Lionsgate has elevated two executives in its global products and experiences division: Gene Rogers is now SVP of Production and Operations, Global Products and Experiences while Jerry Sabatini has been upped to SVP of Brand Creative, Global Products and Experiences.The promotions come as the global products and experiences group continues to grow Lionsgate’s iconic franchises with theme park attractions, live shows, video games, consumer products and more. The studio recently announced that it will open its fourth Las Vegas attraction later this year, the John Wick Experience, in a partnership with immersive entertainment district AREA15. In addition, La La Land in Concert marked its sixth year of touring worldwide as Lionsgate expands this beloved property, with a Broadway musical adaptation in the works from Emmy and Tony Award-winning producer Marc Platt. Lionsgate also has The Hunger Games stage play in the works in London.Rogers will continue to oversee production and operations for the division, managing projects including games, location-based entertainment, and Web 3, live stage and immersive experiences. He is currently prepping the London debut of The Paddington Bear Experience, a 26K-square-foot immersive experience which will open later this year. Rogers previously worked on Lionsgate’s Motiongate Theme Park in Dubai, Entertainment World in Zhuhai, China and The Hunger Games: The Exhibition in Las Vegas. Most recently, he helped launch two Roblox experiences: Academy Adventures presented by The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes and Saw X: Survive the Obby, which made Lionsgate the first studio in Roblox to offer a targeted age 17+ experience. Rogers previously served as VP of Production and Operations, Global Products and Experiences.In his new role, Sabatini will continue to lead brand creative for the group’s myriad initiatives, developing creative materials for top franchise titles and upcoming theatrical feature releases. Priority projects include The Paddington Bear Experience and franchise asset development for Borderlands, scheduled for an August release. Sabatini previously played an integral role in the launch of Lionsgate’s four Las Vegas attractions, the aforementioned theme parks and the Saw X-themed haunted houses that launched in multiple Six Flags locations across the U.S in 2023. He also led the development of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes merchandise and memorabilia collections with Shop the Scenes. Prior to his current role, Sabatini served as VP of Brand Creative, Global Products and Experiences.“Gene and Jerry have played an integral role in the expansion of our group as we continue to find new and innovative ways to bring Lionsgate’s signature franchises to fans around the world,” said Jenefer Brown, Executive Vice President & Head of Global Products and Experiences at Lionsgate. “Gene and Jerry’s creativity, determination and passion for our brands have made them assets to our team and I can’t wait to watch them continue to excel in their new roles.”Last year at the global box office, Lionsgate posted its first billion-dollar take in five years ($1.05B). The studio continued to extend and expand its potent franchises, releasing three successful new installments with John Wick: Chapter 4 ($187.1M U.S., $440M WW), The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes ($322.7M) and Saw X ($111M WW). The highly anticipated reboot of The Crow is set for release this year on June 7.
© 2024 Deadline.