{"id":332361,"date":"2025-12-23T23:44:36","date_gmt":"2025-12-23T23:44:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/332361\/"},"modified":"2025-12-23T23:44:36","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T23:44:36","slug":"the-120-most-powerful-hollywood-studios-and-executives-ranked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/332361\/","title":{"rendered":"The 120 Most Powerful Hollywood Studios and Executives, Ranked"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tIn business, the power of individual leaders is an inherently hard thing to measure. It\u2019s subjective, and it fluctuates on any given day, just like the strength of an electrical current goes up and down depending on environmental conditions.
\u00a0
To commemorate Variety\u2019s 120th\u00a0anniversary year,<\/a> we gave ourselves a tough assignment. We wanted to take a snapshot of leadership and muscle in the entertainment industry at this fraught moment of turmoil and transition for Hollywood.
\u00a0
After months of internal debate, months of arguing over draft lists and a last push of double-checking titles and name spellings, here we finally arrive at the end result: The Variety 120 list of the most powerful executives in entertainment.
\u00a0
Notice the emphasis on\u00a0executives.\u00a0We realized early on that we needed strict guidelines for who to include and who not to include. The Variety 120 is a survey of executive leadership at the industry\u2019s biggest and most influential companies. That includes some companies that are far removed from Hollywood geographically but still have influence in the global business of entertainment, which we define here as film, TV, music and gaming.
\u00a0
We intentionally did not include actors, writers, directors, producers, multihyphenates, lawyers, talent agents or managers, simply to make the ranking process more manageable. We also kept our lens focused on traditional entertainment, thus this list does not include leaders from sports or news.
\u00a0
When you get down to it, 120 isn\u2019t that many slots to cover a truly global business. So we lean toward the C-suite \u2013 the senior managers who are responsible for driving their companies forward and delivering the bottom line.
\u00a0
Also, notice the emphasis on\u00a0big. This list leans toward the biggest studios, labels, streamers and game publishers who dominate mass media production and distribution. We considered a company\u2019s market share and market cap in determining this ranking. A person\u2019s career achievements and overall industry stature were also a factor for inclusion.
\u00a0
We also considered things that can\u2019t be tallied with a calculator. In many of the entries, you\u2019ll read our assessment that the individual has strong ties or deep connections to the creative community, or the investment community, or that he or she commands great respect among colleagues. It\u2019s a relationship business, after all. Executive careers rise and fall on the strength of reputations. All kidding aside, it really is like high school with money and stock options.
\u00a0
Variety journalists write every day (every hour) about how dramatically our industry is being transformed by the streaming revolution, by the growth of the global demand for content and by the rise of digital-native creators who would scoff \u201cTLDR\u201d at the idea of getting notes from a creative executive. But in reality, if you want to break a new artist, launch a TV show, open a movie or orchestrate a blockbuster video game release \u2013 most roads to achieving a bona fide hit still run through the companies and the leaders highlighted here.<\/p>\n

\n\tListen to \u201cDaily Variety\u201d podcast<\/a>: Showbiz news and analysis tailored for industry insiders.
\u00a0
Spoiler alert: Our selection for the last slot on this list, No. 120, was carefully considered. The person is the leader of Indonesia\u2019s largest media conglomerate. Indonesia is one of the world\u2019s fast-rising entertainment hubs. We noticed that from our internet traffic and by the growing number of markets and festivals that we cover in the region. We made this choice to bookend the list with a signpost of the future and an example of the reach and influence of movies, TV, music and games.
\u00a0
From our very first issue, published Dec. 16, 1905, much of Variety\u2019s focus has been on the people who work behind the scenes to make things happen for those who take the stage. We hope this list can be a scorecard for readers who, like the staff of Variety, are eager to see what comes next for our fascinating industry in 2026 and beyond.<\/p>\n

\n\tProfiles written by Jem Aswad, Matt Donnelly, Steven J. Horowitz, Angelique Jackson, Elsa Keslassy, Brent Lang, Cynthia Littleton, Jennifer Maas, Naman Ramachandran, Rebecca Rubin, Michael Schneider, Todd Spangler, Brian Steinberg and Nick Vivarelli.<\/p>\n

\t1. Ted Sarandos<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Ted
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Deadline via Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Co-CEO, Netflix<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2023<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He is an architect and key leader of the world\u2019s most popular subscription streaming service. <\/p>\n

He\u2019s driving the company\u2019s biggest M&A play to date with its Warner Bros.\/HBO Max bid.<\/p>\n

\n\tSarandos got his start in the entertainment biz working at a video-rental store as a teen. He\u2019s now one of the most powerful content executives in Hollywood, rubbing elbows with celebs, showrunners, directors and other creatives who make content (or want to) for Netflix\u2019s 300 million-plus subscribers worldwide. He\u2019s overseen all content operations at the company since 2000, when it was still a DVD-by-mail outfit, and has had his hand on the steering wheel throughout its monumental rise. Sarandos led Netflix\u2019s move into original content starting with the 2013 launch of \u201cHouse of Cards.\u201d He has famously called the moviegoing experience \u201coutdated,\u201d irking not just theater owners but filmmakers. In a reflection of Netflix\u2019s clout, Sarandos has made a serious bid to acquire the Warner Bros. studios and HBO Max. Even if Netflix doesn\u2019t win, Sarandos is showing that the company is definitely playing in the big leagues.<\/p>\n

\t2. Donna Langley<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Donna
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy of NBCUniversal\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chairman, NBCUniversal Entertainment<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2024<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

She has impeccable relationships with filmmakers and talent.<\/p>\n

She reinvigorated Universal\u2019s \u201cFast and Furious\u201d and \u201cJurassic\u201d movie franchises.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s a Dame Commander of the British Empire.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe more that Comcast pushes onto Langley\u2019s plate, the more she rises to the challenge. As NBCUniversal and other top traditional media companies focus on the power of big events to draw large audiences, Langley must translate her success with content franchises into devising spectacles that bring people to screens all at the same time. Look for NBCU to celebrate more anniversaries like the 50th anniversary of \u201cSaturday Night Live\u201d and NBC\u2019s centennial in the months to come. She must also help stock the pipeline with new content favorites that draw viewers to the Peacock streaming service as well as traditional TV. After a sweeping reorganization of NBCUniversal in 2024, Langley controls greenlights across the entire enterprise, overseeing programming, marketing, distribution, acquisitions and operations for the film and TV studios, the linear network, Peacock and Bravo. Her trademark poise served her well through the M&A noise of 2025, delivering consistent support for creatives. Langley\u2019s beloved film studio Universal Pictures, her training ground, look to blow the doors off of 2026 with releases from Christopher Nolan and Steven Spielberg, as well as animated sequels in the \u201cMinions\u201d and \u201cSuper Mario Bros.\u201d franchises.<\/p>\n

\t3. David Ellison<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"David\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chairman and CEO, Paramount Skydance<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2025<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He successfully completed the acquisition of Paramount Global.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s got deep pockets and plenty of ambition.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s making an aggressive play to buy Warner Bros. Discovery to advance his larger vision for Paramount Skydance as a streaming contender.<\/p>\n

\n\tEllison has a network of influential friends and family, starting with his ultra-wealthy dad, Oracle mogul Larry Ellison. After a career as a film producer with hits that included Tom Cruise\u2019s \u201cTop Gun: Maverick,\u201d Ellison donned the mantle of media mogul. He led Skydance Media\u2019s $8 billion acquisition of Paramount Global, bankrolled by his father and RedBird Capital Partners \u2014 a deal that met with the approval of Donald Trump and his administration. After installing a mostly new management team, Ellison\u2019s early moves at the new Paramount Skydance have included inking a rich deal for UFC rights and the acquisition of Bari Weiss\u2019s The Free Press (with Weiss installed as editor-in-chief of CBS News). Ellison is now looking consolidate more power in Hollywood: He\u2019s in the thick of a public brawl with Netflix to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in its entirety, pitting him against Netflix. The sale process is turning in to a referendum on the future of Hollywood.<\/p>\n

\t4. Neal Mohan\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"NEW
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images for YouTube\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle:\u00a0CEO,\u00a0YouTube\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job\u00a0since:\u00a02023\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:\u00a0<\/p>\n

He oversees\u00a0the world\u2019s\u00a0largest video-streaming platform.<\/p>\n

He is built out YouTube TV into a potent rival to traditional pay TV \u2014 and he just snared TV rights to the Oscars starting in 2029.<\/p>\n

Every major media company has embraced YouTube as a platform for promotion and distribution.<\/p>\n

\n\tMohan is a Silicon Valley exec with a chill vibe \u2014 who runs a media business estimated to rival Disney by revenue, as YouTube reinforces its pole position as the most-streamed service on TVs in the U.S. That stunning stat surely helped YouTube land the TV rights deal that shocked Hollywood: The annual Oscars kudocast will move to YouTube starting in 2029 with the 101st Academy Awards ceremony. It\u2019s been a busy few years on the job for Mohan, who assumed the chief exec role in 2023 after serving as YouTube\u2019s chief product officer. He joined Google with its acquisition of DoubleClick in 2007. In addition to overseeing YouTube\u2019s significant core ads business, Mohan has been driving growth of the platform\u2019s subscriptions businesses, including YouTube TV. With more than 10 million pay-TV subscribers, YouTube was in a position to flex its market power in programming renewals in 2025 \u2014 and its tough negotiating tactics led to blackouts of Disney and Univision nets before the parties reached deals. Mohan is now setting YouTube\u2019s AI agenda, balancing concerns of Hollywood players with the rollout of powerful new content tools for its millions of creators. <\/p>\n

\t5. Dana Walden\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Dana
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Kristina Bumphrey\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle:\u00a0Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job\u00a0since:\u00a02023\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:\u00a0<\/p>\n

She\u2019s a long-established TV hit maker.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s a contender to be Disney\u2019s next CEO.<\/p>\n

She has deep connections throughout the creative community after working her way up at Fox before taking the reins of TV at Disney following the 21st Century Fox purchase in 2019.<\/p>\n

\n\tOne of the most powerful\u00a0and well-regarded\u00a0execs\u00a0in\u00a0TV,\u00a0Walden leads\u00a0Disney\u2019s portfolio of entertainment media,\u00a0news\u00a0and content businesses\u00a0worldwide,\u00a0and\u00a0has shared oversight of\u00a0Disney+ and Hulu\u00a0with\u00a0Alan Bergman.\u00a0Under her leadership,\u00a0ABC has\u00a0been\u00a0the No. 1 entertainment network for four\u00a0straight\u00a0seasons\u00a0and ABC News has\u00a0topped\u00a0its rivals \u2014 impressive achievements even\u00a0as\u00a0linear TV\u00a0continues to decline.\u00a0Over the years,\u00a0Walden has had indisputable success in television, overseeing such hits as\u00a0\u201c24,\u201d \u201cGlee,\u201d \u201cModern Family,\u201d \u201cHomeland,\u201d \u201cThis Is Us\u201d and more recently, \u201cAbbott Elementary,\u201d \u201cHigh Potential,\u201d \u201cParadise,\u201d \u201cOnly Murders in the Building,\u201d \u201cThe Kardashians\u201d\u00a0and more.\u00a0Before joining Disney, she\u00a0rose through the ranks at the Fox studio and network. Now\u00a0she\u2019s on the\u00a0short list\u00a0to succeed Bob Iger at the helm of Disney next year.\u00a0This fall,\u00a0Walden faced a test with ABC\u2019s suspension of Jimmy Kimmel\u00a0amid\u00a0a right-wing backlash over his comments about Charlie Kirk\u2019s murder. After\u00a0a PR storm, she\u00a0brought\u00a0Kimmel back and\u00a0got\u00a0two big affiliate groups to resume airing his show. She was also in the thick of Disney\u2019s two-week battle with YouTube in November over a carriage agreement.<\/p>\n

\t6. Bob Iger\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Bob
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Art Streiber for Variety\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle:\u00a0CEO, Disney<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job\u00a0since:\u00a02022\u00a0(was CEO from 2005-20)\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:\u00a0<\/p>\n

He positioned the company as a streaming leader with Disney+,\u00a0Hulu\u00a0and stand-alone ESPN.<\/p>\n

He engineered\u00a0the acquisitions of\u00a0Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and 21st Century Fox.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s playing role in the selection of his successor\u00a0\u2014 the ultimate CEO perk \u2014 which is expected to happen in the first quarter.<\/p>\n

\n\tIger\u00a0is on his second farewell tour as\u00a0leader\u00a0of the Magic Kingdom, with\u00a0the 74-year-old\u00a0executive\u2019s\u00a0contract expiring\u00a0in December\u00a02026 \u2014 and\u00a0Disney\u2019s board\u00a0poised\u00a0to name\u00a0a successor\u00a0early next year.\u00a0But even as a lame-duck CEO, Iger\u00a0remains\u00a0a powerful force in media and entertainment.\u00a0Following\u00a0Iger\u2019s\u00a0return as chief exec in late 2022\u00a0in the wake of\u00a0Disney\u2019s first try at finding an Iger successor did not take. Since his return, Iger has reinvigorated Disney\u2019s movie\u00a0studios\u00a0and overseen the theme park\u00a0and\u00a0cruise biz\u2019s\u00a0recovery\u00a0from the\u00a0COVID crash. Iger has\u00a0moved to combine Disney+ and Hulu\u00a0(after closing the buyout of Comcast\u2019s Hulu stake)\u00a0into a supercharged\u00a0unified\u00a0streamer\u00a0while\u00a0finally launching a streaming-only version of\u00a0ESPN. The stock\u00a0hasn\u2019t\u00a0recovered from\u00a0its streaming-bubble\u00a0highs, but Iger\u00a0has proven a deft manager\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0global\u00a0entertainment\u00a0conglomerate\u2019s many moving pieces.\u00a0Even as he says goodbye\u00a0\u2014\u00a0after postponing his retirement five times!\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Iger\u00a0will have a part\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0selection\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0next CEO.<\/p>\n

\t7. Brian Roberts<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Brian\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chairman and CEO, Comcast Corp.<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: Chairman, 2004; CEO, 2002<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power: <\/p>\n

The Roberts family maintains control of Comcast.<\/p>\n

Roberts\u2019 ambition has kept Comcast in the hunt for big-league acquisitions such as Disney (before it sold to Fox in 2019) and Warner Bros. Discovery.<\/p>\n

Comcast stepped up to allow NBC and Peacock to land an expansive NBA rights package.<\/p>\n

\n\tAn unassuming media executive in an industry filled with CEOs willing to pitch, promote and propagandize, Roberts presides over one of the largest distributorships of video in the nation, as well as the NBCUniversal entertainment empire. He has quietly worked to keep the company current by investing in sports rights as well as overseas assets like Sky. Roberts must now steer the company around new hurdles, including cord cutting and the rise of streaming video. Because nothing stays the same in pay TV for long. With the planned Versant Media spinoff expected to be completed early next year, Comcast will soon part with the basic cable networks that were so central to its purchase of NBCUniversal from General Electric back in 2011.<\/p>\n

\t8. Lucian Grainge<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"BEVERLY
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chairman and CEO, Universal Music Group<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2010<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He\u2019s finishing his 15th year at the helm of the world\u2019s largest music company.<\/p>\n

With artists ranging from Taylor Swift and the Beatles to \u201cKPop Demon Hunters,\u201d company\u2019s labels hold 35-40% of U.S. market share annually,<\/p>\n

He has taken leadership position in music industry\u2019s negotiations with AI companies.<\/p>\n

