From Jeff Zucker to Kathleen Kennedy, there are quite a few entertainment people who have their work cut out for them this year.
One has to rescue a failing cable network while another has to turn Twitter's global audience into piles of cash. One is banking on Johnny Depp to save his bacon while a fourth must succeed George Lucas.
Our friends at TheWrap compiled a list of 14 executives who have a lot on the line in 2013.
David Ellison: Skydance Productions
David’s sister Megan drew headlines in 2012 for bankrolling directors like Paul Thomas Anderson ("The Master") and Kathryn Bigelow ("Zero Dark Thirty").
Also armed with endless cash reserves, David, the eldest son of Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison, can steal the spotlight in 2013 by delivering to Paramount an ambitious slate of movies.
His company is producing and co-financing four of the studio’s priciest releases next year -- zombie film “World War Z” (starring Brad Pitt), “G.I. Joe: Retaliation,” “Star Trek Into Darkness” and a reboot of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan films. "Star Trek" is expected to be a hit. The rest will help determine Ellison's reputation.
Ted Sarandos: Netflix Chief Creative Officer
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings weathered a massive storm over the past year and a half after a series of corporate miscues unnerved both investors and customers. (Quikster anyone?)
Now Netflix's stock price is stable, and the company set a digital landmark by securing exclusive rights to stream future new releases from Disney. To be the next HBO, it needs original, exclusive content, and that’s where Sarandos comes in.
Netflix will debut several original series this year, led by “House of Cards” and the reboot of “Arrested Development.” If those succeed, Sarandos can complete the Netflix revival.
Nancy Tellem: Microsoft Entertainment and Digital Media President
Speaking of original, exclusive content… Technology companies are realizing they still need great movies, TV shows, and videos to lure users. That content can be expensive to buy, so firms like Amazon and Microsoft are testing the waters of creation. That’s where Tellem, the former CBS executive, enters the picture.
Microsoft has charged her with developing shows specifically for Xbox, one of Microsoft’s most popular products and a staple of living rooms across the nation. Microsoft, a software power, has not found a huge audience for its hardware -- the Windows Phone and Surface tablet. It needs a win somewhere else.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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