Company Town : Tom Rothman Will Head New Film Unit at Fox

After months of speculation, 20th Century Fox on Monday named former Samuel Goldwyn Co. production chief Tom Rothman to head a new division that will produce and distribute movies for sophisticated adult audiences.

“What you are seeing with this market--the adult, educated, upscale market--is that the ceilings are higher,” Rothman said. He added that the film budgets will probably range from $5 million to $15 million, far below the nearly $30 million it usually costs to make a studio film.

The films also give Fox another source of product for parent News Corp., which has extensive worldwide television operations. Fox chief Peter Chernin said he expects the new unit to generate five or six films a year. “We’re looking to figure out a sane way to increase our volume,” Chernin said, noting that Fox also recently started a family films unit.

Rothman, 39, was involved in Goldwyn movies such as “Much Ado About Nothing” and “The Wedding Banquet.”

* EastWest Records chief Sylvia Rhone is expected to be named today as chairman of Warner Music Group’s Elektra/EastWest. The appointment of Rhone, who would retain her EastWest duties, has been expected since Bob Krasnow, Elektra’s former chief, resigned last week in a Warner Music shake-up.

* Tracy Masington has left Universal Pictures, where she was director of national publicity. She will join Morgan Creek Productions as vice president of publicity.

* Edward Nassour has been named senior vice president of post production for 20th Television’s network television division.

* Rolf Eriksson was named to the dual positions of managing director of Warner Bros. Sweden and regional supervisor of Scandinavia by Warner Bros. International Theatrical Distribution.