Tom Rothman Explained

Tom Rothman
Birth Name:Thomas Edgar Rothman
Birth Date:21 November 1954
Birth Place:Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Alma Mater:Brown University (BA)
Columbia University (JD)
Occupation:Chairman and CEO, Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group
Family:John Rothman (brother)
Glenn Shadix (second cousin)
Years Active:1985–present
Children:2

Thomas Edgar Rothman (born November 21, 1954) is an American businessman, film producer, film executive and current chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group. In this role, Rothman oversees all of the studio's motion picture production and distribution activities worldwide, including Columbia Pictures, TriStar Pictures, Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Imageworks, Sony Pictures Animation, Sony Pictures Classics, 3000 Pictures, Sony Pictures International Productions, Stage 6 Films and AFFIRM Films.[1] [2] Rothman joined Sony Pictures in late 2013 as chairman of TriStar and in 2015 was promoted to Chairman of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, followed by the release in 2017 and 2018 of titles such as , Venom, , Peter Rabbit, and .[3] [4] [5] [6] Under Rothman's leadership, the Motion Picture Group was returned to strong profitability and experienced several of its most profitable years in history with Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and Little Women. Driven by tentpoles such as , , and Bad Boys for Life, fiscal year 2020 (April 2019 through March 2020) was the film studio's best in over a decade in terms of both ultimate profitability and operating income.[7] [8]

Previously, he was chairman and chief executive officer of Fox Filmed Entertainment with Jim Gianopulos until his resignation on September 14, 2012, effective January 1, 2013. Rothman began at Fox in 1994 as the founder and President of Fox Searchlight Pictures and served the company for 18 years.[9] During Rothman's tenure, Fox films were nominated for over 150 Academy Awards and won three Best Picture statuettes.[10] The company also earned over $30 billion in the box office and made the then two highest-grossing films, Titanic and Avatar.[11] [12] [13] [14] Rothman also hosted Fox Legacy, a television series in which he provided background and behind-the-scenes information regarding the making of films.

Early life and education

Rothman was born in to a Jewish family[15] [16] [17] in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1972, he graduated from the Park School of Baltimore prior to entering college. Rothman graduated from Brown University with Honors in English and American Literature, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and was an All New England selection in Division 1 Lacrosse.[18]

In 1977, he worked as an English Teacher at the Salisbury School in Connecticut and coached varsity soccer. He graduated from Columbia Law School in 1980 as a James Kent Scholar, the school's highest academic honor.[19] In 1981, he served on The United States Court of Appeals Second Circuit as a law clerk for the Honorable Walter Mansfield. From 1982 to 1986, he worked as an attorney at Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz.[20]

Film career

In 1986, Rothman co-produced Jim Jarmusch's Down by Law and Robert Frank's Candy Mountain. In 1987, he began working as an executive vice president of Columbia Pictures on all aspects of film development and production.[21] In 1989, he served as president of Worldwide Production for the Samuel Goldwyn Company. He supervised landmark independent films such as Henry V, Much Ado About Nothing, Longtime Companion, Truly Madly Deeply, Wild At Heart, and The Madness of King George. He discovered and championed numerous young filmmakers who went on to become successful, including Ang Lee, Anthony Minghella, and Kenneth Branagh. During this time, the company's films won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival three times.[22]