\n\tGrainge joined Universal in 1986 at leader of its Polydor publishing division and rose through the ranks during periods of galvanizing change in the industry, assuming the helm in 2010 just as streaming was beginning to take hold. In the years since he has presided over UMG\u2019s expansion into the world\u2019s largest music company \u2014 with artists ranging from the Beatles and Taylor Swift to the Weeknd and \u201cKPop Demon Hunters\u201d \u2014 its public listing in 2021, the expansion of its publishing and merchandise divisions, and the rise and plateau of streaming growth. Most recently, UMG has taken a leadership position in steering the industry through the challenges of AI (striking deals with and\/or lawsuits against major AI companies \u2014 or both, as with Suno) and its next areas of growth, including initiatives to increasingly monetize \u201csuperfans.\u201d There are certainly challenges: UMG\u2019s $775 million acquisition of the artist-services company Downtown is under fierce scrutiny from the EU, and it was actually sued for defamation by Drake, one of its biggest artists, in bizarre collateral damage from that artist\u2019s feud with fellow UMG artist Kendrick Lamar. But in the third quarter of 2025, Universal held nearly 36% U.S. market share \u2014 and that was before the release of Taylor Swift\u2019s \u201cLife of a Showgirl,\u201d which sold a record-breaking 2.7 million copies on its first day.<\/p>\n

\t9. David Zaslav<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"David\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: CEO, Warner Bros. Discovery<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2022<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He\u2019s in the middle of a brawl between Netflix and Paramount Skydance to sell off WBD, the company he assembled with AT&T\u2019s WarnerMedia spinoff in 2022.<\/p>\n

He led Discovery Communications for 15 years before merging with WarnerMedia.<\/p>\n

He was a cable programming pioneer at NBC who became one of John Malone\u2019s favored CEOs.<\/p>\n

\n\tDavid Zaslav has been on a hire-wire act of debt, restructuring and outrunning the marketplace to prove the merger thesis that brought WarnerMedia and Discovery together in April 2022. But time ran out. David Ellison\u2019s aggressive overtures forced his hand to initiate a sale process for all or part of the Warner Bros. Discovery (depending on who\u2019s buying). For the foreseeable future, Zaslav still holds the keys in Burbank and Hudson Yards \u2013 and he\u2019s demonstrating that in rebuffing Paramount\u2019s offers more than half a dozen times in favor of Netflix\u2019s $83 billion offer. Leading WBD for the past three years has been Zaslav\u2019s highest profile job in Hollywood \u2013 and he\u2019s become a lightning rod in the creative community at a time of disruption. Zaslav got his start in the go-go early days of cable in the 1980s with a long tenure at NBC where he helped launch CNBC and MSNBC. He gained prominence as a CEO \u2013 and for his huge paychecks \u2014 after he took the reins of Discovery Communications in late 2006.<\/p>\n

\t10. Eddy Cue<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Eddy
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Apple\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Senior VP of Services, Apple<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2011<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He oversees all of Apple\u2019s entertainment efforts, and he is approaching five decades with the trailblazing tech giant.<\/p>\n

He helped drive the digital revolution in entertainment and commerce by spearheading the launch of Apple\u2019s iTunes Store in 2003, and the App Store in 2008.<\/p>\n

He has developed ties to heavy hitters in Hollywood as Apple\u2019s ambition for TV and film grows. <\/p>\n

\n\tCue is the ultimate Apple insider. He has long steered its expansion on the software and services side of the ledger for the company that has transformed the world with its hardware. He also clearly has the trust of CEO Tim Cook to set the agenda for Apple in Hollywood. Cue has embraced a build-not-buy strategy as Apple has revved up the Apple TV content business with big-budget series, sports rights, documentaries and children\u2019s programs. The success of Apple\u2019s first mega-budget film production, \u201cF1: The Movie,\u201d reflected well on Cue\u2019s steady-hand stewardship. And his ambition was on display when he told Variety during a cover story interview that he really wanted \u201cF1\u201d to reach moviegoers in a profound way. \u201cI hope that when most people go see the movie, they walk out wanting to be a race car driver,\u201d he told Variety in April 2025.<\/p>\n

\t11. Bela Bajaria<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Bela
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Netflix\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chief Content Officer, Netflix<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2023<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

She oversees an enormous content budget to commission movies and TV shows for the world\u2019s biggest subscription video platform.<\/p>\n

She has deep relationships with talent, key talent brokers and executives across the industry.<\/p>\n

She has had experience being a buyer and a seller through her long run at CBS and years as head of Universal Television.<\/p>\n

\n\tNearly three years into her gig as chief content officer at Netflix and with almost a decade at the streamer under her belt, Bajaria oversees some of the biggest and boldest TV shows of our time, including \u201cStranger Things,\u201d \u201cSquid Game,\u201d \u201cWednesday,\u201d \u201cBridgerton,\u201d \u201cHeeramandi\u201d and \u201cLupin,\u201d and Oscar-winning films like \u201cAll Quiet on the Western Front\u201d and \u201cGuillermo Del Toro\u2019s Pinocchio.\u201d And her power in Hollywood is poised to get even bigger if Netflix succeeds in taking over Warner Bros. Discovery. For now, Bajaria\u2019s focus is on continuing to grow Netflix\u2019s local-programming offerings throughout the globe and pushing the streamer further into live events and sports. Before joining Netflix, Bela was president of Universal Television.<\/p>\n

\t12. Alan Bergman\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Alan
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Alberto Rodriguez\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle:\u00a0Co-Chairman, Disney Entertainment\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job\u00a0since:\u00a02023\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He controls the purse strings at Hollywood\u2019s biggest\u00a0group of\u00a0movie studios.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s a Disney veteran who helped lead\u00a0the\u00a0integration of Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and Fox film studios.<\/p>\n

\n\tBergman is\u00a0the well-respected leader\u00a0in charge of the\u00a0Mouse House\u2019s\u00a0film\u00a0studios, which\u00a0feed into\u00a0both theatrical and streaming\u00a0pipelines.\u00a0He\u2019s\u00a0managing\u00a0not just\u00a0release\u00a0windows\u00a0and production budgets,\u00a0but\u00a0also\u00a0egos.\u00a0On his watch, Disney has produced several billion-dollar-plus hits, including\u00a0\u201cInside Out 2,\u201d \u201cDeadpool & Wolverine,\u201d\u00a0\u201cMoana 2\u201d\u00a0and the live-action \u201cLilo & Stitch,\u201d with \u201cZootopia 2\u201d on track to be another big winner.\u00a0A\u00a0nearly three-decade\u00a0company veteran, he became\u00a0chairman\u00a0of Walt Disney Studios in 2021.\u00a0He was elevated to his current role in 2023, in which capacity\u00a0he has shared oversight\u00a0(alongside Dana Walden)\u00a0of\u00a0Disney\u2019s\u00a0direct-to-consumer, technology and ad sales groups, as well as international content and operations.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t13. Mike Hopkins<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"LONDON,
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Tim P. Whitby\/Getty Images for P\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Head of Amazon MGM Studios and Amazon Prime Video<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2020<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He has the reins of a big global platform in Prime Video and a studio in Amazon MGM Studios.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s got deep experience in Hollywood as a former chairman of Sony Pictures Television and CEO of Hulu.<\/p>\n

He was president of Fox Networks Group during its biggest growth years.<\/p>\n

\n\tMike Hopkins shepherded some big changes at Amazon\u2019s on-screen entertainment division this year with the exits of both Jennifer Salke and Vernon Sanders from the studio business, and the entrance of longtime Netflix TV exec Peter Friedlander. Building on his background in distribution and sales from his time as CEO at Hulu and president of Fox networks, Hopkins continues to push Amazon into TV ad sales through its Amazon Ads infrastructure to growing success. Under Hopkins, Prime Video currently offers more than 100 add-on subscription options in the U.S., including Warner Bros. Discovery\u2019s HBO Max, Paramount+, Sony\u2019s Crunchyroll and Amazon-owned MGM+. Amazon\u2019s reach has made the channels offering a big driver of subscription for these media partners.<\/p>\n

\t14. Michael Rapino<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"ATLANTIC
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images for REFORM Alliance\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: President and CEO, Live Nation<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2005<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He grew Live Nation to become the preeminent force in the live entertainment space.<\/p>\n

He continues to successfully fight off government inquiries into Ticketmaster\u2019s allegedly monopolistic practices.<\/p>\n

\n\tA master of vertical integration, Rapino has kept Live Nation and Ticketmaster to one record-breaking year after another even as the post-pandemic boom in concertgoing has leveled off. So far in 2025, Live Nation is on pace to have its biggest year yet, with overall revenue for the first nine months hitting $18.89 billion, up eight percent compared to last year\u2019s $17.5 billion. Much of the company\u2019s growth can be attributed to the demand for live entertainment in international markets, where fan count is projected to surpass the United States for the first time. Chalk that up to major tours that saw artists like Kendrick Lamar and Beyonc\u00e9 traipsing the globe, yet it\u2019s also the company\u2019s ongoing ventures into management, venue ownership and other related areas of the business.<\/p>\n

\t15. Casey Bloys<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"BURBANK,
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Penske Media via Getty\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chairman and CEO, HBO and Max Content<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: August 2020<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

Under his watch, HBO has remained a critical and awards juggernaut.<\/p>\n

HBO remains the crown jewel of Warner Bros. Discovery, and is considered a prize for whomever takes control.<\/p>\n

He rose through the HBO ranks to eventually take control of both the premium cable network and the streamer HBO Max, then Max, then HBO Max.<\/p>\n

\n\tCasey Bloys likes awards, and for good reason: HBO\/HBO Max gets a lot of them. In 2025, the combined outlets landed 30 Emmys \u2014 tying Netflix for the most \u2014 thanks to the strength of series like \u201cThe Pitt\u201d (outstanding drama series), \u201cThe Penguin,\u201d \u201cHacks,\u201d \u201cLast Week Tonight With John Oliver\u201d and more. His current roster also includes smashes like \u201cHouse of the Dragon,\u201d \u201cThe White Lotus,\u201d \u201cThe Last of Us\u201d and \u201cEuphoria\u201d \u2014 which recently gave him four current original series with cross-platform audiences averaging more than 15 million viewers per episode \u2013 a first for the pay cabler. Other titles that have driven the TV conversation under his watch have included \u201cSuccession,\u201d \u201cBarry,\u201d \u201cThe Rehearsal,\u201d the \u201cTrue Detective\u201d franchise, \u201cAnd Just Like That\u201d and \u201cPeacemaker\u201d; and earlier, \u201cVeep,\u201d \u201cGirls,\u201d \u201cSilicon Valley,\u201d \u201cWatchmen,\u201d \u201cWestworld,\u201d \u201cBig Little Lies\u201d and \u201cChernobyl.\u201d Bloys first took over HBO series, late night and specials as president in February 2016; he joined the network in 2004 as director of development at HBO Independent Productions.<\/p>\n

\t16. John Landgraf<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"\"
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Dylan Coulter for Variety \t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chairman, FX Networks<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2019<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He commands unmatched esteem by his industry colleagues for his track record, longevity and willingness to speak out on pressing issues.<\/p>\n

He built FX into a distinct content brand and forged its unusual approach to development and production. <\/p>\n

He helped FX navigate the shift from basic cable into a streaming brand on Hulu.<\/p>\n

\n\tAn astute observer of the TV landscape and respected creative leader, Landgraf has made boundary-pushing television a hallmark of FX ever since he joined in 2004. Under Landgraf, FX has produced solid ratings and acclaim with bold (some might say risky) bets such as \u201cSh\u014dgun\u201d \u2014 winner of 18 Emmy awards, a one-year record for a single series \u2014 as well as series like \u201cThe Bear,\u201d \u201cFargo,\u201d \u201cAlien: Earth,\u201d long-running fan-favorite \u201cIt\u2019s Always Sunny in Philadelphia\u201d and Ryan Murphy\u2019s \u201cAmerican Horror Story\u201d franchise. After Disney\u2019s acquisition of 21st Century Fox, Landgraf aligned with the Mouse House\u2019s streaming strategy to make Hulu the primary streaming outlet for FX, which has let him continue to take big swings on standout content.<\/p>\n

\t17. Greg Peters<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Netflix
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Penske Media via Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Co-CEO, Netflix<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2023<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He oversees Netflix\u2019s strategically important advertising business and the streamer\u2019s efforts to innovate in sponsorship and blurbs.<\/p>\n

He heads Netflix\u2019s influential product, user experience and engineering teams.<\/p>\n

He earned the respect of founder and former chairman Reed Hastings to rise to the co-CEO post.<\/p>\n

\n\t
Peters may not have the name recognition of his co-CEO partner Ted Sarandos, but the duo are on equal footing in running the streaming giant. Peters, who joined Netflix in 2008, was previously chief product officer and spent several years as general manager of Netflix Japan. While Sarandos handles the content side, Peters focuses on technology, product development, pricing and partnerships. His purview also includes the still-nascent games initiative and the growing ad-supported business. Peters knows the Netflix culture inside and out, and he\u2019s credited with building the company\u2019s talent organization and recently overseeing a revision to its famed \u201cCulture Memo.\u201d Peters will be an integral part of any integration of Warner Bros. and HBO into Netflix, should the acquisition agreement come to pass.<\/p>\n

\t18. Kevin Feige<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Kevin\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: President, Marvel Studios; Chief Creative Officer, Marvel<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2010 \/ 2019<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He\u2019s the architect of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and as such he ranks as the highest-grossing film producer of all time with more than $30 billion in global box office. <\/p>\n

He oversees all film and TV production for Marvel Studios.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s an Oscar nominee as producer of 2018\u2019s \u201cBlack Panther,\u201d the first superhero movie recognized in the category.<\/p>\n

\n\tAfter a stretch of ho-hum box office performers in recent years, Marvel Studios aims to reclaim its status as the premiere superhero studio in 2026 with \u201cAvengers: Doomsday.\u201d The blockbuster-to-be features the return of \u201cEndgame\u201d directors Anthony and Joe Russo, the revival of Chris Evans\u2019 Steve Rogers, and recasting Robert Downey Jr. as the villainous Doctor Doom, plus finally introducing the X-Men into the MCU. In a rare interview with reporters over the summer, Feige declared that well-documented problems Marvel\u2019s been facing stem from an overabundance of supply, not a sudden drop in demand. As such, Marvel\u2019s output for 2026 will be drastically decreased, with just three movies launching in theaters: \u201cSpider-Man: Brand New Day,\u201d the studio\u2019s co-production with Sony Pictures; a special re-release of \u201cAvengers: Endgame\u201d and \u201cDoomsday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t19. Ravi Ahuja<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Ravi
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Variety\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: President and CEO, Sony Pictures Entertainment<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2025<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He\u2019s a year into his tenure as the chief executive of Hollywood\u2019s largest pure-play film and TV studio.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s got strong executive relationships after working his way up the ranks as business and distribution TV executive at Fox and Disney.<\/p>\n

\n\tRavi Ahuja was one half of the most orderly transition atop a Hollywood studio in recent memory. He took the CEO reins from Tony Vinciquerra last January, but the plan was set in motion when Ahuja was recruited to Sony to head TV operations, after a he had a brief run as president of business operations and chief financial officer of Walt Disney Television. Ahuja\u2019s first big test at Sony was steering the \u201cJeopardy\u201d host transition, which took two tries to get right, but America\u2019s favorite quiz show endured. Now he\u2019s got a long runway to lead the studio into its second century (Columbia Pictures marked its centennial in 2024) and its endowed with a library of more than 3,500 films and more than 35,000 episodes in an IP-hungry marketplace.<\/p>\n

\t20. Jeff Shell<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Jeff
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Michael Buckner for Variety\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: President, Paramount Skydance<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2025<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

\n\t\u2022 He\u2019s the key operating executive overseeing the newly merged Paramount Skydance.
\u2022 He\u2019s a media veteran after climbing the ranks at NBCUniversal, Comcast and Fox.<\/p>\n

