DreamWorks has begun to prepare for a world without Stacey Snider, Steven Spielberg‘s long-time partner and co-chair at DreamWorks.
Snider is expected to take a top job at Fox, though she remains under contract through the end of the year.
DreamWorks has brought in a series of powerful producers who could fill the void left by Snider, several individuals close to the studio tell TheWrap. That list includes former Lionsgate executive Allison Shearmur and producer Marc Platt.
Also read: Stacey Snider From DreamWorks to Fox? ‘The Ball’s in Her Court’
DreamWorks declined to comment but an individual with knowledge of the studio’s thinking stresses any talks of a new hire are premature. Any meetings have been preliminary; no one has come in for an interview.
Shearmur was president of production at Lionsgate, and lost her job after the company’s merger with Summit Entertainment. She executive produced the “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” but has yet to make a movie since striking out on her own. She is a producer on Kenneth Branagh’s “Cinderella,” due out next year, and has several projects in development.
Platt has produced more than a dozen movies, many of them the adult-skewing material that DreamWorks likes to make. His first big hit was “Legally Blonde,” and he has since produced awards bait such as “Nine” and “Rachel Getting Married,” as well as the hit indie thriller “Drive.” He is now producing a Cold War thriller with Spielberg.
Neither Shearmur or Platt were available for comment.
Also read: Fox to Co-Finance Steven Spielberg’s Cold War Thriller Starring Tom Hanks
Snider’s departure for Fox is considered a foregone conclusion, though she remains Spielberg’s co-chair and CEO for the time being. She took over the company after serving as chairman of Universal Pictures for seven years.
Even if she were to leave before Spielberg picked any replacement, he would rely on production president Holly Bario and COO Jeff Small to fill the void.
DreamWorks’ production output has declined over the past couple of years. It produced two movies each of the past two years and has a couple more on its slate this year including Lasse Hallstrom’s “The Hundred-Foot Journey,” which will be the studio’s next release.
The only other releases on its schedule are Spielberg’s next two directing jobs, a cold war thriller starring Tom Hanks and an adaptation of Roald Dahl’s “The BFG.”
Most of its recent releases have struggled at the box office, though Spielberg’s own movies, such as “Lincoln” and “War Horse,” have been hits.
Jeff Sneider contributed to this report.