Mark Gill, the president of Millennium Films, the independent film company behind such hits as “The Expendables,” is stepping down, TheWrap has learned.
Gill joined the company as president back in 2011, announcing plans to produce and finance five to eight star-driven wide releases per year. Prior to his stint at Millennium, Gill served as president of Warner Independent Pictures and spent eight years at Miramax where he, ultimately, served as president.
Millennium’s roster includes “The Expendables” franchise, which has grossed more than $800 million at the worldwide box office, as well as recent hits like “Olympus Has Fallen” and “London Has Fallen.” The company’s upcoming films includes Ryan Reynolds’ “The Hitman’s Bodyguard,” which also stars Samuel L. Jackson, Gary Oldman, Salma Hayek and Elodie Yung.
Founders Avi Lerner and Trevor Short will continue to run the company, which was launched in 1996 as a subsidiary of Nu Image. Lerner, Short, Danny Lerner and Danny Dimbort founded Nu Image, a production company mostly known for high-octane action films, in 1992.
Millennium’s films have traveled well internationally, particularly in what’s likely to soon become the world’s biggest movie market, China. “London Has Fallen” pulled in $63 million domestically and $52 million in China last year, while 2014’s “Expendables 3,” which was a disappointment with its $39 million gross at the U.S. box office, nearly doubled that performance in China, where the ensemble cast of venerable action heroes helped the movie reel in $73 million there.