Nicole Brown To Lead TriStar In Wake Of Hannah Minghella Exit To Bad Robot

Anthony D'Alessandro

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In the wake of TriStar boss Hannah Minghella heading to lead Bad Robot’s film department, Sony Motion Pictures Group Chairman Tom Rothman this morning promptly announced that TriStar EVP Nicole Brown will be taking over the division, an organic order of progression. Brown came to TriStar from Good Universe six years ago as SVP.

Brown’s career in the independent world focused on discovering new talent and working with first time directors like Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, Drew Barrymore, Lorene Scafaria and Diablo Cody. At Good Universe she served as EVP of Production, and executive produced Rogen comedies including This Is The End in addition to developing features like Last Vegas and Neighbors.

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Here is Rothman’s email to staff:

Dear colleagues,

I want to make you aware of some changes affecting our TriStar label.

After 14 terrific years of dedicated service to the company, Hannah Minghella will be moving on to become the head of film operations at Bad Robot. We will miss her greatly, but this is a terrific opportunity for her. One consolation for us is that in her new job, we will have opportunities to continue to work together in the future.

Nicole Brown, who was recently promoted to EVP at TriStar, will assume responsibility for supervising TriStar’s film development and production activities, which will continue unabated. Nicole was the very first person I hired when I came to Sony five years ago and I have great confidence in her.

It’s a busy time at the label. Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, starring Tom Hanks, is set for release at Thanksgiving, and Happiest Season, starring Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis will begin principal photography in January. And there are numerous other high-profile projects currently in various stages of development including The Last Human, to be directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, The Nightingale, Matilda the Musical, The Alchemist, Guys and Dolls, What Alice Forgot and a Baby Driver sequel among others.

Hannah will spend the next few weeks helping to insure a smooth transition. I know I speak for all of us when I say we thank her for everything and wish her the very best going forward.

Tom

Earlier this month, Rothman named Josh Greenstein and Sanford Panitch to the new shared position of President Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a title which had been vacant since Doug Belgrad’s departure. Both are continuing to supervise their specific respective disciplines with Panitch in production and Greenstein leading global marketing and distribution. Also Kristine Belson was raised to President, Sony Pictures Animation, Feature and Series; and Spring Aspers to President, Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, Music.

Yesterday we broke the news that TriStar had made a preemptive buy of Cooper McMain’s The Tip, which Bodyguard series director John Strickland is directing.

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