AGBO, the production company founded by Marvel filmmakers Joe and Anthony Russo, has tapped former Chernin Group founding member Jason Bergsman as the company’s new CEO.
Bergsman will work alongside AGBO vice chairmen Mike Larocca and Todd Makurath, and brings deep business and corporate development experience to the role. Bergsman is joining AGBO from The Chernin Group, where he served as partner and executive vice president.
“I’m excited to partner with the Russo Brothers to lead AGBO at such a pivotal time in the Company’s development,” Bergsman said in a statement. “In today’s changing film and television sectors, AGBO is singularly positioned to create enduring value through the unique creative leadership of Joe and Anthony, and the strength of the Company’s talented team. I look forward to building and executing on Joe and Anthony’s vision.”
At The Chernin Group Bergsman focused on building digital media and consumer companies, at investment stages ranging from incubation through later-stage acquisition. Bergsman, among other investments, served on the board of directors of Crunchyroll, the leading global subscription streaming service for Japanese animation (a division of Otter Media). In addition to his involvement in forming and operating Otter Media, Bergsman helped lead financings of The Chernin Group and affiliated entities, including CA Media — a TCG-controlled media investment vehicle focused on India and Indonesia — and TCG Capital Management.
AGBO is coming off the April 24 premiere of its new action-thriller “Extraction,” starring Chris Hemsworth. The movie is reportedly on track to be one of Netflix’s most-watched film in its premiere.
The Russo’s are also on board to produce a live-action adaptation of of Disney’s 1997 animated retelling of “Hercules” through the AGBO banner.
AGBO was founded in 2017, and the company said Bergsman’s appointment further emphasizes AGBO’s focus on developing, producing, directing, and incubating intellectual property-driven global franchises for film, television, and digital platforms. In his new role, Bergsman will oversee the expansion of this creative direction and the company’s next phase of growth, as AGBO looks to forge new partnerships and innovate on storytelling across media platforms.
“We are thrilled Jason is joining the AGBO team and are excited to work with such a dynamic, forward-thinking, and accomplished individual,” Joe Russo said in a statement. “He brings a consistent and proven track record of business results to lead our company to its next stage of growth.”
In addition to Bergsman, AGBO promoted Angela Otstot to president of creative, Jake Aust to president of physical production, and Nicholas Anglewicz to COO.
“We are confident Jason is a great fit for AGBO and welcome his leadership and passion for our business,” Anthony Russo said in a statement. “Additionally, we are proud to promote Angela, Jake, and Nicholas, who have shown incredible creativity, expertise, and skill during their successful tenures with the company.”
Otstot joined AGBO in 2017 and served as senior vice president of AGBO’s story department under Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, who together wrote some of the “Avengers” and “Captain America” films. Aust also joined AGBO in 2017, after a 20-year career as a producer, during which he partnered with the Russo Brothers. Anglewicz joined AGBO in 2018 as executive vice president finance and strategy, with a background in entertainment finance, production, and distribution.
In addition to the release of “Extraction,” AGBO’s slate this year includes the Russo Brothers-directed drama “Cherry,” starring Tom Holland and written by Angela Otstot; Sundance horror-thriller “Relic,” starring Emily Mortimer; and Matthew Michael Carnahan’s directorial debut “City of a Million Soldiers.”