For 18 years, Rothman worked at Fox Filmed Entertainment. In 1994, he founded and was the first president of Fox Searchlight Pictures (now Searchlight Pictures), one of the first specialty film divisions linked to a major studio. Fox Searchlight went on to distribute multiple Oscar-winning films, including Slumdog Millionaire, which won the Best Picture Oscar in 2008. Rothman was president of production for 20th Century Fox where he oversaw the majority of the company's film development and production from 1996 to 1998 and was president of Twentieth Century Fox Film Group from 1998 to 2000. From 2000 to 2012, he was chairman and CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment (FFE). FFE included 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Blue Sky Studios, and Twentieth Century Fox Television. During this time, the studio was nominated for over 150 Academy Awards, won three Best Picture Oscars, earned over $30 billion in worldwide box office sales. Fox had the best profit margins of any film studio. Some of the films produced over Rothman's tenure include: Lincoln, Life of Pi, The Descendants, Cast Away, , Black Swan, Walk the Line, Juno, The Devil Wears Prada, The X-Men series, the Ice Age series, Rio, and several others.[23] Under Rothman's leadership, Fox produced Modern Family, Glee, and Homeland. From 2007 to 2010, Tom Rothman hosted Fox Legacy, a television series in which he provided background and behind-the-scenes information regarding the making of films. As Fox chairman, he became known for rejecting the idea behind Deadpool, claiming it wouldn't be successful, and making the decision to have the character (whose nickname is "The Merc With a Mouth") have his mouth sewn shut for the majority of his first film appearance in .[24] [25] [26] In September 2012, Tom Rothman resigned as chairman and chief executive of Fox Filmed Entertainment.[27] That same month, Steven Spielberg announced that Rothman would produce Spielberg's Robopocalypse, for DreamWorks.[28]

In 2013, Sundance Film Festival named Rothman to its U.S. Dramatic Jury, and he presented the Grand Jury prize to Fruitvale Station. Initially responsible for the re-launch of the Tristar Productions studio, it was announced in February 2015 that Rothman would replace Amy Pascal as chairman of Sony Pictures' Motion Picture Group and would continue to oversee the properties he greenlit at TriStar.[29] In September 2018, Sony Pictures extended their contract with Rothman following the release of .[30] [31]

Awards and recognition

Philanthropy

Rothman is active in the nonprofit arts and education arenas.[43] In December 2013, President Obama nominated Rothman to serve on the 18-member National Council on the Arts. The Council advises on the National Endowment for the Arts's policies and programs and makes recommendations on grant applications.[44] He is a member of the Board of the Corporation of Brown University, where he serves on the Academic Affairs Committee. He has worked as a teacher and fundraiser for Mentor L.A. Partner Schools. Rothman is an emeritus member of the board of directors of the Sundance Institute, which he served for 20 years, andthe American Film Institute, a top film graduate school. Tom Rothman has been involved in fundraising activities for The Jewish Home for the Aging, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and the American Jewish Committee. He serves on the board of New York's Art Therapy Outreach Center (ATOC), an organization that uses art therapy to help at risk groups. He serves on the board of trustees for California Institute of the Arts.[45]

Politics

In July 2022, Rothman contributed $25,000 to The Next 50, a liberal political action committee (PAC).[46]