\n\tShell has rebounded at the enlarged Paramount Skydance after exiting NBCUniversal in 2023 after admitting to having had an inappropriate relationship with an NBCUniversal employee. He\u2019s now back in new role as David Ellison\u2019s right-hand man given his depth of experience. At Paramount Skydance, he\u2019s overseeing day-to-day operations, a task that has included a wave of mass layoffs conducted three months after the Paramount Global takeover closed. Shell isn\u2019t just trying to slash costs: He and Ellison envision a new path forward for Paramount\u2019s TV business, hoping to reinvent brands like CBS News, MTV and Comedy Central for a streaming-centric world, while pumping more content into Paramount+. If his boss is successful in landing Warner Bros. Discovery, Shell will have an even bigger collection of media businesses under his oversight.<\/p>\n

\t21. Lachlan Murdoch<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"BEVERLY
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Executive Chairman and CEO of Fox Corp., Chairman of News Corp.<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2019<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power: <\/p>\n

His family\u2019s empire now includes Fox News, Fox Sports, the Fox broadcast network, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Post.<\/p>\n

He has developed good relationships with leaders of Major League Baseball and the NFL.<\/p>\n

Fox Corp. has been investing in sports betting businesses such as FanDuel. <\/p>\n

\n\tUnder Murdoch\u2019s aegis, Fox Corp. proven surprisingly robust and resilient. After the company sold off much of its studio and cable assets to Disney in 2019, conventional wisdom held that Fox would be a small but feisty element in the media ecosystem, but the company\u2019s focus on news, sports and other types of must-watch-as-it-happens content has boosted viewership and revenue. There are challenges ahead, especially as the NFL moves closer to renegotiating its current media contracts, but Fox has thrived by taking measured steps into streaming and bigger steps to lock in live viewership.<\/p>\n

\t22. Hiroki Totoki<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"BARCELONA,
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: President and CEO, Sony Group Corporation<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2025<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He runs one of the world\u2019s most diversified entertainment groups, spanning film, television, music publishing, gaming, anime and consumer electronics.<\/p>\n

He has overseen Sony\u2019s group-level push to extract greater value from IP across Pictures, Music, PlayStation and Aniplex.<\/p>\n

He rose through Sony as a finance and operations executive and has repeatedly been placed in charge of complex businesses.<\/p>\n

\n\tHiroki Totoki took over as Sony\u2019s CEO in April 2025 as the company\u2019s center of gravity shifted decisively toward entertainment. In the run-up to the transition, he was closely involved in steering Sony\u2019s entertainment businesses toward greater IP coordination across Pictures, Music and PlayStation, reinforcing a strategy built on franchises that can move across formats and markets. That approach aligns with Sony\u2019s long-standing focus on Kando \u2014 emotional impact delivered at scale \u2014 and has shown up in properties ranging from anime juggernaut \u201cDemon Slayer\u201d to cross-media adaptations like \u201cThe Last of Us.\u201d Totoki also took direct oversight of Sony Interactive Entertainment during a leadership transition, underlining his role as the executive trusted with execution when the stakes are high. As CEO, he now controls a company where games, music, film and anime drive strategy \u2014 alongside the hardware that carries them.<\/p>\n

\t23. Pamela Abdy and Michael De Luca<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Pamela
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Co-Chair and CEO<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2022<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

The pair\u2019s risky, auteur-driven 2025 theatrical slate paid off with seven consecutive movies opening above $40 million.<\/p>\n

De Luca has received three Oscar nominations as a producer, for \u201cThe Social Network,\u201d \u201cMoneyball\u201d and \u201cCaptain Phillips,\u201d and an Emmy win for \u201cShogun.\u201d<\/p>\n

Abdy championed such films as \u201cHouse of Gucci,\u201d \u201cLicorice Pizza,\u201d \u201cDog,\u201d \u201cShutter Island,\u201d \u201cBabel\u201d and \u201cMean Girls\u201d during her time at MGM and Paramount Pictures.<\/p>\n

\n\tPamela Abdy and Michael De Luca proved naysayers wrong this year after a rough 2024 and early 2025. They turned things around the old-fashioned way \u2013 by banking on bold directors and new ideas during a time where reboots and sequels have reigned supreme. Movies of all shapes and sizes, from Ryan Coogler\u2019s \u201cSinners,\u201d Zach Cregger\u2019s \u201cWeapons\u201d and Paul Thomas Anderson\u2019s \u201cOne Battle After Another,\u201d scored with audiences. It\u2019s an ethos that De Luca has embraced throughout his career, which took off when he was named production chief at New Line Cinema at the age of 27. He championed films such as \u201cSeven,\u201d \u201cBoogie Nights,\u201d \u201cFriday\u201d and helped to launch the careers of David Fincher and Anderson. The pair headed MGM prior to its sale to Amazon, which was around the time that Warner Bros. was in the market for new film leadership.<\/p>\n

\n\tAbdy and De Luca got to work quickly and took big swings while brokering deals with directors and stars like Ryan Coogler, Emerald Fennell, Zach Cregger and Tom Cruise. The 2025 slate backs up the pair\u2019s promise to use WB\u2019s considerable resources to make the studio an attractive place to work for \u201cfilmmakers with singular visions,\u201d as they wrote in a memo to staff in October after renewing their contracts.<\/p>\n

\t24. Tom Rothman<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"LAS
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chairman and CEO, Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2015<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He oversaw the biggest left-field movie victory of the year in \u201cKPop Demon Hunters.\u201d<\/p>\n

He has deep relationships at the highest levels thanks to his 18 years at 20th Century Fox and 10 years (and counting) at Sony Pictures.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s a highly regarded as a tough but strong manager who adheres to a disciplined portfolio approach to moviemaking. <\/p>\n

\n\t
Rothman is the definition of a certain kind of hard-driving studio executive of yore but this year he proved he can innovate with original concepts and service big IP at the same time. He bet on Keke Palmer, SZA and Issa Rae with the commercial and critical hit \u201cOne of Them Days,\u201d relaunched Danny Boyle\u2019s \u201c28 Days Later\u201d franchise with a sequel to follow immediately in \u201926 and captured the zeitgeist with \u201cKPop Demon Hunters\u201d (though that film released via Sony\u2019s pay-one partner Netflix). As always with Rothman, the man guaranteed to deliver an expletive-laden sound bite at CinemaCon, it\u2019s about next year\u2019s slate. 2026 will bring \u201cSpider-Man: Brand New Day,\u201d and the innovative four-part biopic release \u201cThe Beatles\u201d from filmmaker Sam Mendes.<\/p>\n

\t25. Dan Lin<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"BEVERLY
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chairman, Netflix Film<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2024<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He oversees film commissioning for a massive global platform with a big budget and an even bigger appetite for movies.<\/p>\n

He produced the highest-grossing horror film of all time, 2017\u2019s \u201cIt,\u201d which tallied more than $700 million globally.<\/p>\n

Before founding his production company, Rideback, he spent eight years at Warner Bros, where he oversaw films like Martin Scorsese\u2019s \u201cThe Departed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAfter building a reputation on spinning popular film franchises out of existing IP (\u201cThe Lego Movie\u201d franchise, Stephen King\u2019s \u201cIt\u201d and \u201cSherlock Holmes\u201d), in 2024, film producer Dan Lin pivoted from film producer to studio head by taking on the top film job at Netflix. Just two years prior, Lin had been in negotiations to become head of DC Studios but decided to stick to his own shingle, Rideback, but the Netflix offer proved to be the right kind of challenge. Since joining the streamer, Lin has enforced a strategy of making one major tentpole film each quarter \u2014 upcoming offerings include \u201cThe Rip,\u201d from Ben Affleck and Matt Damon; \u201cApex\u201d with Charlize Theron; and \u201cHere Comes the Flood,\u201d with Denzel Washingont, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Robert Pattionson. Among Lin\u2019s biggest wins so far was overseeing the final cut of \u201cK-Pop Demon Hunters,\u201d which has become Netflix\u2019s biggest film ever and greenlighting an ambitious slate of films, including Greta Gerwig\u2019s \u201cNarnia,\u201d which will also play an exclusive engagement at Imax theaters worldwide.<\/p>\n

\t26. Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"LONDON,
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Gareth Cattermole\/Getty Images f\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitles: Co-Head, Worldwide Video<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2017<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

Apple\u2019s deep pockets and focus on premium content allow them to recruit top-tier talent.<\/p>\n

The pair have worked together as a team for more than 20 years, honing complimentary strengths.<\/p>\n

Both have long and deep relationships in the creative community.<\/p>\n

\n\t
Erlicht and Van Amburg long ago learned how to expand their effectiveness through an air-tight partnership. They worked together for 15 years as programming executives at Sony Pictures Television and its predecessors before being recruited in 2017 by Apple services boss Eddy Cue to drive the company\u2019s leap into original content production and commissioning what was born in November 2019 as Apple TV+ (in October, they nixed the + sign with a rebrand as Apple TV). The two have built the operation in the fishbowl of being a high-profile startup effort within a corporate giant of immense influence and a $4 trillion market cap. Erlicht and Van Amburg have endured waves of rumored shakeups and scrutiny of their creative strategies. This summer \u201cF1: The Movie\u201d was the kind of popcorn vehicle at the global box office that made the parent company proud. It also dovetailed nicely with Apple TV\u2019s five-year deal unveiled in October that will bring F1 racing rights to its platform in the U.S. starting in 2026.<\/p>\n

\t27. Dana Goldberg<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Dana\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Co-Chair of Paramount Pictures and Chair of Paramount Television, Paramount<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2025<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

She is both head of Paramount\u2019s TV division and co-chief of Paramount\u2019s film production arm.<\/p>\n

She was Skydance\u2019s chief creative officer prior to the Paramount merger.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s long been a key lieutenant of David Ellison who helped launch Skydance Television in 2013.<\/p>\n

\n\tDana Goldberg has a bigger picture to look at these days now that her longtime home Skydance is also home to all of Paramount\u2019s IP. Partnered with Josh Greenstein on the film front and flying solo at the top of TV, Goldberg is plotting out long-term strategy for both divisions under David Ellison\u2019s new regime. As of this year, Goldberg now oversees production, marketing, distribution and strategic planning, and has added Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Films and Paramount Television Studios to her purview. Goldberg joined Skydance in 2010 as president of production and helped found Skydance Television in 2013. Most recently, Goldberg was chief creative officer of Skydance overseeing several entries in the \u201cMission: Impossible\u201d film franchise, as well as hit series like \u201cReacher\u201d and \u201cJack Ryan.\u201d Before joining Skydance, Goldberg was head of production at Village Roadshow Pictures.<\/p>\n

\t28. Josh Greenstein<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"HOLLYWOOD,
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images for Variety\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Co-Chair of Paramount Pictures and Vice Chair of Platforms, Paramount<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2025<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He leads Paramount Pictures along with Dana Goldberg.<\/p>\n

He was president of Sony Pictures\u2019 Motion Picture Group.<\/p>\n

He oversaw several global campaigns for big franchises as in his prior stint at Paramount Pictures as chief marketing officer.<\/p>\n

\n\tThis year, Josh Greenstein left Sony Pictures after a decade to head up the film division at the newly merged Skydance-Paramount alongside Dana Goldberg, and advise on Paramount\u2019s new cross-platform strategy across film and TV. For the previous 10 years, Greenstein was at the top of Sony\u2019s Columbia Pictures, TriStar Pictures, Screen Gems, Stage 6 Films, AFFIRM Films, and Sony Pictures Animation, overseeing films including the \u201cSpider-Man\u201d and \u201cSpiderverse\u201d franchises, \u201cOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood,\u201d \u201cJames Bond\u201d and Greta Gerwig\u2019s \u201cLittle Women.\u201d During Greenstein\u2019s tenure, \u201cSpider-Man: No Way Home\u201d became Sony\u2019s highest-grossing film of all time, earning $1.91 billion worldwide at the box office and \u201cInto the Spider-Verse\u201d won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Prior to joining Sony, he was head of marketing at Paramount Pictures, overseeing franchises including \u201cTransformers,\u201d \u201cStar Trek,\u201d \u201cJackass\u201d and \u201cScary Movie.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t29. James Gunn and Peter Safran<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"LONDON,
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images for Warner Bros\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Co-chairman and CEO, DC Studios<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2022<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

The pair are knee-deep in a long-range plan to revamp Warner Bros.\u2019 DC Studios by bringing film, TV, animation and gaming under the same banner.<\/p>\n

Gunn directed Marvel\u2019s critically and commercially successful \u201cGuardians of the Galaxy\u201d trilogy before bringing his talents to DC for \u201cThe Suicide Squad\u201d and \u201cSuperman.\u201d<\/p>\n

Safran produced the wildly successful \u201cConjuring\u201d universe, which is the highest grossing horror franchise with more than $2 billion globally across nine low-budget films.<\/p>\n

\n\tJames Gunn and Peter Safran, the new guardians of DC Studios, were hired to create a cohesive, long-term strategy for the Warner Bros.-owned comic book empire. Gunn, the operation\u2019s creative mind, took those efforts into his own hands with last summer\u2019s hit \u201cSuperman,\u201d which had epic responsibility of relaunching DC Universe. (The studio\u2019s last iteration of superhero movies imploded with the unfortunate losing-streak of \u201cThe Flash,\u201d \u201cAquaman and the Lost Kingdom,\u201d \u201cShazam: Fury of the Gods\u201d and \u201cBlue Beetle.\u201d) Gunn will return to the director\u2019s chair for what he describes as the \u201cnext installment in the Super-Family,\u201d but he\u2019s passed off the reins for \u201cSupergirl\u201d and \u201cClayface,\u201d two spinoffs set in 2026 that\u2019ll be a bigger test of DC\u2019s popularity. Both focus on comic book characters that don\u2019t enjoy the benefit of being household names. Safran, a business-minded executive and a former talent manager with Brillstein-Grey, has proven a flair for knowing the projects that\u2019ll speak to audiences. He\u2019s a lead producer on the \u201cConjuring\u201d universe, which is the highest-grossing horror franchise with more than $2 billion across nine films.<\/p>\n

\t30. Jon Feltheimer<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"CEO
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Lionsgate\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: CEO, Lionsgate<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2000<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He\u2019s had an extremely long tenure at the top, and he\u2019s held on despite the studio\u2019s recent ups and downs.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s well connected among investors and bankers who focus on media.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s had long relationships with key players in the creative community given his run at Lionsgate and years at Sony\u2019s TV division and New World Entertainment.<\/p>\n

\n\tLionsgate was a much smaller operation when Feltheimer took over the the turn of the 2000s after nine years at Sony\u2019s Columbia TriStar TV Group. The Canadian-born studio emerged as a global contender on Feltheimer\u2019s watch with hits such as the \u201cTwilight\u201d and \u201cThe Hunger Games\u201d film series. The studio rode the pre-Peak TV wave of scripted expansion with such distinctive hits as \u201cMad Men,\u201d \u201cWeeds\u201d and more recently \u201cGhosts,\u201d \u201cYellowjackets\u201d and \u201cThe Studio.\u201d But like every other studio, Lionsgate\u2019s traditional profit engines are under new pressures that will challenge the leadership of a long-serving CEO.<\/p>\n

\t31. Rob Stringer<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Rob
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy of Sony\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: CEO, Sony Music Entertainment\/Chairman, Sony Music Group<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2017\/2019<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He has held executive positions at Sony Music and Columbia Records, working closely with artists like Beyonc\u00e9 and Adele.<\/p>\n

He grew Sony Music by acquiring independent companies AWAL and the Orchard.<\/p>\n

