MGM’s Orion Rebrands for Underrepresented Voices, Names

MGM’s Orion Pictures is relaunching its model as a studio label for underrepresented voices and has named veteran business government and producer Alana Mayo as the brand new Orion Pictures president, Michael De Luca, MGM’s movie group chairman and Pam Abdy, MGM’s movie group president.

In an inside memo from De Luca and Abdy shared with TheWrap, John Hegeman can be stepping down from his position at Orion in early October after three years with the label, as will his group, following the opening of the studio’s newest launch “Bill & Ted Face the Music.”

The new Orion will give attention to creating, producing and buying options that amplify underserved voices in entrance of and behind the digicam.

Mayo will oversee the label’s day-to-day operations, together with growth, acquisitions, bodily and publish manufacturing, whereas additionally working carefully with the advertising and marketing and publicity group at MGM, and the studio’s distribution companions, on the discharge technique and the social affect marketing campaign activation for every movie.

MGM will deal with world distribution, with United Artists Releasing advertising and marketing and distributing movies below the Orion Pictures label within the U.S. as a part of the studio’s joint theatrical distribution enterprise.

“We are at an exciting and critical tipping point in our industry. For years many filmmakers and creators who have been considered and treated as outsiders have nonetheless persisted in creating visionary films that drew audiences across the globe and defined culture. Many of these films and filmmakers inspired me to pursue storytelling as a career, and to work towards creating a more equitable environment for all creators,” Mayo mentioned in a press release. “I am thrilled to work in partnership with Kevin, Mike and Pam to continue Orion’s legacy and create a home that embraces and furthers the seismic shift happening in entertainment and culture, and to back filmmakers and content that authentically reflect the world in which we live.”

“We believe deeply in creating content that reflects our global communities and we are thrilled that Alana will be heading up the newly relaunched Orion Pictures label to elevate and empower the many voices whose stories deserve to be told. As a company dedicated to entertaining audiences across the world, MGM is committed to increasing access for all people of color, women, the LGBTQ+ community, individuals with disabilities and other historically marginalized groups as a moral and business imperative,” De Luca and Abdy mentioned in a joint assertion.

“It was essential that we find an exceptional executive who will be a leader at the forefront of change in our industry. Alana’s incredible vision, experience, and passion, along with her fearlessness makes her the ideal choice for Orion. As we continue to build upon MGM’s strong legacy and foundation as a leading entertainment company, we look forward to the legacy that Alana will create as she brings vital new voices in storytelling to life. Under the strong, visionary stewardship of film chairman Michael De Luca and president Pam Abdy, and with the addition of Alana to lead Orion, MGM’s film group is poised to make a lasting impact as we head into the studio’s next century,” Kevin Ulrich, MGM’s chairman of the board, mentioned in a press release

Mayo most just lately served as head of manufacturing and growth for Outlier Society, Michael B. Jordan’s manufacturing firm, the place she oversaw the slate of movies in partnership with Warner Bros., together with “Just Mercy,” and TV sequence in partnership with Amazon Studios. She additionally labored to launch a company-wide inclusion coverage in partnership with Warner Media, based mostly on “Just Mercy” topic Bryan Stevenson’s memoir.

She additionally oversaw “Without Remorse” at Paramount, the movie adaptation of the fantasy novel “Black Leopard,” “Red Wolf” by creator Marlon James, an untitled monster…