Amblin Partners CEO Michael Wright has struck a multiyear contract extension.
The Turner veteran, who assumed the DreamWorks CEO post in September 2014, solidified his leadership position with the newly launched Amblin Partners, which recently formed a partnership with Jeff Skoll’s Participant Media, with additional backing from Reliance Group and Entertainment One. A source says the deal keeps Wright in the fold to 2020.
Wright played a key role in establishing Amblin Partners and in forging the company’s distribution deal with Universal Pictures in December. He is responsible for the company’s film, television and digital businesses and continues to report to Steven Spielberg.
“Michael is both an inspiring leader and a creative storyteller,” Amblin Partners chairman Spielberg said Tuesday in a statement. “Our partners at Participant Media, Reliance Entertainment and Entertainment One, as well as our team here at Amblin Partners, join me in recognizing what Michael has already accomplished for us. We know his passion for our vision has the wind at our back and we look forward to the years ahead.”
Added Wright: “The opportunity to work with Steven as well as the gifted, dedicated people at Amblin Partners is a professional dream come true. Along with Jeff, Kristie [Macosko Krieger], Holly [Bario], Darryl [Frank] and Justin [Falvey], I look forward to building this company and our brands, and continuing to be part of Steven’s storytelling.”
Wright’s mandate is building and exploiting the trio of labels that fall under Amblin Partners: Amblin, for family films; DreamWorks, for adult fare such as this fall’s The Girl on the Train; and Participant, for socially conscious movies.
Before joining DreamWorks in 2014, Wright was president and head of programming for TBS, TNT and Turner Classic Movies. During his tenure at Turner, he spearheaded brand-building for the three networks and led TNT and TBS to the top of the cable charts for 10 years in a row. During that time, Wright programmed some of the biggest hits on cable television, with commercial and award-winning success across all the networks, including the record-setting and acclaimed series The Closer, Southland and Falling Skies on TNT and Conan on TBS. For TCM, he oversaw the network’s expansion into original programming, including the Emmy-nominated documentary Moguls and Movie Stars: The History of Hollywood, the acclaimed Night at the Movies franchise and the Emmy-winning AFI: Lifetime Achievement Award specials.
Prior to joining Turner, Wright served as vp movies and miniseries for CBS Productions and CBS Entertainment, where he supervised production of some of CBS’ highest-rated and most acclaimed TV movies.
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