Conversely, he has led the company\u2019s acquisition of top-dollar catalogs from Queen and Pink Floyd.<\/p>\n

\n\tStringer has spent his tenure at Sony Music building out the various arms of the operation, from buying indie companies AWAL and Orchard to acquiring catalogs from Queen and Pink Floyd, for a reported $1.27 billion and $400 million, respectively. This year, Sony Music Entertainment saw significant boosts across the board as records including Tyler, the Creator\u2019s \u201cDon\u2019t Tap the Glass\u201d and Bad Bunny\u2019s \u201cDeB\u00cd TiRAR M\u00e1s FOToS\u201d became global hits, boosting total profit from recorded music and publishing to $2.89 billion in Q3 \u2014 up 13.3 percent year over year. Over the first three quarters of 2025, SME earned a 26.65 percent market share, per Billboard \u2014 ahead of Warner Music Group and indies, and only second to Universal Music Group. And in an industry where AI has become a hotbed for controversy, Stringer has helped broker a landmark deal with Spotify to develop AI tools intended to aid artists.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t32. Pearlena Igbokwe<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Pearlena
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chairman, Television Studios, NBC Entertainment and Peacock Scripted<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2025<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

She\u2019s responsible for the lion\u2019s share of NBCUniversal\u2019s TV production output, including Universal Television, UCP, Universal International Studios and Universal Television Alternative Studio.<\/p>\n

Besides supplying NBC and Peacock, Igbokwe and her team are responsible for some of the biggest shows on Netflix, Apple TV, Hulu, CBS and Amazon.<\/p>\n

Her relationship with Dick Wolf keeps the studio well-stocked with procedural dramas that travel well overseas.<\/p>\n

\n\tPearlena Igbokwe has arguably one of the most compelling stories of any TV executive out there: Having emigrated from Nigeria at age 6, Igbokwe was raised on some the greatest U.S. shows of the 1970s and 1980s. That inspired her to pursue a job in TV, which led her to early positions at NBC and HBO, before starting a 20-year tenure at Showtime, where she developed \u201cDexter,\u201d \u201cNurse Jackie\u201d and \u201cMasters of Sex,\u201d among other shows. In 2012, she returned to NBC, and quickly saw her star rise as she worked in drama on series such as \u201cThe Blacklist\u201d and \u201cThis Is Us.\u201d Moving to Universal TV as president, she expanded the Dick Wolf empire (which now includes the \u201cLaw & Order,\u201d \u201cChicago\u201d and \u201cFBI\u201d franchises) and built a thriving business as a supplier to outlets like Netflix and HBO. Taking over Universal Studio Group in 2020, Igbokwe now oversees teams that handle staples like NBC\u2019s \u201cSaturday Night Live\u201d and \u201cThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,\u201d \u201cAmerica\u2019s Got Talent\u201d as well as HBO Max\u2019s \u201cHacks,\u201d Netflix\u2019s \u201cA Man on the Inside\u201d and all those Wolf shows. And the talent in her company\u2019s purview include Mike Schur, Tina Fey, Jordan Peele, Darren Star, Nahnatchka Khan, Seth MacFarlane, Julie Plec, Amy Poehler, Lorne Michaels and others.<\/p>\n

\t33. Channing Dungey<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"\"
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Tommy Garcia\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chairman and CEO, Warner Bros. Television Group and US Networks<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2021 \/ 2025<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

She help build a powerhouse slate at ABC Studios and ABC Entertainment, rising through the ranks to eventually serve as president of the network.<\/p>\n

As VP of original series at Netflix, she worked with Shonda Rhimes to develop hits like \u201cBridgerton,\u201d and also acquired signature shows including \u201cEmily in Paris.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added oversight of Warner Bros. Discovery\u2019s U.S. Networks to her plate this year.<\/p>\n

\n\tChanning Dungey has made history several times in her career, including as the first Black executive to lead a major broadcast network, and the first woman and first Black executive to run Warner Bros. TV Group. Her oversight include Warner Bros. TV, Warner Bros. Unscripted TV (including Warner Horizon, Shed Media and Telepictures) and animated producers Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe. On her watch, Warner Bros. TV Group has enjoyed a string of recent successes in network, cable, streaming and syndication including \u201cThe Pitt,\u201d \u201cAbbott Elementary,\u201d \u201cTed Lasso,\u201d \u201cThe Bachelor\u201d franchise, \u201cThe Penguin,\u201d \u201cShrinking,\u201d \u201cThe Voice,\u201d \u201cGeorgie & Mandy\u2019s First Marriage,\u201d \u201cRunning Point,\u201d \u201cThe Jennifer Hudson Show,\u201d \u201cYou\u201d and more. Before Warner Bros. and Discovery plan their split \u2014 which would move the U.S. networks to a separate company \u2014 Dungey has also spent part of the past year evolving the conglom\u2019s linear TV business with channels like Discovery, HGTV, Food, Cartoon Network, TLC, Adult Swim, TBS, TNT, TCM and others. Dungey is a well-liked, celebrated exec who at ABC Entertainment built hits like \u201cThe Good Doctor\u201d and the return of \u201cAmerican Idol,\u201d and also made a swift change to \u201cRoseanne\u201d when its star made offensive remarks on social media. She also developed signature shows like \u201cScandal\u201d and \u201cOnce Upon a Time\u201d and helped keep long-running series like \u201cGrey\u2019s Anatomy\u201d as juggernauts. She was also named one of Variety\u2019s Power of Women honorees in 2021.<\/p>\n

\t34. Joe Earley<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"STUDIO
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images for Hulu\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: President of Direct-to-Consumer, Disney Entertainment<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2023<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He learned the ropes at Fox Broadcasting Co., coming up through marketing and communications before advancing to chief operating officer of Fox TV Group.<\/p>\n

He has a shorthand with Disney Entertainment co-chair Dana Walden, who was his longtime Fox colleague.<\/p>\n

\n\tJoe Earley has the marketing sensibilities required to oversee the operations and growth strategies for two of the most important assets of the future for Disney \u2013 streamers Disney+ and Hulu. His experience as a producer with Gail Berman at Jackal Group after he left Fox will also serve him well in a job that requires juggling a broad portfolio \u2013 from Hulu\u2019s edgy limited series to Disney-branded shows for Disney+.<\/p>\n

\t35. Cindy Holland<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Cindy
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Robert Maxwell\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chair of Direct to Consumer, Paramount<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2025<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

She oversees Paramount\u2019s streaming platforms, Paramount+ and Pluto TV.<\/p>\n

She was with Netflix in its formative years for original programming and helped build it into a global juggernaut.<\/p>\n

She gained experience as a producer and a stint as CEO of Elisabeth Murdoch\u2019s indie studio Sister.<\/p>\n

\n\tWhile now a key member of David Ellison\u2019s leadership team at the Skydance-owned Paramount, Cindy Holland is still best known for setting Netflix up to be the powerhouse TV industry player it is today. Holland spent a total of 18 years with the streamer, nine of which she served as head of original content, where she established the programming strategy with early streaming hits including \u201cHouse of Cards,\u201d \u201cOrange is the New Black\u201d and \u201cStranger Things.\u201d Earlier this year, Holland stepped away from her role as CEO at indie studio Sister to join Ellison\u2019s exec ranks as the lieutenant in charge of revamping Paramount\u2019s streaming offering as the company enters its new era.<\/p>\n

\t36. Chris Meledandri<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Chris
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Andrew H. Walker\/Variety\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: CEO, Illumination Entertainment<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2007<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

The man behind \u201cMinions\u201d has created one of the most valuable animation studios in history, with a total box office of nearly $10 billion.<\/p>\n

Illumination\u2019s library of hits includes \u201cDespicable Me,\u201d \u201cSing\u201d and \u201cThe Super Mario Bros. Movie.\u201d<\/p>\n

The studio\u2019s movies are produced in Paris and frequently cost half of what Disney and Pixar spends on films.<\/p>\n

\n\tChris Meledandri founded Illumination in 2007 after a stint running animation at Fox. He quickly established the company, which was backed by Universal, as one of the most successful producers of family fare in Hollywood. It all kicked off with 2010\u2019s \u201cDespicable Me,\u201d the story of a reformed supervillain named Gru that has spawned four films and three spinoffs featuring the Minions. But Illumination didn\u2019t stop there, producing hits such as \u201cThe Grinch,\u201d \u201cSing\u201d and \u201cThe Super Mario Bros. Movie.\u201d What makes the company\u2019s output particularly appealing is that its movies cost between $70 million to $100 million to produce, far less than the $200 million that Disney typically spends. Next up, Illumination will release \u201cThe Super Mario Galaxy Movie\u201d and \u201cMinions 3,\u201d both of which are expected to be among 2026\u2019s biggest box office players.<\/p>\n

\t37. Craig Erwich<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Craig
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Variety via Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: President, Disney Television Group<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2023<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

The seasoned TV veteran has a diverse slate of platforms and networks to program, from ABC Entertainment to Hulu to Freeform.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s well-connected in the creative community after successful runs at Fox and Warner Bros. Horizon TV.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s a trusted lieutenant of Disney Entertainment co-chair Dana Walden.<\/p>\n

\n\tErwich oversees a broad menu of programs and brands in his role leading ABC Entertainment, Hulu Originals, Freeform, Disney Channel and other kidvid platforms. He\u2019s worked as a program buyer and seller, giving him the perspective and connections to juggle a high volume of development and production. Erwich has been key to Disney\u2019s strategy of windowing \u201cOnly Murders in the Building,\u201d \u201cParadise\u201d and other Hulu originals on ABC. \u201cThere\u2019s the broadcast experience and the kind of shows that thrive there, but now there\u2019s another window \u2014 and a very important and vibrant one for those shows \u2014 on Hulu,\u201d Erwich told Variety in April.<\/p>\n

\t38. George Cheeks<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"George
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: CBS\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chair of TV Media, Paramount<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2025<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He oversees CBS and Paramount\u2019s cable TV business.<\/p>\n

He was head of CBS and co-CEO of Paramount Global prior to the Skydance merger.<\/p>\n

He has got a mix of business and programming experience and previously served as co-chairman of NBC Entertainment.<\/p>\n

\n\tGeorge Cheeks is one of the few Paramount Global senior employees who came out of the Skydance acquisition with a prime spot at the top under David Ellison. Following a brief tenure as co-CEO of Paramount Global upon the exit of Bob Bakish, while also still acting as president and CEO of CBS. Now, Cheeks\u2019 brands include CBS Television Network, CBS News and Stations, CBS Sports, CBS Studios, BET Studios, Nickelodeon TV Studios, See It Now Studios, MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and BET. Since Cheeks took over at CBS, the network, has launched hits including \u201cTracker,\u201d \u201cFire Country,\u201d \u201cGhosts\u201d and \u201cMatlock.\u201d Cheeks came over to CBS in 2020 after a stint as co-chairman of NBC Entertainment.<\/p>\n

\t39. Courtenay Valenti<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Courtenay
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Variety via Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Head of Theatrical and Streaming Films, Amazon MGM Studios<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2023<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

She spent 33 years at Warner Bros. in an era when the studio set the standard for successful film franchises and market clout.<\/p>\n

She has deep filmmaker relationships.<\/p>\n

She just inherited James Bond.<\/p>\n

\n\t
The longtime Warner Bros. Pictures executive came to Amazon MGM following the ecommerce giant\u2019s purchase of the studio that Variety famously dubbed \u201cthe Lion.\u201d Valenti\u2019s arrival was seen as sign that the enlarged studio operation was getting serious about revving up a slate of commercial theatrical films. Valenti\u2019s experience ranges from Harry Potter franchise films to Baz Luhrmann\u2019s \u201cThe Great Gatsby\u201d to LEGO movies that helped revive Warner Bros.\u2019 feature animation activity. Now she\u2019s been entrusted with one of filmdom\u2019s crown jewels, James Bond. Valenti\u2019s first move was to turn to seasoned franchise film pros, Amy Pascal and David Heyman, to shepherd Agent 007 into a new chapter with a new star. Amazon MGM also has a big swing coming in June with Mattel\u2019s followup to \u201cBarbie,\u201d the live-action \u201cMasters of the Universe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t40. Robert Kyncl<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"PASADENA,
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: CEO, Warner Music Group<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2023<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He built out his knowledge of the industry by spending a dozen years at YouTube, overseeing creative and commercial partnerships and operations.<\/p>\n

He previously worked at Netflix in its booming years, guiding the transition from DVD-by-mail to streaming.<\/p>\n

\n\tKyncl has played captain at Warner Music Group as it\u2019s undergone major restructuring, including last year\u2019s elevation of Elliot Grainge to CEO of subsidiary Atlantic Music Group and waves of company-wide layoffs. And while full-year annual profit for 2025 declined 23%, largely due to the termination of WMG\u2019s distribution deal with BMG, publishing and recorded music revenue thrived, surging 14.6 percent to $1.87 billion. Much of that can be credited to the success of various WMG artists \u2014 Ros\u00e9, Alex Warren and Sombr, to name a few. Under Kyncl\u2019s leadership in 2025, WMG struck major licensing deals with AI startups Klay and Udio, the latter of which it had previously sued for copyright infringement. He has an ambitious blueprint to lead the company into the future \u2014 he even wrote a \u201c10 year plan\u201d for the company \u2014 but its execution will be a challenge.<\/p>\n

\t41. Keith Le Goy<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Keith
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy of Tori McCaleb\/Sony Pictures\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chairman, Sony Pictures Television<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2025<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

Le Goy is long-established player in international TV distribution at a time when Sony\u2019s production business is growing outside the U.S.<\/p>\n

He was hand-picked to lead TV in January by the studio\u2019s newly appointed CEO, Ravi Ahuja.<\/p>\n

He knows Sony\u2019s far-flung operations inside and out, having joined the company in 1999 as a distribution executive based in London.<\/p>\n

\n\tLe Goy is a longtime Sony Pictures Entertainment insider who is well positioned to help drive the parent company\u2019s efforts to find connections among the company\u2019s autonomous entertainment-focused units: Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony Music and Sony PlayStation. He previously headed worldwide distribution and networks, which gives him a strong sense of the company\u2019s range of production and channel assets in the U.S. and abroad. Before Sony, Le Goy oversaw European distribution for Disney TV.<\/p>\n

\t42. Peter Friedlander<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"NEW
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Head of Global TV<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2025<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He spent 14 years at Netflix, overseeing its first wave of original series including \u201cHouse of Cards,\u201d \u201cOrange Is the New Black\u201d and \u201cNarcos.\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019s well-regarded for his taste and the shows and creators he championed during Netflix\u2019s formative years in original content.<\/p>\n

\n\tAfter a long run at Netflix, Peter Friedlander in October moved across town to lead global TV for Amazon MGM Studios. His front-row seat to the Netflix revolution will serve him well as Amazon MGM calibrates its TV strategy for Prime Video and elsewhere. Friedlander is extremely well connected in the creative community after years at Netflix and at Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman\u2019s Playtone banner before that. All of those contacts and a big hunk of the goodwill he has in the bank will come in handy as the studio looks for growth.<\/p>\n

\t43. Phil Spencer<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Phil
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Variety via Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: CEO, Microsoft Gaming<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2022<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He is the big boss of all gaming at Microsoft.<\/p>\n

His track record at the tech giant includes having overseen the launch of the Xbox One consoles and Xbox Series X and S consoles.<\/p>\n

He pioneered Xbox\u2019s Game Pass subscription service and Xbox Cloud Gaming.<\/p>\n

