It’s Official: Jon Peters Will Return to Warner Bros.

Producer Jon Peters’ return to Warner Bros. has happened sooner rather than later.

Warner Chairman Robert A. Daly and President Terry Semel announced Monday that Peters has signed an exclusive joint venture agreement to develop movies and other projects at the Burbank-based studio. Under the terms of the five-year deal, Peters is also expected to bring outside financing to the table.

Peters co-produced “Batman,” Warner’s highest-grossing movie of all time, before moving to Sony Pictures in 1989. At that time, Sony was forced to pay Warner a reported $500 million for hiring Peters and his partner, Peter Guber, away while they were still under contract. Sony paid another $200 million for the pair’s production company, Guber Peters Entertainment.

Peters spent a stormy two years as co-chairman of Sony Pictures before stepping down to take a producing deal on the lot. Speculation that he would return to Warner began when Sony let him out of his exclusive deal last month. Peters is very close to Semel. He has also told friends that he is anxious to return to Warner. Sony is expected to follow through on several Peters projects, including “Money Train.”

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* Richard Arroyo, who most recently was senior vice president of marketing for Philips Media, has been named senior vice president at MTV Latino.

* Marjorie A. Skouras has been promoted to senior vice president of acquisitions and co-productions at Skouras Pictures.

* Planet Productions Corp. has promoted L. Dean Cox from controller to treasurer.

* Christopher Weis has been named director of southwest sales for Burbank-based Rysher Entertainment.

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* Pamela C. Donahue has been named director of creative services at MTM Worldwide Distribution.

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* David Garber has been appointed senior vice president of distribution and marketing for Live Entertainment.

* Actress Kathleen Kinmont has formed K.O. Productions, where her first project will be the cable film “Jack & Annie.”

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