How tough is it to get people to come over to Universal these days? Tough.
Even a guy whose studio has been shrunk into a shadow of its former self and whose division's future is far from certain has decided that he preferred that fate to turning things around in Universal City.
Richard Brener, the president of production at New Line, just turned down the offer from Donna Langley of the job of Universal president of production, according to two people familiar with their exchange.
Langley, who has been in New York this week presenting her studio's financials to Comcast executives (see related due diligence), offered the job last week, and got the thumbs down from Brener this week.
Brener and Langley go way back to when they were colleagues together at New Line. But Brener, a 14-year veteran of New Line, still has a multi-year commitment on his contract to Warner Brothers, and has had a good run of late, despite the precariousness of the New Line brand. He oversees the "Sex and the City" franchise, and will be making more "Nightmare on Elm Streets," and "Valentine's Day."
Brener apparently turned down the job – which is believed to pay as much as $2 million a year, a lot more than the same post at New Line — because of his contract. But one has to wonder if concerns over the pressure on the studio also played a role, especially given the apparently imminent deal with Comcast.
Brener could not be reached for comment. Universal did not comment at the time this post was submitted.
Meawhile, other candidates are being whispered about in the corridors: Jason Reed, the Disney executive, and Scott Aversano, a producer on the Paramount lot, and a former MTV film executive.