\n\tBeginning with an internship in 1988, Phil Spencer has been a Microsoft employee for longer than many of his biggest fans have been alive. Now head of Microsoft Gaming, Spencer oversees brands including Xbox, Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda and Activision Blizzard. Throughout many years at the company, Spencer has launched several consoles, including the current generation Xbox Series X and S and this year\u2019s debut of the ROG Ally handheld collection, and overseen video game franchises including \u201cCall of Duty,\u201d \u201cMinecraft,\u201d \u201cHalo,\u201d \u201cGears of War,\u201d \u201cStarfield,\u201d \u201cDoom\u201d and \u201cForza.\u201d While navigating industry criticism and fan backlash this year amid workforce reductions and price increases, Spencer has also drawn praise for his commitment to backing Xbox\u2019s subscription Game Pass service and licensing out Xbox exclusives to PlayStation and Nintendo platforms, making those the new priority drivers of growth as console sales dwindle. The successful adaptation of the \u201cFallout\u201d gaming franchise into an Amazon Prime Video drama series was another feather in Spencer\u2019s cap.<\/p>\n

\t44. Strauss Zelnick<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Oxfordshire,
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images for The Business of\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chairman and CEO<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2007<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

Three words: \u201cGrand Theft Auto.\u201d<\/p>\n

He has a steady supply of market insights through his ZMC investment firm, which acquired Take-Two in 2007.<\/p>\n

\n\tStrauss Zelnick began his career in Hollywood at Columbia Pictures, home video distributor Vestron and Twentieth Century Fox. But he segued into big-league investing and video games nearly 20 years ago through his ZMC investment vehicle. Take-Two is home to one of gaming\u2019s most valuable franchises, \u201cGrand Theft Auto.\u201d The company will be under renewed scrutiny in 2026 after multiple delays in the release of the long-waited \u201cGrand Theft Auto VI.\u201d The most recent was the news from November 2025 that the title would be pushed by six months from May to November 2026. By that time it will have been 13 year since the debut of \u201cGTA 5.\u201d Outside of Take-Two, Zelnick may well wind up with a bigger footprint in entertainment if ZMC finds opportunities in the M&A wave that is gripping traditional media and entertainment.<\/p>\n

\t45. Anthony Wood<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"CEO
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Roku\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Founder, chairman and CEO, Roku<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2002<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He\u2019s a serial entrepreneur who hit the media-moment jackpot in launching the pioneering streaming platform.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s recognized as a media visionary for the launch of Roku in 2002 and the pioneering digital video recording firm ReplayTV in 1997.<\/p>\n

\n\tWood has generally kept a low profile in Hollywood since his entrepreneurial drive lead him into media in the late 1990s. He represents the \u201cHalt and Catch Fire\u201d era of cutting-edge digital products and savvy business leaders that emerged from the tech boom in Texas in the 1980s and \u201890s. Wood was early to see the opportunity for more consumer-friendly on-demand platforms, and that positions Roku well for the future as streaming becomes the dominant TV and home entertainment delivery system.<\/p>\n

\t46. Daniel Ek<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"MOUNTAIN
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Founder and CEO, Spotify<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2006<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He launched one of the most powerful streaming services in industry history, reshaping music consumption across the globe.<\/p>\n

He turned Spotify into a profitable business despite years of growth struggles.<\/p>\n

\n\tAfter more than two decades in his role at Spotify, Ek is poised to step down from CEO at the streaming company at the end of 2025 while remaining executive chairman. His making the change \u2014 to the degree he actually steps back \u2014 on a high note: Throughout his tenure, he made Spotify the premium destination for streaming and saved an industry that was collapsing under the weight of illegal downloading. He ushered Spotify to its current market cap of $118 billion and grew its audience to 713 million active users and 281 million subscribers, up more than 10% from 2024. Ek spent the year diversifying Spotify\u2019s outside investments, inking a deal with Netflix to stream a collection of original podcasts and another with Amazon to give advertisers using Amazon DSP programmatic access to Spotify\u2019s streaming audio and video inventory.<\/p>\n

\t47. Michael Cavanagh<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Michael\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Co-CEO, Comcast<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2025 (announced to take effect in January)<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power: <\/p>\n

He has direct oversight of NBCUniversal entertainment empire.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s the first person from outside the Roberts family to serve as CEO of the cable pioneer founded in 1963.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s known as financially focused manager with deep experience on Wall Street.<\/p>\n

\n\tWill have significant say over company\u2019s future direction as Roberts cedes some of his CEO duties.
Cavanagh is taking more of the reins at Comcast as Brian Roberts looks to do more with exploring technology. He brings to Comcast an outlook forged in part by time on Wall Street. He was He was the co-CEO of JPMorgan Chase\u2019s Corporate & Investment Bank from 2012 to 2014, and served as JPMorgan Chase\u2019s CFO for six years. Look for Cavanagh to have a big say over Comcast\u2019s policies governing potential mergers-and-acquisitions; investment in sports rights; and balancing the need to grow its streaming assets while keeping interest in its still-sizable linear TV footprint.<\/p>\n

\t48. Pete Docter<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Pete
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Pete Docter\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chief Creative Officer, Pixar Animation Studios<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2018<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He\u2019s been a huge part of Pixar hits including \u201cToy Story,\u201d \u201cUp\u201d and \u201cWall-E.\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019s respected as an experienced screenwriter and director.<\/p>\n

\n\tPixar\u2019s has had its highs and lows at the box office in recent years but the animation studio\u2019s brand nonetheless remains a magnet for kid and family audiences. Docter stepped up to the top creative job in 2018 when the company faced a moment of sudden transition after the exit of longtime creative leader John Lasseter. Docter was one of Pixar\u2019s first employees long before the pioneering CG animation shop was part of Disney. He is respected for maintaining Pixar\u2019s culture of creativity even as it has stepped up its production slate.<\/p>\n

\t49. Doug Belgrad<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Doug
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Penske Media via Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: VP of Film, Netflix<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2024<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

Oversees key relationships with directors Guillermo del Toro, Noah Baumbach, Greta Gerwig, Edward Berger.<\/p>\n

In 25 years at Sony, he supervised mega franchises including \u201cSpider-Man,\u201d \u201cJumanji,\u201d \u201cGhostbusters,\u201d \u201cMen in Black,\u201d \u201cBad Boys\u201d and \u201c21 Jump Street.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tLongtime Sony executive Belgrad has spent his career making theatrical movies across a spectrum of budgets, making him an ideal partner for Dan Lin at the Netflix film vertical. Belgrad, for starters, manages the streamer\u2019s important relationship with pay-one partner Sony Pictures (the union that gave us the \u201cKPop Demon Hunters\u201d juggernaut). Belgrad has been vital to get live-action features for Netflix out of that deal, including the upcoming \u201cPeople We Meet On Vacation\u201d and Kevin Hart\u2019s \u201c72 Hours.\u201d He\u2019s also brought key new filmmakers into the fold \u2014 like Clint Bentley, Lena Dunham and James Mangold \u2014 and scored big auction packages including the \u201cEloise\u201d movie with Amy Sherman-Palladino and producer Ryan Reynolds; as well as \u201cUnabom\u201d with Russell Crowe and Shailene Woodley.<\/p>\n

\t50. David Greenbaum<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"LOS
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: President, Disney Live Action and 20th Century Studios<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2024<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He\u2019s got deep talent relationships from his years co-leading prestige label Searchlight.<\/p>\n

He got Bruce Springsteen to ride shotgun for production and promotion on biopic \u201cDeliver Me From Nowhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe exceedingly likable Greenbaum took a giant leap up from his longtime post at Searchlight Pictures to replace Sean Bailey at Disney\u2019s mothership this year. He now oversees all live action filmmaking for the Walt Disney label and acts as steward for 20th Century Studios. Across both, he shepherds key filmmakers and \u2013 as the town has taken note \u2013 is actively courting original IP to serve younger audiences (particularly boys). Over his first few months, Greenbaum landed an action-drama package about the Hawaii mafia with Martin Scorsese and Dwayne Johnson, a hot time travel thriller from Edward Berger and Austin Butler, and the rights to Katherine Rundell\u2019s fantasy series \u201cImpossible Creatures.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t51. Tom Quinn<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Tom
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy of NEON\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: CEO, Neon<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2017<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

The indie has outmaneuvered deeper-pocketed players to win the Oscar for Best Picture for \u201cAnora\u201d and \u201cParasite.\u201d<\/p>\n

Neon became the first distributor to release six consecutive Palme d\u2019or winners, most recently with 2025\u2019s \u201cIt Was Just An Accident.\u201d<\/p>\n

It scored at the box office with horror hits such as \u201cThe Monkey\u201d and \u201cLonglegs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tTom Quinn launched Neon in 2017 and quickly established it as one of the hottest brands in the indie film world. Under his leadership, Neon has become a major awards season player. It captured Best Picture for 2019\u2019s \u201cParasite,\u201d which made history as the first foreign film to win the top prize. Then pulled off the feat a second time with 2024\u2019s \u201cAnora,\u201d a $6 million dark comedy that ranks as one of the lowest budgetted Best Picture victors ever. He\u2019s also released such Oscar-nominated films as \u201cAnatomy of a Fall,\u201d \u201cTriangle of Sadness,\u201d and \u201cI, Tonya.\u201d Beyond arthouse fare, Neon scored at the box office with a series of twisty horror flicks, \u201cThe Monkey\u201d and \u201cLonglegs,\u201d from Osgood Perkins, with whom the company has a first-look deal. However, Perkins\u2019 latest film, \u201cKeeper,\u201d was a rare miss. In 2025, Neon released one of its most critically acclaimed slates, distributing Jafar Panahi\u2019s \u201cIt Was Just An Accident\u201d and Joachim Trier\u2019s \u201cSentimental Value,\u201d both of which are expected to factor heavily into the Oscar race.<\/p>\n

\t52. Peter Kujawski<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Peter
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Michael Buckner\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chairman, Focus Features<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2016<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He has incredible connections throughout the film community after a long career as a senior executive across distribution, acquisitions and international.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s respected for keeping Focus a hub of adult dramas and theatrical releases.<\/p>\n

\n\tPeter Kujawski is a well-liked figure in the film community for his enthusiasm for movies and moviegoing, and for his taste in filmmakers and projects. He\u2019s been a steady hand at Focus Features since 2016, but and he had an earlier run at the unit\u2019s outset in 2002, where he played a big part in the releases of such notable pics as Michel Gondry\u2019s \u201cEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,\u201d Sofia Coppola\u2019s Lost In Translation\u201d and Gus Van Sant\u2019s \u201cMilk.\u201d His 2025 fall and winter slate was as an ambitious as any distributor that tackled adult dramas: \u201cBugonia,\u201d \u201cHamnet\u201d and \u201cSong Sung Blue.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t53. Jason Blum<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"HOLLYWOOD,
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: CEO and Founder<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2015<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He\u2019s the founder of one of the most successful studio startups of the past half-century.<\/p>\n

Blumhouse has become a movie brand that drives box office.<\/p>\n

Blum has branched out as a producer beyond horror.<\/p>\n

\n\tBlum has made his mark in Hollywood with his distinctive approach to horror films and his financial prowess. In short, he figured out to do micro-budget production at scale. And even in a year when the much-anticipated sequel \u201cMEGAN 2.0\u201d fell flat, the company\u2019s eight theatrical film releases in 2025 still passed the $1 billion mark at the box office. Blumhouse has also expanded significantly since the current iteration of the company was formed in 2015. This year, Blumhouse bolstered its core business by completing its merger with James Wan\u2019s Atomic Monster.<\/p>\n

\t54. David Fenkel and Daniel Katz<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"HOLLYWOOD,
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: John Sciulli\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Co-Founder, A24<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2012<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

Hollywood\u2019s perpetual cool kids have a bulletproof brand thanks to best-in-class marketing (Hello, \u201cMarty Supreme\u201d).<\/p>\n

A24 is about to dominate the Q1 TV conversation with new seasons of \u201cEuphoria\u201d and \u201cBeef,\u201d as well as Apple TV\u2019s buzzy adaptation of the novel \u201cMargo\u2019s Got Money Troubles\u201d starring Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman.<\/p>\n

A24 has diversified by acquiring NYC\u2019s Cherry Lane Theater and its attached restaurant Wild Cherry, one of Downtown\u2019s hardest-to-get tables.<\/p>\n

\n\t
The eternally mysterious Fenkel and Katz, who won\u2019t even agree to be photographed on the annual Oscars red carpet, continued their streak as one of the most enviable labels in indie film while quietly growing their company from within. A24 saw the most profitable run of its existence this year, largely thanks to the overperformance of Celine Song\u2019s \u201cMaterialists\u201d (over $100 million at the global box office on a $20 million budget). Strong singles and doubles came with Eva Victor\u2019s \u201cSorry, Baby,\u201d \u201cFriendship\u201d and \u201cBring Her Back,\u201d and \u201cMary Supreme\u201d is set to light up the specialty box office at Christmas. At the top of this year, Thrive Capital closed an investment round that sources say brings A24\u2019s valuation to roughly $3.5 billion.<\/p>\n

\t55. Jinny Howe<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"\"
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Netflix\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: VP of Original Series, Netflix<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2025<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

She\u2019s the driving force behind scripted series at the platform with the biggest budget for series orders.<\/p>\n

She spent 13 years with John Wells Productions, intersecting with major players all over town under the tutelage of the respected showrunner.<\/p>\n

\n\tHowe got the nod to run original scripted series for the U.S. and Canada at Netflix after her longtime boss, Peter Friedlander, departed for a new gig as head of global series for Amazon MGM. Howe has been a key player for years in Netflix\u2019s original content strategy, playing an instrumental role in such series as \u201cBridgerton,\u201d the Emmy-winning \u201cBeef\u201d and \u201cThe Diplomat.\u201d Now she\u2019s heading up the biggest sandbox in series development.<\/p>\n

\t56. Frances Berwick<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Frances
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Frances Berwick\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chairman, Bravo and Peacock Unscripted<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2025<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

She\u2019s the steady hand who keeps the Bravo circus on track.<\/p>\n

Her keen sense of what the audience wants has allowed the Bravo brand to soar despite the struggles of other established cable channels.<\/p>\n

She is well connected inside NBCUniversal after navigating numerous regimes there since 2002.<\/p>\n

\n\tBerwick has seen her job description and title at NBCUniversal change numerous times over the past decade, but her focus rarely wavered. She has been the driving executive force behind Bravo even before NBC bought the cable channel in 2002. With NBCUniversal slimming down through the spinoff of USA Network, Syfy, Oxygen, E!, Berwick\u2019s new role in the restructuring unveiled in January 2025 is tailored to her strengths. That\u2019s demonstrated by Peacock\u2019s success with unscripted shows including \u201cThe Traitors\u2019 and \u201cLove Island USA\u201d and the fans flocking to BravoCon events in recent years.<\/p>\n

\t57. David Stapf<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"LOS
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: President, CBS Studios<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2004<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He\u2019s one of TV\u2019s longest-serving studio chiefs.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s known for managing some of TV\u2019s biggest hits, including \u201cMatlock\u201d and the \u201cNCIS\u201d franchise.<\/p>\n

CBS Studios\u2019 holds the keys to the \u201cStar Trek\u201d franchise, a key piece of IP that was among the top draws in Skydance\u2019s acquisition of Paramount.<\/p>\n

