On the eve of Sundance, Relativity has tapped veteran executive Joe Matukewicz, to head up its acquisitions department.
Matukewicz, former vice president of acquisitions and co-productions for Paramount Vantage and Paramount Worldwide Acquisitions Group, will be senior vice president of worldwide acquisitions, the company announced on Wednesday.
Matukewicz will work with the Relativity production team to evaluate projects for acquisitions and production for the studio. Matukewicz, in his position as SVP of Worldwide Acquisitions, will directly report to Relativity President of Worldwide Production Tucker Tooley and President of Theatrical Marketing and Distribution, Peter Adee.
“At this time, the acquisitions business has become more entrepreneurial than ever and Relativity is uniquely poised to aggressively acquire films at any stage: from packaging to finished films. I couldn’t be more excited to join such a progressive studio,” Matukewicz said in a statement.
For the past nine years at Paramount, Matukewicz scouted markets worldwide for theatrical acquisitions, remakes and new filmmakers. Among the films acquired during his tenure were "An Inconvenient Truth," "The Duchess" and "Hustle & Flow."
The first movie Matukewicz acquired for Relativity Media is David Ellis’ "Untitled 3D Shark Thriller" from former Vantage head, Nick Meyer’s Sierra Pictures.
Matukewicz started in the entertainment industry at Mandalay Pictures under former Sony Pictures Chairman Peter Guber.