2 Division Chiefs to Share Top Job at Fox Studio

Fox division heads Tom Rothman and Jim Gianopulos will share the chairmanship of Fox Filmed Entertainment, succeeding ousted studio chief Bill Mechanic.

Mechanic was fired in late June after ongoing clashes with Rupert Murdoch, head of Fox parent News Corp.

The dual appointment of Rothman, who most recently served as president of 20th Century Fox Film Group, and Gianopulos, head of the studio’s international division, was widely expected in Hollywood and was received with mixed reviews at the studio.

While Rothman is considered a smart, seasoned production executive, his impatient and aggressive operating style has been problematic, according to a number of studio insiders.

Gianopulos is well-respected for his business savvy and relationships with such key Fox filmmakers as “Titanic’s” Jim Cameron, but he lacks production experience.

Their appointments call into question the fate of Fox marketing President Bob Harper, whom sources say was counting on getting additional management responsibilities. Also in flux is studio veteran Tom Sherak. Murdoch recently denied Sherak early release from his contract to join his one-time Fox boss and close friend Joe Roth in a new independent entertainment venture.

News Corp. President Peter Chernin would only say that “this is a team that has worked well together for a long time,” and he expected everyone to stay in place.

Asked about internal criticism of Rothman, who sources say has a strained relationship with key talent, including Cameron, Chernin said, “I think he is a great choice. Both Tom and Jim are uniquely talented and they complement each other in their backgrounds, skill sets and personalities.”

Chernin made a point to say that the job is “a joint partnership,” with each executive having “the same exact deal to the penny.”

Rothman, who had been serving as president of 20th Century Fox Film Group since November 1999 under Mechanic, said that while he and his new partner will each “take the lead in our respective areas--Jim in business and me in the creative areas--we will collaborate on all fundamental decisions,” which includes deciding which movies will and won’t get made.

In his previous position, Rothman was president of production for 20th Century Fox, having joined the studio in 1995 as head of Fox Searchlight, the studio’s specialty film label. He earlier held top posts at Samuel Goldwyn Co. and Columbia Pictures.

Gianopulos, who has been president of 20th Century Fox International since 1994, helping build the division into a powerhouse with annual revenue north of $1 billion, said he believes the studio’s strategy to retain worldwide rights to movies as often as possible gives Fox an advantage in the market and with filmmakers.

“Saying we’re a buyer not a seller of international rights helps, and it’s a strategy that will continue,” he said.

In some cases, Fox movies have more than doubled their domestic grosses overseas. “The Beach,” with megawatt star Leonard DiCaprio, barely managed $40 million domestically, but took in $105 million internationally.

Gianopulos previously served as Fox’s president of international pay television and before joining the studio was a senior executive at Carolco Pictures, Paramount Pictures and RCA/Columbia Pictures International Video.