\n\tDavid Stapf is among the elite list of top Hollywood executives who began their career in publicity and communications before transitioning into senior management. After helping launch iconic series like \u201cFriends\u201d and \u201cER\u201d at Warner Bros. TV, he moved to a current programming job at CBS in 1999, stewarding series like \u201cEverybody Loves Raymond.\u201d In 2004 he moved over to CBS\u2019 in-house studio, where he was key to the launch and growth of \u201cNCIS\u201d and its spinoffs. He also developed \u201cThe Good Wife\u201d and its spinoffs with Robert and Michelle King, and is guiding Kathy Bates\u2019 successful \u201cMatlock\u201d series. Stapf brought the \u201cStar Trek\u201d world back to life on TV with \u201cStar Trek: Discovery,\u201d \u201cPicard,\u201d \u201cLower Decks,\u201d \u201cStrange New Worlds\u201d and \u201cStarfleet Academy.\u201d In late night, he oversaw the launches of Stephen Colbert\u2019s and James Corden\u2019s talkers \u2014 and their wind downs (including Colbert\u2019s exit this coming May). And he launched the first new daytime soap in years, CBS\u2019 \u201cBeyond the Gates.\u201d Stapf even expanded his domain as a supplier for streamers like Netflix, and as an international producer on shows including \u201cColin From Accounts\u201d and \u201cKing & Conqueror.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t58. Jimmy Horowitz<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Jimmy
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Variety via Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chairman of Business Affairs and Operations, NBCUniversal Entertainment<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2023<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He has institutional knowledge of Universal like no other having been a top dealmaker for the studio since 1992.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s got the widest remit of any studio business affairs chief overseeing activity across film, TV, streaming, NBC and Bravo.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s a trusted lieutenant to NBCUniversal\u2019s top boss, Donna Langley.<\/p>\n

\n\tJimmy Horowitz is widely respected as an honest broker and a shrewd dealmaker. He\u2019s been a major player in driving business and monetization across the film studio for decades; more recently his purview has expanded to include television. He\u2019s connections and his experience will no doubt come into play as NBCUniversal completes the Versant spinoff and reinvents itself once again around NBC, Universal film and TV production, Bravo and Peacock and theme parks.<\/p>\n

\t59. Eric Schrier<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Eric
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Variety via Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: President, Disney Television Studios and Global Original Television Strategy, Disney Entertainment<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2022<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He\u2019s a respected veteran who helped build FX into an original series powerhouse.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s known to be an innovative thinker in financing and distributing TV shows.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s a trusted lieutenant to Disney Entertainment co-chair Dana Walden.<\/p>\n

\n\tSchrier came up the ranks under John Langraf at FX, which gives him a level of respect and connections in the creative community that he will need to help reinvent Disney\u2019s TV production operations. He was hand-picked by Dana Walden to steer the TV studios\u2019 business operations. In recent years, Schrier has invested in time and resources into growing Disney\u2019s local-language activity for Disney+ and other production activity outside the U.S.<\/p>\n

\t60. Brett Paul<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Brett
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Variety via Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: President, Warner Bros. Television Group<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2024<\/p>\n

\n\tSource of power:<\/p>\n

He\u2019s a 30-year veteran of Warner Bros. Television. He knows the backstory of every deal.<\/p>\n

He was elevated to a larger leadership role as his boss prepared to take on new duties \u2013 which have been interrupted by the Netflix-Paramount Skydance tug of war.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe future of Warner Bros. Television Group may be uncertain as Netflix and Paramount Skydance battle it out for the studio. But there\u2019s no doubt that Paul has played an enormous role in the company\u2019s success over the past 30 years. He\u2019s a well regarded dealmaker who has always nurtured strong relationships with WB\u2019s top talent.<\/p>\n

\t61. Debra OConnell<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Debra
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Danny Weiss\/ABC\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: President, ABC News Group and Disney Entertainment Networks<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2024<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

She\u2019s a 28-year veteran of Disney and ABC. She knows the Mouse House.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s well regarded by her colleagues at a moment when Disney\u2019s TV leaders are under pressure to find ways to collaborate.<\/p>\n

\n\tOConnell has the hard task of managing the operations of ABC News and leading business operations for Disney\u2019s linear networks, including ABC, FX Networks, Freeform and National Geographic. She\u2019s managing businesses that are inevitably in decline while Disney\u2019s streaming platforms gain steam. But Disney is also working across the company to leverage the reach and deep footprint (for now) of ABC, FX and the larger cablers to help bolster Disney+ and Hulu and to squeeze more value out of high-priced premium shows. OConnell earned the esteem of her colleagues by handling the tricky transition of leadership at ABC News just a few months after her role was expanded to encompass the division.<\/p>\n

\t62. Kristin Dolan<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"NEW
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: CEO, AMC Networks<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2023<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

AMC Networks and its core brands have been able to carve out key niches to remain upscale programming filters despite linear cable\u2019s steady declines.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s demonstrated a nimbleness in decision-making to help expose more of AMC Networks\u2019 content to viewers outside of AMC-owned platforms.<\/p>\n

\n\tDolan has been slowly shifting the centers of gravity that the company she took over in February 2023. AMC Networks is home to AMC, SundanceTV, IFC, WeTV and BBC America, as well as streamers Shudder, Acorn TV and ALLBLK. Dolan worked with Netflix and HBO Max to find bigger showcases for AMC-branded shows. She also has pull as a member of the family that controls the closely held company.<\/p>\n

\t63. Adam Aron<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Adam
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy AMC Theatres\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: CEO, AMC Theatres<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2016<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He transformed AMC Theatres into the world\u2019s largest circuit through key acquisitions of Carmike Cinemas, London-based Odeon & UCI Cinemas and other chains.<\/p>\n

He spearheaded the company\u2019s foray into distribution with 2023\u2019s wildly successful concert film \u201cTaylor Swift: The Eras\u201d and this year\u2019s \u201cTaylor Swift: The Release Party of a Showgirl.\u201d<\/p>\n

He saved AMC Theatres from bankruptcy during the pandemic by riding the meme stock wave, a social media phenomenon that miraculously allowed the circuit to improve its financial situation.<\/p>\n

\n\tAdam Aron, who became the CEO of AMC Theatres in 2016, has learned to embrace the disruption. Over the past few years, he\u2019s survived a pandemic that devastated his business and withstood rollercoaster share prices amid a box office that has failed to regain its pre-pandemic strength. Rather than relying entirely on the studios that supply the blockbusters, Aron has made several attempts to expand AMC\u2019s business outside of box office, including the viral \u201cDune\u201d popcorn bucket and other movie-themed merchandise that has contributed tens of millions in annual sales. He also spearheaded the chain\u2019s foray into distribution with 2023\u2019s commercial hit \u201cTaylor Swift: The Eras Tour\u201d concert film and this year\u2019s \u201cTaylor Swift: The Release Party of a Showgirl.\u201d And he turned AMC into the de facto choice for movie lovers after hiring Nicole Kidman for the chain\u2019s now-iconic promotional campaign to get people back to the movies. (Patrons even petitioned when AMC attempted to shorten the commercial, in which Kidman famously declares that \u201csomehow, heartbreak feels good in a place like this.\u201d) Now that\u2019s movie magic.<\/p>\n

\t64. Richard Gelfond<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Richard
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Variety via Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: CEO, Imax Corp.<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2009<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

His relationships with key talent like Christopher Nolan, Tom Cruise and James Cameron has turned Imax into the must-see venue for visual spectacles such as \u201cOppenheimer,\u201d \u201cTop Gun: Maverick\u201d and \u201cAvatar\u201d films.<\/p>\n

Amid the rise in popularity of premium formats, Gelfond is at the center of negotiations as studios vie for Imax\u2019s cameras and limited number of screens.<\/p>\n

Even as overall attendance has declined, Imax has never been more popular. With Gelfond\u2019s strategic release schedule, the company delivered its best year ever in 2025 with $1.2 billion globally.<\/p>\n

\n\tBlockbuster directors and stars like Christopher Nolan, Tom Cruise and Ryan Coogler are known to rhapsodize about the singular experience of watching their films in Imax, a premium film format that has skyrocketed in popularity since COVID. That makes Richard Gelfond, who controls access to the finite number of screens that tend to generate outsized ticket sales, a very popular person when those mega-watt talents have a new movie to unveil. Thanks to Gelfond\u2019s key relationships, Imax has benefited in recent years as audiences opt for premium large formats to distinguish the out-of-the-home moviegoing experience. When Gelfond joined Imax in 1994, the company was best known for supplying science documentaries to theaters inside museums. Over the decades, Gelfond, who became CEO in 2009, has turned the technology brand into a legitimate powerhouse in Hollywood.<\/p>\n

\t65. Matt Thunell<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"LOS
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images for Netfix\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: President, Paramount Television Studios<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld Job Since: 2025<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He was the key TV leader for Skydance before the Paramount transaction.<\/p>\n

He has a rich 100-year vault of IP to draw from in developing buzzy projects for Paramount+ and others.<\/p>\n

He spent seven years at Netflix as the streamer ramped up original content.<\/p>\n

\n\tMatt Thunell sits atop Paramount Television Studios operations, a unit formed in August, post-merger out of the assets of Skydance Television, Showtime\/MTV Entertainment Studios and Nickelodeon Live Action and Awesomeness. He\u2019s got an opportunity to rev up a franchise factory for the enlarged studio. Paramount TV Studios is home to the Taylor Sheridan-verse, Paramount+\u2019s \u201cYellowjackets,\u201d among other shows. Thunell worked on \u201cStranger Things\u201d at Netflix before he joined Skydance to head the TV unit in 2022.<\/p>\n

\t66. Josh Grode<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Josh
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Alex J. Berliner\/ABImag\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: CEO, Legendary Entertainment<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2017<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He\u2019s been described as \u201ca brilliant numbers guy\u201d when it comes to dealing with financing, data and earnings reporting for entertainment ventures.<\/p>\n

His legal background affords him lethal dealmaking prowess (see the recent rights deal for \u201cStreet Fighter\u201d).<\/p>\n

\n\tGrode may not be as flashy as some chiefs in town, but his stable of intellectual property provides all the shine he needs to keep Legendary at the top of the popcorn conversation. 2025 brought the staggering success of \u201cA Minecraft Movie,\u201d the almost billion-dollar-grosser that Grode\u2019s studio executed with Warner Bros. While Legendary will be moving south of Burbank for a new distribution pact with Paramount, the label will release a third \u201cDune\u201d film in 2026, as well as more monsters from the Godzilla universe and a hotly anticipated adaptation of beloved arcade game \u201cStreet Fighter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t67. Mary Parent<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Mary
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Deadline via Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Vice Chair of Worldwide Production, Legendary Entertainment<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2016<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

She has deep experience at large-scale film production and strong relationships in the creative community.<\/p>\n

Legendary has the size and the IP to be a strong supplier of high-end franchise fare such as \u201cA Minecraft Movie.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tParent\u2019s range of experience \u2014 from a long run at Universal Pictures to MGM to New Line Cinema early in her career \u2014 gives her the perspective and business connections to drive promising film and TV projects for Legendary. Her depth alone makes Legendary an attractive partner for studios looking for reliable popcorn fare.<\/p>\n

\t68. Matthew Greenfield<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"LOS
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: President, Searchlight Pictures<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2024<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He\u2019s got deep relationships with filmmakers after nearly 20 years with Searchlight and years as a producer.<\/p>\n

Searchlight has a proven touch with adult dramas at the box office.<\/p>\n

\n\tGreenfield rose up the leadership ladder at Searchlight after working as a film producer and at the Sundance Institute. He\u2019s highly regarded in the industry for his taste and for championing strong filmmakers. He was a key player in helping Searchlight make the transition into Disney after the 21st Century Fox acquisition in 2019.<\/p>\n

\t69. Rob Wade<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Rob
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Fox\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: CEO, Fox Entertainment<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2022<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He runs Fox Entertainment as three divisions that cover a lot of ground: The Fox television network, Fox Entertainment Studios and Fox Entertainment Global.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s helped build up a new stable of production businesses, which include Studio Ramsay Global, Bento Box Entertainment, MarVista Entertainment and TMZ.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s lined up partnerships with talent including Ramsay, Denis Leary, Dan Harmon, Jon Hamm, Howard Gordon, Jamie Foxx, Marta Kauffman, Rob Lowe and Will Arnett.<\/p>\n

\n\tRob Wade was already a reality TV veteran in the U.K. (\u201cBig Brother,\u201d \u201cI\u2019m a Celebrity\u2026 Get Me Out of Here\u201d) when he crossed the pond in 2005 to work on the first season of ABC\u2019s \u201cDancing With the Stars.\u201d He eventually became the showrunner of \u201cDWTS.\u201d He also headed up U.S. TV at Simon Cowell\u2019s Syco Entertainment, working on shows like \u201cAmerica\u2019s Got Talent\u201d and \u201cThe X Factor.\u201d After a stint as head of entertainment development at BBC Worldwide, Wade joined Fox in 2017 as president of alternative entertainment and specials, overseeing an unscripted slate such as \u201cThe Masked Singer,\u201d \u201cLego Masters\u201d and \u201cHell\u2019s Kitchen.\u201d He was there when Disney acquired Fox\u2019s studio operations, making the network a stand-alone indie \u2014 and giving him and then-CEO Charlie Collier license to be entrepreneurial. When Collier left for Roku in 2022, Wade was tapped by Lachlan Murdoch to continue leading Fox\u2019s evolution in entertainment.<\/p>\n

\t70. Jeffrey Hirsch<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Jeffrey
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy of Starz\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: President and CEO, Starz<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2019<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

Starz remains a large commissioner and licenser of premium and limited series.<\/p>\n

Hirsch has insight into pay TV economics through his 15 years in marketing with Time Warner Cable.<\/p>\n

\n\tStarz is settling into its next chapter after completing a long and complicated spinoff process from parent company Lionsgate. Now Hirsch and his team have more control to guide Starz\u2019s transition away from linear cable to subscription streaming. Hirsch\u2019s background in marketing has helped Starz make the most of its most popular franchises such as the \u201cPower\u201d drama series and the \u201cOutlander\u201d fantasy universe.<\/p>\n

\t71. Paul Buccieri<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Received
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Jeff Katz Photography\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: President and Chairman, A+E Global Media<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2018<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

The company\u2019s channels still have a broad footprint across U.S. linear cable.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s been savvy about packaging the company\u2019s library content for the FAST channels.<\/p>\n

\n\tBuccieri has worked to transform A+E Global Media\u2019s operations since he was promoted to the top job in 2018. He\u2019s made savvy licensing deals that protected the company\u2019s core business but generated cash flow from the FAST channel licensing bonanza of the past few years. Under Buccieri, Lifetime, History and A&E Network have gained respect for investing in a slate of event programs rather than joining the original series arms race. He\u2019s also highly regarded as a manager \u2013 skills he will need as parent companies Disney and Hearst quietly shop their long-standing joint venture to prospective buyers.<\/p>\n

\t72. Kevin Beggs<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"HOLLYWOOD,
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: The Hollywood Reporter via Getty\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chair & Chief Creative Officer, Lionsgate Television Group<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2013<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He\u2019s one of the longest-tenured studio execs in TV, having run Lionsgate TV with Sandra Stern for more than two decades.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s overseen the growth of the TV group as it expanded to include management\/production company 3 Arts and eOne, among other entities.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s a joiner who has been a key player in several industry organizations over the years; in March he was named chairman of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.<\/p>\n

