheelhouse, the firm founded by producer Brent Montgomery in partnership with Jimmy Kimmel, has brought on investment and private equity executive Ann Berry as its chief investment officer.

Marsai Martin’s Genius Entertainment has tapped Development Executive Jamila Jordan-Theus as Head of Motion Picture. She will oversee the development and production of feature films at the company and will work alongside Nicole Dow, Head of Television.

EXCLUSIVE: Neel Yalamarthy has joined Mythical Entertainment as VP Strategy & Business Development. He will report directly to Mythical COO Brian Flanagan, as well as founders Rhett & Link.

Shares of AMC Entertainment are down nearly 40% today on another wild ride, reversing gains after an explosion of support by retail traders that started last week catapulted stock of the pandemic-pummeled chain to levels not seen since 2017.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorUniversal Music Group has announced the promotion of Will Tanous to Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer, effective immediately. He will continue to serve as a member of the company’s executive management board.In his new position, Tanous, who will continue to report to UMG Chairman and CEO Lucian Grainge, will retain his current responsibilities and add new ones involving several major strategic and corporate endeavors.

Endemol Shine North America has promoted Sharon Levy to Chief Content Officer.

Elaine Low Senior TV WriterEndemol Shine North America has named Sharon Levy its chief content officer, elevating the exec from her prior role as president of unscripted and scripted television for the Banijay-owned studio.Levy first joined Endemol Shine North America in 2017, reshaping its programming team to work more closely with Banijay’s global production companies and created a development slate to include scripted and unscripted projects from co-owned labels worldwide.

Variety Staff Follow Us on TwitterWarner Chappell Music, the publishing arm of Warner Music Group, has named David Woirhaye as the company’s new executive vice president and global chief financial officer, effectively immediately. In his new role, he will report into Guy Moot, Co-Chair and CEO and Carianne Marshall, Co-Chair and COO.

Channel 4 has promoted its programming boss Ian Katz to chief content officer in a sweeping reorganization aimed at helping the UK broadcaster secure 40% of its £985 million ($1.3 billion) revenue from sources other than traditional TV advertising by 2025.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film WriterBrian Grazer and Ron Howard’s Imagine Entertainment has promoted Justin Wilkes to chief creative officer.Currently the head of the prolific Imagine Documentaries division, Wilkes’ expanded role was announced internally on Monday by Howard and Grazer. He will now work closely with film, TV, docs, branded entertainment, kids and family, and international programming.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterIllumination has hired Sam Bergen as chief marketing officer.In his new role, Bergen will oversee all aspects of the company’s creative and business marketing, including print and audio-visual advertising, as well as graphic and product design.He’s replacing Gail Harrison, who served as CMO since December 2018.

Varun Narang, former chief product officer at India-based streaming service Disney+Hotstar, has been appointed to the same role at Fox Corp.

The Visual Effects Society (VES) named its 2021 Board of Directors officers with Lisa Cooke being elected as Board Chair. She is the first woman to hold this role in VES’s history.

Ellise Shafer administratorBusiness manager Josh Klein (pictured at left), whose clients include The Chainsmokers, Big Sean, Logic and Winnie Harlow, among others, has launched TKG Business Management. The company will be based in Beverly Hills and offer such services as business management, tax work, and personal CFO services to high net worth individuals.

ABC News is shuffling its Washington correspondents, tapping Cecilia Vega to be its new chief White House correspondent. Jonathan Karl, who currently leads ABC News' White House team, will continue as chief Washington correspondent and a co-anchor on ABC's Sunday public affairs show This Week, alongside George Stephanopoulos and Martha Raddatz.