This story first appeared in the Oct. 11 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.
Hollywood executives aren't an endangered species -- yet. More than at any time in years, it's open season on movie moguls. Amid skyrocketing costs and a sea change in how people consume entertainment, a sense of panic seems to have enveloped corporate CEOs, financiers and shareholders. Even as the global box office hit a summer record in both admissions and revenue, top execs are being picked off at an alarming pace.
Beginning in early 2012, the current wave of firings and executive suite reshuffling hit Disney first, as chairman Rich Ross exited under the cloud of megabomb John Carter. Then Fox co-chiefTom Rothman was shown the door. The town knew an overhaul was coming at Warner Bros., where a three-executive "bake-off" drama was taking place, but when Kevin Tsujihara got the top job and TV chief Bruce Rosenblum and film head Jeff Robinov soon left, it was no less cataclysmic. More recently, the ax suddenly fell at Universal and Sony. Focus Features CEOJames Schamus was abruptly dismissed Wednesday and replaced by FilmDistrict's Peter Schlessel. Paramount on Tuesday announced it would lay off 110 employees, but so far its top execs have been spared.
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