\n\tIn an industry filled with executive shuffles and organizational changes, Kevin Beggs has been a stalwart at Lionsgate Television Group. He first joined the company when it was a much smaller entity and helped grow it over the years to critical acclaim with signature hits like \u201cMad Men,\u201d \u201cWeeds\u201d and \u201cOrange Is the New Black.\u201d This year, Lionsgate earned 25 Emmy nominations \u2014 including 23 Emmy nods for Apple TV+\u2019s \u201cThe Studio,\u201d which went on to win a record-breaking 13 Emmys \u2014 the most ever for a comedy in a single season. Overseeing a group that includes Lionsgate TV, Lionsgate Alternative TV, Lionsgate Worldwide TV Distribution, 3 Arts Entertainment and Debmar-Mercury, Beggs boasts current series hits including Season 5 of \u201cGhosts\u201d (CBS), \u201cThe Hunting Wive\u201d (Netflix), Season 3 of \u201cPower Book IV: Force\u201d (Starz), \u201cSpartacus: House of Ashur\u201d (Starz), \u201cThe Rainmaker\u201d (USA Network), Season 13 of \u201cMy Big Fat Fabulous Life\u201d (TLC) and the syndicated strips \u201cFamily Feud\u201d and \u201cSherri.\u201d In addition, 3 Arts is involved with shows like \u201cHacks\u201d (HBO Max) and \u201cNobody Wants This\u201d (Netflix).<\/p>\n

\t73. Lyor Cohen<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"WASHINGTON,
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images for The Recording A\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Global Head of Music, YouTube<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2016<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

YouTube is an enormous platform for music distribution and discovery.<\/p>\n

He has hefty industry credentials from his time as head of Warner Music and years at Def Jam.<\/p>\n

\n\tCohen is coming up on a decade of steering music activity for the streaming behemoth. His deep background in the business have come in handy as YouTube debates issues around AI use in the making of music and videos showcased on the site. More recently he\u2019s waded into a dispute with Variety\u2019s sibling publication Billboard about how YouTube streams are counted in Billboard\u2019s chart rankings of music sales.<\/p>\n

\t74. Steve Boom<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Steve
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Amazon\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: VP of Audio, Twitch and Games, Amazon<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2012\/2023<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He oversees a majority of Amazon\u2019s audio products as well as gaming and its livestreaming platform Twitch.<\/p>\n

He oversaw Amazon Music\u2019s all-time most-watched livestream, Bad Bunny\u2019s \u201cNo Me Quiero Ir de Aqu\u00ed: Una M\u00e1s.\u201d<\/p>\n

He welcomed Justin Bieber and Lizzo to Twitch.<\/p>\n

\n\tA graduate of Stanford and Harvard Law School, Boom\u2019s remit sprawls across Amazon Music, Audible, Twitch, Amazon Games, and Creator Services, the latter of which is a new program that leads the company\u2019s creator-led podcast studio under the Wondery brand, including Dax Shepard\u2019s Golden Globe-nominated \u201cArmchair Expert,\u201d \u201cMind the Game\u201d with Lebron James and \u201cNew Heights\u201d with Jason and Travis Kelce. Initiatives in the past year include Bad Bunny\u2019s final San Juan residency show, \u201cNo Me Quiero Ir de Aqu\u00ed: Una M\u00e1s,\u201d which became Amazon Music\u2019s all-time most-watched livestream; working with Bad Bunny to launch STEM education programs, agricultural support, and economic development in Puerto Rico; welcoming media-challenged artists like Justin Bieber and Lizzo to Twitch; and developing Alexa+ into a music-recommendation tool.<\/p>\n

\t75. Rahul Purini<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Rahul
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy of Crunchyroll\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: President, Crunchyroll<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2022<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

Anime is having a moment, and Crunchyroll is reaping the rewards.<\/p>\n

Crunchyroll has logged strong subscriber growth in recent years by dominating an exploding niche.<\/p>\n

He has deep credentials in the anime world and understanding of its fans.<\/p>\n

\n\tAs anime fandom has grown exponentially, Crunchyroll is well positioned to capture subscribers, audience and street cred with fans. The subscription streaming platform owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment has been a success story for the studio, which has made a point of investing in anime assets. Crunchyroll\u2019s emergence on a larger stage was cemented in September when its feature film \u201cDemon Slayer: Infinity Castle\u201d lead the U.S. box office for two weekends. Purini has deep credentials with fans thanks to his long run at anime shop Funimation before Sony engineered its merger with Crunchyroll in 2021.<\/p>\n

\t76. Jay Marciano<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"NEW
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images for City of Hope\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chairman and CEO, AEG Presents<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2011<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power: <\/p>\n

He oversees the world\u2019s second-largest live entertainment company.<\/p>\n

He promoted Taylor Swift\u2019s \u201cEras\u201d tours, as well as Coachella.<\/p>\n

He was the promoter behind the largest ticketed concert in U.S. history, Zach Bryan at Michigan Stadium.<\/p>\n

\n\tIn any other universe, the man at the top of a live-entertainment empire that includes Taylor Swift\u2019s \u201cEras\u201d tour, Elton John\u2019s five-year \u201cFarewell Yellow Brick Road\u201d trek, the largest ticketed concert in U.S. history (Zach Bryan at Michigan Stadium: 112,408 fans), the Rolling Stones\u2019 recent tours, Coachella, Stagecoach, Sabrina Carpenter, Morgan Wallen and much more would be the Goliath of his industry. However, AEG Live\u2019s main competition is the mighty Live Nation. But Marciano and his AEG Live team give Rapino & Co. a run for their money every year. Partnerships \u2014 with Louis Messina for Swift, with Goldenvoice\u2019s Paul Tollett for Coachella and Stagecoach, with Latin powerhouse CMN Events \u2014 are a key strength, and he\u2019s also more than doubled the company\u2019s venue portfolio to over 100 (which include L.A.\u2019s Crypto.com Arena and the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas), and also runs other iconic events like London\u2019s BST Hyde Park, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and many more across the globe.<\/p>\n

\t77. Michael Barker and Tom Bernard<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"NEW
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images for Tribeca Festiva\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitles: Co-Founders and Co-Presidents, Sony Pictures Classics<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 1992<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

They\u2019ve both got remarkable staying power in an increasingly endangered specialty sector.<\/p>\n

And they\u2019ve still got the touch: Sony Pictures Classics took home the international feature Oscar this year for \u201cI\u2019m Still Here,\u201d marking a first for Brazil.<\/p>\n

\n\t
\u201cMichael and Tom,\u201d as they are unanimously known, are part of the furniture here in Hollywood. They are lifelong devotees of art house titles that, more often than not, find a foothold in the mainstream and keep their parent label Sony Pictures in the awards conversation each year. For 2025, they rolled out Jodie Foster\u2019s psychological murder mystery \u201cA Private Life\u201d and Iraq\u2019s stellar bet for this year\u2019s Oscars in \u201cThe President\u2019s Cake.\u201d And they may have a dark horse best actor winner on their hands for Ethan Hawke in Richard Linklater\u2019s \u201cBlue Moon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t78. Byron Allen<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"WEST
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images for Baby2Baby\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Founder, Chairman and CEO, Allen Media Group<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 1993<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He owns the Weather Channel cabler and more than a dozen TV stations in addition to niche cable channels.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s among the most prominent Black entrepreneurs in media.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s waged long-running legal fights against what he sees as discriminatory business practices against Black-owned media outlets.<\/p>\n

\n\tByron Allen has demonstrated that he has tenacity to spare in building the media company that he started with a single syndicated TV show that he hosted. Today, Allen Media Group encompasses more than a dozen TV stations in small- and medium-size markets, the Weather Channel and niche lifestyle and genre channels. He\u2019s been expanding in streaming with the college sports and lifestyle platform HBCUGo platform. He also owns the indie film distribution service Freestyle Digital Media.<\/p>\n

\t79. Asad Ayaz<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Asad
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Hussein H. Katz\/Disney\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chief Brand Officer, Walt Disney Co.; President, Disney Entertainment Marketing<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2023<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He\u2019s been entrusted with managing the Disney brand around the world and across all Disney platforms, from theme parks to streamers.<\/p>\n

He oversees all content marketing for Disney\u2019s film and TV studios.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s a 20-year Disney veteran with a long track record of wins.<\/p>\n

\n\tAsad Ayaz has the single-biggest marketing portfolio of any CMO in entertainment. And because Disney is Disney, he has the extra burden of serving as both promoter and protector of the big-D brand that is synonymous with America, apple pie and Mickey Mouse. Ayaz also has a huge remit in overseeing all ballyhoo activity at the studio\u2019s film and TV production imprints and Disney+.<\/p>\n

\t80. Shannon Ryan<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Shannon
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Disney\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: President of Marketing, Direct to Consumer and Disney Entertainment Television<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld Job Since: 2025<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

She leads teams that deliver an enormous volume of marketing and promotion for some of TV\u2019s most prominent shows and platforms.<\/p>\n

She has a shorthand with Disney Entertainment co-chairman Dana Walden from years of working together at Fox.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s respected for a long track record of success and innovative campaigns.<\/p>\n

\n\tRyan oversees a roster of platforms and brands of size and scope that would have been unimaginable 10 years ago. With her promotion in August, Ryan added oversight of all Disney\u2019s direct to consumer marketing in addition to Disney\u2019s TV studios and linear channels. The job of bringing viewers to the screen has become more complicated in the subscription streaming age. It falls to Ryan and her teams to help build up Disney\u2019s growth engines of the future.<\/p>\n

\t81. Sue Kroll<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Sue
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Variety via Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Head of Marketing, Amazon MGM Studios<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2022<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

She was Warner Bros. Pictures\u2019 longtime marketing and distribution chief, responsible for launching the wildly popular \u201cHarry Potter\u201d and \u201cLord of the Rings\u201d franchises, among other blockbusters.<\/p>\n

She served as lead consultant on Amazon MGM\u2019s extensive rollout campaign for the first season of \u201cThe Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power\u201d before she was hired as the studio\u2019s head of global marketing.<\/p>\n

She launched the production company Kroll & Co. Entertainment and counts \u201cA Star Is Born\u201d and \u201cBirds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn\u201d among her credits.<\/p>\n

\n\tSue Kroll is skilled at selling movies. The former Warner Bros marketing chief was responsible for major promotional campaigns, including \u201cHarry Potter,\u201d \u201cLord of the Rings\u201d and Christopher Nolan\u2019s \u201cDark Knight\u201d trilogy, as well as awards fare like \u201cArgo\u201d and \u201cThe Blind Side.\u201d So when Amazon MGM decided to get into the theatrical business and ramp up its film slate, the studio recruited Kroll \u2013 reuniting her with Courtenay Valenti, Amazon MGM\u2019s head of film and Warner Bros. former production chief \u2013 to market its movies to the masses. The studio admittedly hasn\u2019t had a ton of theatrical offerings since Amazon MGM committed to the big screen. (Making movies takes time.) So 2026 releases, including the Chris Pratt-led \u201cMercy,\u201d Ryan Gosling\u2019s space drama \u201cProject Hail Mary\u201d and Colleen Hoover adaptation \u201cVerity,\u201d will be a better showcase of Kroll\u2019s talent. And once they get around to casting the next James Bond, she\u2019ll be responsible for shaking and stirring the 007 franchise for a new generation.<\/p>\n

\t82. Michael Moses<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Michael
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Michael Moses\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chief Marketing Officer, Universal Pictures<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2018<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He has invaluable depth of experience at Universal and with its franchises after 25 years with the studio.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s skilled enough to help fuel strong openings for everything from action blockbusters to historical dramas to a two-part movie musical.<\/p>\n

\n\tMoses is one of filmdom\u2019s most respected and well-liked marketing mavens. He has the experience and the No. 1 opening weekends to back it up. His latest victory that impressed fellow CMOs far and wide was his assignment to open not one but two movie musicals tied to a beloved Broadway property with a one-year gap in between. Moses and his team made sure that you couldn\u2019t miss the candy-colored fanfare for \u201cWicked\u201d and \u201cWicked: For Good.\u201d Next up he faces a Homeric challenge with the release of Christopher Nolan\u2019s \u201cThe Odyssey\u201d in July.<\/p>\n

\t83. Carolyn McCall<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"LONDON,
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: CEO, ITV<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2018<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

She leads the U.K.\u2019s largest commercial broadcaster.<\/p>\n

ITV has become a key partner for Hollywood as more U.S. based platforms strive for global content.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s respected as an accomplished CEO who previously ran Guardian Media Group and EasyJet.<\/p>\n

\n\tMcCall has carefully managed ITV\u2019s response to the rapidly changing business landscape for media. She took the reins after her predecessor acquired a slew of small production banners to feed the company\u2019s content pipelines. She came in as a strong experienced executive manager who helped quiet the persistent rumors that ITV would be sold, although that may change as another wave of merger mania grips Hollywood.<\/p>\n

\t84. Maxime Saada\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"saada
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: L’EQUIPE\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle:\u00a0CEO, Canal+ Group\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2015<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He has doubled the group\u2019s subscriber base to more than 40 million across 70 countries.<\/p>\n

He oversees an annual \u20ac5 billion investment in content and has signed distribution deals with most major streamers and U.S. studios.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He spearheaded the complex acquisition of MultiChoice Group in Africa and secured a 34% stake in UGC, one of France\u2019s leading cinema chains.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tMaxime\u202fSaada, a shrewd\u00a0businessman\u00a0whose mantra is \u201cbuy less, own more,\u201d has transformed Canal+ Group from a\u00a0largely French\u00a0pay-TV\u00a0operator into a leaner, financially robust global media company spanning Europe,\u00a0Africa\u00a0and Asia. Since taking the helm in 2015, Saada\u202fhas quadrupled the group\u2019s subscriber base to more than 40 million across 70 countries, while tightening cost structures, cutting losses and sustaining a \u20ac5 billion annual investment in content.\u00a0Saada joined Canal+ Group in 2004 and moved through the ranks, has fueled the company\u2019s growth through targeted acquisitions, including stakes in The Pictures Company in the U.S., Nordic\u00a0pay-TV\u00a0group Viaplay and Asian streamer\u00a0Viu, capped this year by the takeover of MultiChoice Group, cementing\u00a0Canal+\u2019s\u00a0leadership in Africa. In parallel, Saada\u202f secured a 34% stake in UGC, reinforcing vertical integration alongside\u00a0Studiocanal, the producer behind \u201cPaddington.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t85. Pierre-Antoine Capton<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"CANNES,
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Variety via Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chairman and CEO, Mediawan<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2015<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He\u2019s built one of Europe\u2019s leading indie production-distribution companies from scratch in a decade.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s put Mediawan on the map in Hollywood with the acquisition of Brad Pitt\u2019s Plan B, See-Saw Films and most recently a stake in Margot Robbie\u2019s LuckyChap.<\/p>\n

Aside from Mediawan, Capton is also a leading producer of primetime talk shows in France.<\/p>\n

\n\tIn an industry reshaped by consolidation and volatility, Capton has engineered a rare European success story with Mediawan. The self-made French producer co-founded Mediawan with telecom billionaire Xavier Niel and investment banker Matthieu Pigasse as a special-purpose acquisition vehicle in 2015. Ten years and (likely) over a thousand transatlantic flights later, Capton has turned Mediawan into one of Europe\u2019s leading production-distribution players amid a fiercely competitive market, generating upwards of $1 billion in annual revenues and housing over 80 labels worldwide, including the producers of \u201cThe Count of Monte Cristo,\u201d \u201cMiraculous\u201d and \u201cCall My Agent\u201d \u2014 with a movie spinoff in post boasting George Clooney and Eva Longoria cameos, and a U.S. remake set in the sports representation worlds with HBO and SpringHill. Capton has been the architect of this international expansion, gaining the trust of high-profile talent and spearheading headline-making acquisitions that put the company on the English-language map, including majority stakes in Oscar-winning banners such as Brad Pitt, Jeremy Kleiner and Dede Gardner\u2019s Plan B (\u201cAdolescence,\u201d\u201dF1\u201d), and \u201cSlow Horses\u201d producer See-Saw Films. Capton also just enlisted Margot Robbie\u2019s LuckyChap for a joint venture based in London.<\/p>\n

\t86. Efe Cakarel<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"LONDON,
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images for SXSW London\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Founder and CEO, Mubi<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2007<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