Personal life

Rothman is married to actress, singer, and author Jessica Harper. The couple have two daughters. Rothman is the brother of actor John Rothman. In 2012, he was appointed as a director of Priceline.com Inc.[47]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: D'Alessandro. Anthony. 2018-09-21. Tom Rothman Inks Multi-Year Contract Extension As Sony Motion Picture Group Chairman. 2021-04-30. Deadline. en-US.
  2. Web site: D'Alessandro . Anthony . 2021-07-28 . Sony Pictures Re-Ups Tom Rothman's Contract, Adds CEO To Motion Picture Group Chairman Title . 2022-03-10 . Deadline . en-US.
  3. Web site: Sony Hires Rothman to Head Revived TriStar Unit. MICHAEL CIEPLY. August 1, 2013. New York Times. 7 Jan 2014.
  4. Web site: Co-chair and CEO of 20th Century Fox Resigns. 14 September 2012 . The Daily Beast. 15 September 2012.
  5. Web site: FUNNY IS MONEY, Ben Stiller and the dilemma of modern stardom.. TAD FRIEND. June 25, 2012. New Yorker. 10 May 2013 .
  6. Web site: Guerrasio. Jason. Sony movie boss Tom Rothman explains why he bet big on Quentin Tarantino's new movie and sets the record straight about a rumored deal term. 2021-04-30. Business Insider. en-US.
  7. Web site: McClintock . Pamela . 2021-07-28 . Sony Movie Chairman Tom Rothman Extends Contract, Adds CEO to Title . 2022-03-14 . The Hollywood Reporter . en-US.
  8. Web site: Brzeski . Patrick . 2020-05-12 . Sony Pictures' Full-Year Profit Rises to $628 Million, But Pandemic Downturn Looms . 2022-03-14 . The Hollywood Reporter . en-US.
  9. Web site: Gotham Awards + 9. Lyons, Charles. November 29, 2011. IndieWire.
  10. Web site: Sundance Institute Announces Jury Members for 2013 Sundance Film Festival.. Dec 19, 2012. Sundance. 10 May 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130412040826/https://www.sundance.org/festival/release/sundance-institute-announces-jury-members-for-2013-sundance-film-festival/. 12 April 2013.
  11. Web site: Sundance 2013: Juror Tom Rothman on the legacy of indie film and the future of robot revolution. Anthony Breznican. January 25, 2013. Inside Movies. 10 May 2013.
  12. Web site: Ed Burns, Tom Rothman headline Sundance Film Festival juries. Jeff Labrecque . Dec 19, 2012. Inside Movies. 10 May 2013.
  13. Web site: Growing up Rothman meant that a connection to performing was almost inevitable. Chris Kaltenbach. Dec 2, 2007. The Baltimore Sun. 10 May 2013. 2013-11-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20131103091217/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2007-12-02/news/0712010019_1_tom-rothman-forehead-feinblatt. dead.
  14. Web site: The Player. Hugh Hart. Brown Alumni Magazine. 10 May 2013.
  15. Web site: Meet the Parents. "It never came in the sectarian way," Rothman, 47, says of his parents' Jewishness. "It was a question of humanity. My parents didn't distinguish between Jewish causes and non-Jewish causes.". MICHAEL AUSHENKER. July 4, 2002. JewishJournal.com. August 16, 2013.
  16. https://www.timesofisrael.com/who-said-jews-run-hollywood/ Times of Israel: "Who said Jews run Hollywood? -Inaugural list of 100 prominent players in Tinseltown shows a lack of diversity -- and a whole lot of MOTs" by Lisa Klug
  17. Book: Brook, Vincent. From Shtetl to Stardom: Jews and Hollywood: Chapter 1: Still an Empire of Their Own: How Jews Remain Atop a Reinvented Hollywood. 15 . Purdue University Press. December 15, 2016. 9781557537638.
  18. Web site: Executive Profile: Thomas E. Rothman. https://web.archive.org/web/20100518133545/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/person.asp?personId=1498356&privcapId=6441777&previousCapId=91031&previousTitle=NEWS%20CORP-CLASS%20B. dead. May 18, 2010. 10 May 2013.
  19. Web site: TOM ROTHMAN The Blockbuster. IAN DALY. Columbia Law School. 10 May 2013. 14 February 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130214070834/http://www.law.columbia.edu/magazine/162128/tom-rothman. dead.
  20. Web site: Tribute honors Rothman's indie pic roots. Anthony Kaufman. November 24, 2011. Variety. 10 May 2013.
  21. Web site: Fox's Tom Rothman to Receive Gotham Awards Tribute. BRIAN BROOKS. August 1, 2011. Indie Wire. 10 May 2013.
