Courtesy of JP Richards/Warner Bros.
Former Warner Bros. Pictures executive JP Richards has taken the top film marketing job at Apple TV Plus.
Richards, a longtime marketer under Blair Rich — who also departed the studio as the result of a WarnerMedia restructure this year — will report to Apple head of video marketing Chris Van Amburg. He will take his new, presumably well-designed desk at Apple next month. The tech giant’s studios division is headed by Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht.
Richards last served as co-president in worldwide marketing, where he oversaw development, strategy and execution of Warner Bros. Pictures’ worldwide campaigns — specifically in areas like digital marketing and media, promotional partnerships, and alliances, multi-cultural marketing and branded content. He worked on titles including “Wonder Woman,” “Aquaman,” “Joker,” “A Star Is Born,” “It Chapter 1 and 2,” “They Shall Not Grow Old,” “The Lego Movies,” “The Conjuring Series,” “Creed” and “Creed 2.” Prior to WarnerMedia, Richards spent 12 years at Universal Pictures, where he led digital campaigns for the “The Bourne Series,” “Fast Series” and “Despicable Me” franchises, among others.
A year into launch, Apple’s slate is growing with prestige projects, including “Emancipation,” from director Antoine Fuqua, and starring and produced by Will Smith; “Killers of the Flower Moon,” directed by Martin Scorsese, and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro; “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey,” a new, six-episode limited series starring and executive produced by Samuel L. Jackson; “Snow Blind,” a new feature film, with Jake Gyllenhaal attached to star and Gustav Möller attached to direct; “Swan Song” a genre-bending film starring Mahershala Ali and Naomie Harris; “Masters of the Air,” a new limited drama series from Apple Studios and executive produced by Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television.
The news was first reported by Deadline.
Variety's Matt Donnelly contributed to this post.
https://variety.com/2021/film/news/apple-tv-plus-names-jp-richards-as-head-of-film-marketing-strategy-1234887887/
