September 6, 2017
The following is a press release from Orion Pictures:
Orion Pictures, the well- known motion picture label established in the early 1980s, is being relaunched by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) as a new, stand-alone U.S. theatrical marketing and distribution company to distribute Orion’s productions and acquisitions, it was announced today by Gary Barber, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. Veteran entertainment executive John Hegeman has been appointed to the newly created role of President to run Orion Pictures, reporting to Jonathan Glickman, MGM’s President, Motion Picture Group, beginning this week, ahead of the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival.
The first film released under the new label will be Emmy Award and Golden Globe winner Michael Sucsy’s YA romance “Every Day,” starring Angourie Rice, Maria Bello and Debby Ryan on February 2, 2018. Based on David Levithan’s New York Times best-selling novel of the same name, “Every Day” tells the story of Rhiannon (Rice), a 16-year-old girl, who falls in love with a spirit named A, a traveling soul who wakes each morning in a different body, living a different life every day. The screenplay was written by Jesse Andrews (“Me and Earl and the Dying Girl”). “Every Day” is an MGM Pictures production produced by Likely Story and FilmWave.
In making the announcement, Barber said, “Orion is one of MGM’s legacy brands that has released crowd-pleasing hits like “The Terminator,” “Robocop,” “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” and “Hoosiers,” and such critically acclaimed films as “Silence of the Lambs” and “Dances With the Wolves.” We couldn’t think of a better time to revitalize this nostalgic brand and return to U.S. theatrical distribution utilizing this label, with John leading the marketing and distribution efforts.”
“After working together, we saw first-hand John’s ingenuity in creating disruptive marketing campaigns with limited budgets. He is the ideal executive to lead Orion as he has proven that he can deftly craft strategies for releases, spanning all genres, to reach targeted audiences without the burden of high-cost traditional advertising,” said Glickman.
Hegeman, who early in his career spent over a decade at Orion, added, “Orion Pictures was founded as a home for innovative filmmakers with unique voices and stories to tell. The new Orion Pictures will embrace that same principle and continue to release commercial entertainment that does not conform to any specific genre, platform or scope. I am excited to work together with Gary and Jon and for what lies ahead. ”
Under the new Orion Pictures label, Hegeman will build out a theatrical distribution, marketing and digital team and will be responsible for the marketing and distribution of four to six modestly- budgeted films a year, across genres and platforms, both wide and limited releases for targeted audiences.
Hegeman joins Orion from Blumhouse Productions’ Blumhouse Tilt (“BH Tilt”), where he served as President of the division. BH Tilt is known for exploring new distribution and marketing methods through socially and digitally driven campaigns to reach specific audience segments. During his time at BH Tilt, Hegeman oversaw the successful wide release of the Orion Pictures’ production of James Gunn’s horror thriller, “The Belko Experiment” in March 2017. Hegeman also spearheaded innovative campaigns for such BH Tilt releases as Eli Roth’s “The Green Inferno,” “The Darkness,” and went beyond horror with the recently successful launch of “Lowriders,” in conjunction with Telemundo.
Hegeman has long been regarded as one of the industry’s leading innovators in theatrical marketing, having worked on such diverse titles as “Fury,” “28 Weeks Later,” “Crash,” “Saw,” Diary of a Mad Black Woman,” “The Blair Witch Project” and “Birdcage,” among many others.
Prior to BH Tilt, Hegeman has held various executive positions, including Chief Marketing Officer for New Regency Productions; Chief Operating Officer for Fox Atomic; and President of Worldwide Marketing for both Lionsgate and Artisan Entertainment.