United Artists has named production exec Jeff Kleeman to the newly created position of exec VP, motion picture production.
Kleeman is returning to the company where he oversaw a trio of James Bond pics — “GoldenEye,” “Tomorrow Never Dies” and “The World Is Not Enough” — during the mid-’90s. He also began development of updated versions of “The Pink Panther” and “The Thomas Crown Affair.”
Kleeman takes on the responsibility for production of future UA projects and reports to production prez Don Granger.
Move comes a year after Tom Cruise and C/W partner Paula Wagner took MGM topper Harry Sloan’s offer to resuscitate the UA label and make four to six films per year; “Lions for Lambs,” the first pic from the revived UA, opens Nov. 9.
“As a talent-friendly studio singularly committed to creating an environment in which filmmakers can thrive and pursue their creative visions, we are delighted to welcome Jeff to the new United Artists team,” Wagner said.
Kleeman began his career with a four-year stint at Paramount. In recent years, he’s served as a writer and co-creator for TV projects including “Roll With It,” a half-hour dramedy pilot for Fox, and “Sleeping Beauty,” a drama pilot for Zwick/Herskovitz and ABC. Kleeman also co-created and wrote the sitcom “Misconceptions” for Imagine and the WB and served as showrunner until the network’s merger with UPN last year to create the CW.
Kleeman also serves as a professor at the USC School of Cinematic Arts Peter Stark Producing Program.
