Film executive Palak Patel, who oversaw the Venom films for Columbia Pictures, has been named chief content officer of Prime Focus Studios, the finance and production arm of visual effects giant DNEG.
Prime Focus Studios, run by CEO Namit Malhotra, recently co-produced “The Garfield Movie” with Alcon Entertainment for Sony. The film grossed over $257 million worldwide. The company is currently working with Legendary Pictures on “Animal Friends” and “Angry Birds Movie 3.” A big-screen presentation of the Indian epic Ramayana is also in development.
The company was looking for an executive who could navigate the world of a major studio as it ramped up production and looked to develop big-name IP.
“Prime Focus Studios brings a new, entrepreneurial approach to the development and production of the world’s biggest films,” Malhotra said in announcing the hire. Partnerships and collaborations with studios and filmmakers are already part of our DNA, and this new venture takes those partnerships to the next level. We are excited to have Palak join us on this journey. His extensive production experience and understanding of the medium will help us build the next generation of studios that bring together the best of cutting-edge technology, creative talent, and strategic investment to create something truly unique. Masu. ”
Mr. Patel spent nearly a decade at Sony/Columbia, where he held the role of executive vice president of production and development and directed many of the studio’s Spider-Man spinoffs, including the studio’s Spider-Man, starring Tom Holland. Served as point man. Man movie co-produced with Marvel Studios.
The Spider-Man films became Sony’s highest-grossing titles in history, and the Venom trilogy grossed over $1.8 billion. The same executive also directed much-maligned failures such as Kraven the Hunter and Madame Web.
Prior to joining Sony, he was president of production and development at Ross Films, founded by producer Joe Roth. Some of his films include Sam Raimi’s Oz: The Great and Powerful, Snow White and the Hunter, and Maleficent starring Angelina Jolie.
Patel said in a statement that the combined strength of Prime Focus and DNEG will be an asset to filmmakers.
“Prime Focus Studios and DNEG partnering as one company to provide complete studio capabilities is a great opportunity for IP From acquiring resources to script development to helping filmmakers maximize their creativity while minimizing financial risk, we’re leveraging all the resources our state has to offer to make a difference. We are now able to leverage DNEG’s artists early in the development process to deliver state-of-the-art soundstages across all formats and genres,” Patel said in a statement.
