Entertainment
IMAX Entertainment President, Megan Colligan is stepping down per a note just dropped to staff from Imax CEO Rich Gelfond.
It was first announced that the former Paramount Pictures Global Marketing and Distribution Boss was joining Imax in October 2019, taking over for departing CEO, Imax Entertainment and Senior EVP Imax Corp., Greg Foster.
Colligan was prized as a key hire given her working relationships with filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, Michael Bay, and J.J. Abrams to name a few. She was key behind the scenes in getting exhibition re-opened during the pandemic with proper Covid safety initiatives, and was instrumental in the Imax release of Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, the first tentpole to reopen theaters.
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Other highlights from Colligan while she was at Imax included stunting Imax auditoriums with special cinema fare during dry tentpole periods, read the Imax Live program. These were music experiences like Halsey’s August 2021 If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power and Kanye West’s (pre-controversy) Jesus is King Sunday service choir concert film which grossed $1.08M WW and Radiohead’s Thom Yorke video Anima directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Gelfond says that they “continue to test” Imax Live “across our more than 250 connected locations worldwide.”
Gelfond also cites her accomplishments at the large-format exhibitor: creating their Filmed For IMAX camera program, expansion of the local language blockbuster biz, and firming up partnerships with indie studios.
From 2006-2017, Colligan served in executive roles at Paramount Pictures, and was their Worldwide President of Marketing and Distribution during a three-year period. From 2011 to 2014, she served as the Head of Domestic Marketing and Distribution and as Co-Head of Domestic Marketing from 2008 to 2011. She spearheaded and was behind many of the studios’ campaigns for such franchises as Transformers, Mission: Impossible, Star Trek, Anchorman, G.I. Joe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Paranormal Activity. Such efforts by Colligan spurred a $1 billion annual business for Paramount’s Home Entertainment division. Prior to Disney, Marvel’s distribution deal was at Paramount and she was behind the launches for Iron Man, Thor and Captain America. During an 11-year period, she took the studio to 14 Best Picture Oscar nominations including Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival, Denzel Washington’s Fences, Adam McKay’s The Big Short, and Martin Scorsese’s films The Wolf Of Wall Street and Hugo to name a few. She is a member of AMPAS, and the winner of the 2013 Sherry Lansing Award from Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles. She has served on the organization’s Board since receiving the honor. She chairs the marketing committee and serves on the executive committee and fund development committee. She graduated from Harvard University with a B.A. in American history and African American studies.
Here’s the note to staff from Gelfond:
I am writing to let you know that Megan Colligan, our President of IMAX Entertainment, has decided to move on from IMAX. Megan will stay with the company through the end of April — helping see us through a busy period that includes our annual CEO Forum, CinemaCon, and our first quarter earnings report — while we complete a search for her replacement.
The four years that Megan has been with us were among the most unique and challenging in the history of IMAX. Her advocacy for the brand is among the many reasons IMAX didn’t just survive the pandemic; we are thriving — poised for a record year of box office and significant network growth across our expansive global footprint.
Megan helped create our Filmed For IMAX camera program, which continues to bring a new, diverse collection of filmmakers in our fold. On Megan’s watch, IMAX further expanded into local language blockbusters and strengthened its partnerships with independent studios, putting the power of our platform behind their films. And, of course, Megan helped launch our IMAX Live strategy, which we continue to test across our more than 250 connected locations worldwide.
Megan is a true lover of film, and that passion has always shown through in her time here — whether she was working with filmmakers, developing new IMAX experiences, strategizing around our film slate, or decoding box office results. Through her work with the Academy’s Board of Governors and beyond, I know she will continue to be a positive force in this business, and I look forward to seeing what she does next.
I hope you will join me in thanking Megan for her contributions to IMAX and wishing her all the best of luck in her next chapter.
Best,
Rich
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