  22. Web site: SAMUEL GOLDWYN, Jr. Writing Awards. 10 May 2013. 27 February 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130227041421/http://www2.tft.ucla.edu/goldwyn/sgjr.cfm. dead.
  23. Web site: Tom Rothman to Step Down as Chairman and CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment at the End of the Year. Newscorp. 10 May 2013. 22 June 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130622233102/http://www.newscorp.com/news/news_543.html. dead.
  24. Web site: robertliefeld on Twitter. 27 July 2018.
  25. Web site: 'Deadpool' director Tim Miller remembers when Fox execs told him, 'We just don't get it'. EW.com.
  26. Web site: Studio Exec Who Kept DEADPOOL in Production Purgatory Says Smartest Thing Ever About Sony's SPIDER-MAN Franchise. www.dailysuperhero.com. 23 June 2016 . 27 July 2018.
  27. Web site: Rothman Exits as Head of Fox Film Division. BROOKS BARNES AND MICHAEL CIEPLY. September 14, 2012. The New York Times. 10 May 2013.
  28. Web site: Rothman to produce Spielberg's 'Robopocalypse. Rachel Abrams. September 24, 2012. Variety. 10 May 2013.
  29. Web site: Tom Rothman Replaces Amy Pascal At Sony Pictures; Michael Lynton Contract Extended. Mike Fleming Jr, Anita. Busch. 24 February 2015. 27 July 2018.
  30. Web site: Sony Pictures Extends Tom Rothman's Contract as Movie Chief. Pamela. McClintock. 20 September 2018. The Hollywood Reporter. 7 October 2018.
  31. Web site: 2018-09-20. Sony Pictures Extends Tom Rothman's Contract as Movie Chief. 2021-04-30. The Hollywood Reporter. en.
  32. Web site: Nine 'Avatar' Oscar Nominations Fall Short Of The 14 For 'Titanic,' But What Does That Mean?. https://web.archive.org/web/20100205193902/http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2010/02/02/nine-avatar-oscar-nominations-fall-short-of-the-14-for-titanic-but-what-does-that-mean. dead. February 5, 2010. Adam Rosenberg. February 2, 2010. MTV Movies Blog. 10 May 2013.
  33. Web site: Biography for Tom Rothman. . 10 May 2013 .
  34. Web site: A LOOKAT THE 2002 28TH ANNUAL SATURN AWARDS. 10 May 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131103090121/http://www.saturnawards.org/saturn_rings/saturn_rings_all.pdf. 3 November 2013.
  35. Web site: 30th Annual Dinner of Champions. March 30, 2012. Jack on the Web. 10 May 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131103233817/http://jackontheweb.cbslocal.com/2012/04/02/jacks-crush-of-the-day-josie-maran/30th-annual-dinner-of-champions/. 3 November 2013. dead.
  36. Web site: Best in Showman. October 10, 2005. Variety. 10 May 2013.
  37. Web site: L.A.'s Promise Gala. L.A.'s Promise. 10 May 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130319084359/http://www.laspromise.org/events/past-events.php. 19 March 2013.
  38. Web site: Movies Year in Review. Movies MSN. 10 May 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131103201246/http://movies.msn.com/movies/year-in-review/bummers/?photoidx=6. 3 November 2013. dead.
  39. Web site: Tom Rothman.(CONGRATS)(Dorothy and Sherill C. Corwin Human Relations Award for Tom Rothman)(Brief article). February 24, 2012. 10 May 2013.
  40. Web site: McNary. Dave. 2017-01-25. Tom Rothman Hits Three Decades in Hollywood With PGA's Milestone Award. 2022-01-03. Variety. en-US.
  41. Web site: Keane. Sean. Spider-Man's Marvel Cinematic Universe adventures may continue after 2021. 2021-04-30. CNET. en.
  42. Web site: Fleming. Mike Jr.. 2020-01-13. Tom Rothman On Sony's 20 Oscar Noms, His Hopes For Theatrical Release Future And Keeping Quentin Tarantino In The Fold For His Final Film. 2021-07-20. Deadline. en-US.
  43. Web site: Board of Directors. 10 May 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130127021305/http://www.atocny.org/board-of-directors. 27 January 2013.
  44. Web site: Obama Nominates Hollywood Exec to Arts Council. BROOKS BARNES. December 13, 2013. New York Times. 7 Jan 2014.
  45. Web site: Board of Trustees. 10 May 2013.
  46. Web site: The Next 50 PAC PAC Donors . live . https://archive.today/20221227193403/https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/the-next-50-pac/C00716423/donors/2022?start=1&page_length=25 . 2022-12-27 . 2022-12-27 . . en.
  47. Web site: Thomas E. Rothman . 10 May 2013 . Macro Axis.

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