Cakarel built Mubi as a niche streaming service in 2007 and transformed it into full-fledged studio active in theatrical distribution and production.<\/p>\n

He took a gamble on Coralie Fargeat\u2019s body horror pic \u201cThe Substance\u201d which went on to become a global success and an Oscar nominee for best picture and best actress for Demi Moore.<\/p>\n

Mubi was valued $1 billion this year.<\/p>\n

\n\tA Turkish-born film fanatic, Efe Cakarel had never been to a film festival when he wrote the business plan for Mubi in 2007, envisioning an edgier alternative to Netflix. Eighteen years later, the London-headquartered company has evolved from a niche streamer into a full-fledged studio spanning theatrical distribution and production, with more than 400 employees across 15 markets. Mubi broke through in the U.S. with Coralie Fargeat\u2019s body-horror breakout \u201cThe Substance,\u201d which it distributed in theaters and grossed $83 million worldwide in 2024. It also earned five Oscar nominations, which meant that the ceremony last March marked Cakarel\u2019s first trip to the Academy Awards. Cakarel, who says he \u201cbuilt Mubi brick by brick,\u201d remains bullish on reinvigorating moviegoing culture.<\/p>\n

\t87. Miky Lee<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Miky\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Vice Chair, CJ Group\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job\u00a0since:\u00a02004\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:\u00a0<\/p>\n

She has overseen CJ Group\u2019s entertainment expansion for two decades, spanning film, television, music, live\u00a0events\u00a0and\u00a0exhibition.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She helped build CJ\u2019s global content infrastructure, from CJ ENM and CJ CGV to international production and distribution platforms.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She positioned CJ as a durable bridge between Korean creators and Hollywood studios through long-term investment and partnerships.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tMiky Lee has spent the past two decades building the infrastructure that helped rebuild Korean\u2019s entertainment industry. Appointed vice chair in 2004, she oversaw CJ\u2019s shift from domestic film and TV operations into a vertically integrated entertainment group with reach across Asia and the U.S. Under her watch, CJ-backed projects included Oscar winner \u201cParasite,\u201d while platforms like KCON and the Mnet Asian Music Awards grew from local showcases into international fixtures. As global demand accelerated, Lee pushed CJ further into the U.S., backing CJ ENM\u2019s majority acquisition of Endeavor Content, now Fifth Season, and the launch of the First Light\u00a0StoryHouse\u00a0label with Janet Yang. As Korean film,\u00a0TV\u00a0and music have broken firmly into the U.S. mainstream, Lee\u00a0remains\u00a0behind one of the few companies built to\u00a0operate\u00a0across all three at scale.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t88. Marco Bassetti<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Marco
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy of Marco Bassetti\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: CEO, Banijay Entertainment and Banijay Live<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job\u00a0since:\u00a02013\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:\u00a0<\/p>\n

Under Bassetti\u2019s leadership, Banijay has grown into an\u202findependent global entertainment powerhouse that produces,\u00a0distributes\u00a0and sells\u202fscripted and unscripted formats for TV and streaming, as well as live events.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bassetti\u2019s tenure has seen the company in\u00a0near-constant state of expansion \u2013 including the acquisitions of high-profile companies like\u00a0Zodiak\u00a0and Endemol Shine Group \u2013 while also delivering strong numbers. Banijay now\u00a0operates\u00a0over 130 production companies across more than 25 territories with a huge library of global IP.<\/p>\n

\n\tMarco Bassetti is navigating the current age of consolidation without losing sight of the bottom line. As streamer budgets shrink and linear channels lose\u00a0relevance\u00a0he is judiciously continuing to grow the company\u2019s footprint while\u00a0attaining\u00a0scale with a wide range of premium content. Scale gives Banijay leverage in its negotiations with streaming giants and\u202fbolsters its efforts to\u202fretain\u00a0IP ownership rather than selling it outright.\u202fThe company\u2019s production side, that includes brands such\u00a0as\u202f \u201cMasterChef,\u201d \u201cBig Brother,\u201d \u201cPeaky Blinders\u201d and \u201cBlack Mirror,\u201d\u202fis looking to expand its reach in English-speaking markets, including the U.S., though Bassetti is not planning to compete\u202fdirectly with Hollywood studios\u202fin the scripted sphere. Diversifying beyond traditional TV content, Banijay since 2023 holds a\u202fmajority stake in live entertainment outfit Balich Wonder Studios that is driving\u202fgrowth thanks to production of high-profile events such as the opening ceremony of the upcoming Milan\u202fCortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Banijay has also made inroads in the creator-led entertainment space, notably its Creators Lab launched\u00a0with\u00a0YouTube.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t89. Mark Lazarus<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Mark
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Variety via Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: CEO, Versant Media<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2025<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He\u2019s got deep relationships in the pay TV and business circles he\u2019ll need to keep Versant\u2019s balance sheet healthy.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s being courted by Hollywood as Versant is expected to make some big deals to drive USA Network, Syfy and other channels.<\/p>\n

\n\tLazarus has taken on the job of transitioning NBCUniversal\u2019s largest linear cable channels into a new company dubbed Versant Media, which will formally become a separate publicly traded entity from NBCUniversal in early 2026. Lazarus is well positioned to steer those outlets \u2014 USA Network, CNBC, MSNBC, Oxygen, E!, Syfy and Golf Channel \u2013 into their next chapter given his roots in pay TV as a Turner Broadcasting alum. He\u2019s exiting out of NBCUniversal after a 15-year run.<\/p>\n

\t90. Matt Strauss<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chairman, NBCUniversal Media Group<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2024<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power: <\/p>\n

The Comcast veteran leads business operations, strategy and platforms for NBC, Bravo and Peacock.<\/p>\n

He has oversight of Peacock, which NBCU is counting on to deliver its audiences in the future.<\/p>\n

Early in his career, he helped launch the video on demand platform Mag Rack.<\/p>\n

\n\tNBCUniversal is investing heavily in sports and entertainment franchises. Matt Strauss\u2019 job is to make sure the company makes a profit. NBCU has in recent months tested some unique strategies, including the launch of a new sports-focused cable network that delivers much of the content already available to users of Peacock. The new outlet lets people still connected to traditional systems enjoy the content and serves as a bargaining chip in negotiations with video distributors.<\/p>\n

\t91. Katherine Pope<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Katherine\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: President, Sony Pictures Television Studios<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2022<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

She has deep relationships in the creative community from her varied experience as a buyer, seller and producer.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s well regarded for championing original ideas and distinctive voices.<\/p>\n

\n\tPope has had a broad range of experience over the past 25 years, from rising fast at NBC to helping to launch Chernin Entertainment and Charter Spectrum\u2019s programming venture. All of that background is helping her lead Sony Pictures Television. It\u2019s the studio division that takes the company\u2019s riskiest bets in scripted TV. SPT fielded a notable new series this year for Fox with the medical drama \u201cDoc,\u201d which debuted to strong reviews and audience in January. The series came back quickly \u2014 by design \u2014 with Season 2 debuting in September just as Season 1 episodes landed on Netflix.<\/p>\n

\t92. Gunnar Wiedenfels<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"WEST
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chief Financial Officer, Warner Bros. Discovery<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2022<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He is poised to become CEO of the Discovery Global cable spinoff, depending on what happens with the WBD sale.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s highly regarded on Wall Street as a disciplined cost cutter.<\/p>\n

\n\tWiedenfels is on track to take on the tough assignment of charting a future course for CNN, TNT, TBS, Discovery, HGTV, Food Network and other WBD linear channels. If Paramount prevails in buying all of WBD, however, Wiedenfels won\u2019t have an empire. Although the executive became a lightning rod amid WBD\u2019s extensive cost cutting campaigns, Wiedenfels will be sought after as a media CEO after his experience restructuring WBD.<\/p>\n

\t93. Rita Ferro<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"CORPORATE
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: ABC\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: President, Disney Advertising<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2023<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

She oversees one of the largest ad sales operations in media with reach across streaming, linear, broadcast, digital and more.<\/p>\n

She steers one of Disney\u2019s most important profit engines.<\/p>\n

She knows Disney after more than 25 years in ad sales, starting at ESPN.<\/p>\n

\n\tFerro has become a key figure in Disney\u2019s TV kingdom as the company opened Disney+ to advertising and has expanded in streaming with ESPN and Hulu. She has deep knowledge of Disney\u2019s operations and the value of Disney\u2019s biggest brands. She\u2019s earned the trust of Disney\u2019s C-suite after delivering for the Mouse House in difficult times.<\/p>\n

\t94. Mark Marshall<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"NEW
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Variety via Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chairman, Global Advertising and Partnerships, NBCUniversal<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2023<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He\u2019s expert at bringing in the bucks for the big events that NBC will rely on to drive linear viewership.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s become a key voice on Donna Langley\u2019s senior management team for the soon-to-shrink NBCUniversal.<\/p>\n

\n\tMarshall has grown his stature at NBCUniversal ever since he became the top executive in advertising sales. He distinguished himself in sales for the 2024 Paris Olympics and this year\u2019s \u201cSaturday Night Live\u201d 50th anniversary celebration. He\u2019s also been a driver of the company\u2019s upcoming plans to celebrate NBC\u2019s 100th anniversary and to go big on live sports.<\/p>\n

\t95. Charlie Collier\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Charlie
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy Fox\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: President, Roku Media\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job\u00a0since:\u00a02022\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:\u00a0<\/p>\n

He\u2019s\u00a0in the thick of the pay TV world with Roku\u2019s status as a distributor of streaming apps and linear channels as\u00a0well\u00a0its own original content.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

He\u2019s\u00a0got deep\u00a0relationships in\u00a0cable TV\u00a0and with\u00a0creatives from his long run at AMC Networks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tCollier was recruited to rev up Roku\u2019s core media business by stepping up original content commissions and enhancing its advertising sales operation. Collier has worked to capitalize on Roku\u2019s strengths by targeting its original series to complement trends and popular shows on channels and apps carried by Roku. He has also expanded its presence on Madison Avenue, tapping into his decades of experience in programming and ad sales.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t96. Jennifer Mullin<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Screenshot\"\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Group CEO, Fremantle<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2018<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

Fremantle has a rich archive of TV series formats and IP assembled through decades of production and acquisitions.<\/p>\n

Mullin is well connected in the global content community, having worked her way up the ranks at Fremantle since 2005.<\/p>\n

\n\tIf you\u2019re in the business of game shows, then you\u2019re in business with Fremantle. Mullin leads the production banner behind \u201cAmerican Idol,\u201d \u201cSo You Think You Can Dance\u201d and a host of game shows ranging from \u201cThe Price is Right\u201d to \u201cFamily Feud.\u201d On Mullin\u2019s watch Fremantle has also expanded its efforts in scripted content.<\/p>\n

\t97. Hermen Hulst<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"LOS
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: CEO, Sony Interactive Entertainment\u2019s PlayStation Studios\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job\u00a0since:\u00a02019\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:\u00a0<\/p>\n

He heads the gaming giant\u2019s global studios business.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s a key player in collaborating with Sony Pictures Entertainment and creative talent to adapt PlayStation IP into film and TV projects.<\/p>\n

\n\tHulst oversees more than 20 individual studio groups and partnerships, which\u00a0are responsible for\u00a0some the industry\u2019s most influential games including \u201cThe Last of Us,\u201d \u201cGhost of\u00a0Yotei,\u201d \u201cGod of War,\u201d \u201cHelldivers II\u201d and \u201cDeath Stranding 2.\u201d While he was pulled back from serving as co-CEO of the PlayStation business overall earlier this year, Hulst holds significant power in the gaming\u00a0biz\u00a0and guides SIE\u2019s film and TV strategy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t98. Ynon Kreiz<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Ynon
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Courtesy\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: CEO, Mattel<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since: 2018<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:<\/p>\n

He\u2019s leveraging the toymaker\u2019s beloved brands into media that extends beyond the toy aisle. <\/p>\n

He\u2019s got the background and the connections to make savvy deals in Hollywood.<\/p>\n

\n\t
Yes, Kreiz is interested in selling toys \u2014 lots of them \u2014 across multiple different categories (dolls, toddler, preschool and more). But he\u2019s repositioned the company to better exploit opportunities in other lines of business with Mattel\u2019s fan-favorite brands, including with the company\u2019s first movie: box-office bonanza \u201cBarbie,\u201d which indisputably became a cultural moment. He has loaded up more projects in the pipeline in film, TV, consumer products, games, live events and experiences, publishing and music. Kreiz\u2019s background as CEO of Fox Kids Europe, Maker Studios and Endemol over the past three decades affords him a keen understanding of how to capitalize on the value of Mattel\u2019s multigenerational fandoms through media.<\/p>\n

\t99. Tim Sweeney<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"WEST
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Founder and CEO, Epic Games\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job\u00a0since:\u00a01991\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:\u00a0<\/p>\n

He oversees the company behind massive multiplayer hit \u201cFortnite\u201d and the Unreal Engine 3D graphics platform, which has been a game-changer for visual effects.<\/p>\n

He has boldly launched legal challenges to the app store practices of Apple and Google. <\/p>\n

\n\tSweeney\u2019s company parachuted into the zeitgeist with the hugely popular \u201cFortnite,\u201d and the game\u2019s success last year attracted Disney as a major strategic partner. The outspoken \u2014 if not combative \u2014 exec also has stood up to tech\u00a0giants\u00a0Apple and Google, battling them in court to try to force them to make their app store policies fairer for independent developers. Meanwhile, Epic\u2019s Unreal Engine 3D graphics platform has been eagerly embraced by professional vfx artists and creators for its ease of use.<\/p>\n

\t100. Wang Jianlin<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Jianlin
\n\t\t\t\t\tImage Credit: NurPhoto via Getty Images\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\tTitle: Chair, Dalian Wanda Group<\/p>\n

\n\tHeld job since:\u00a01988<\/p>\n

\n\tSources of power:\u00a0<\/p>\n

He\u00a0retains\u00a0influence over China\u2019s largest cinema footprint through Wanda-branded theaters embedded in Wanda Plaza real estate he still controls.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He owns major exhibition assets outside China, including Australia and New Zealand\u2019s Hoyts Group.\u00a0<\/p>\n

He controls Infront Sports & Media, a global sports marketing firm managing rights for major winter sports, Serie\u00a0A\u00a0and selected FIFA-related events.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tFor a decade, Wang Jianlin was the most visible symbol of China\u2019s global entertainment ambitions, snapping up marquee Western assets and building the world\u2019s largest cinema footprint. That expansion unwound after Beijing tightened controls on outbound capital and targeted highly leveraged overseas acquisitions, forcing Wanda into debt restructuring and the exit from assets such as AMC Theatres and Legendary Entertainment. What\u00a0remains\u00a0is narrower but durable. While Wang no longer controls Wanda Film, Wanda Cinemas continue to\u00a0operate\u00a0at scale under a brand synonymous with his legacy and are\u00a0largely housed\u00a0within Wanda Plaza properties he still owns. Overseas, Hoyts preserves exhibition muscle in Australia and New Zealand. Most resilient is Infront Sports & Media, whose grip on premium sports rights anchors Wang\u2019s influence beyond film. His power now rests in infrastructure rather than dealmaking.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In business, the power of individual leaders is an inherently hard thing to measure. It\u2019s subjective, and it…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":332362,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[6491,16384,2298,96,392,129474,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-332361","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-celebrities","8":"tag-celebrities","9":"tag-david-ellison","10":"tag-david-zaslav","11":"tag-entertainment","12":"tag-netflix","13":"tag-ted-sarandos","14":"tag-uk","15":"tag-united-kingdom","16":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/332361","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=332361"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/332361\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/332362"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=332361"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=332361"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=332361"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}