EXCLUSIVE: Oscar winning co-director/co-scribe/producer of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Rodney Rothman, and former MGM exec Adam Rosenberg, have inked a first look deal with Sony Pictures to develop, produce, write, and direct feature films through their company, Modern Magic.
Under their deal with the studio, Rothman and Rosenberg are developing a feature film based on an original idea by Emmy Award winner Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary), with Emmy Award nominee Jonathan Krisel (Portlandia) attached to direct.
“Rodney Rothman is the ultimate paradox, wickedly funny yet also highly capable of the most sophisticated, heartfelt storytelling. He is an extraordinary talent and we are thrilled to expand our relationship with him. He and his producing partner Adam Rosenberg have a great plan for their new company now solidified in this new first-look deal,” said Sanford Panitch, President, Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group.
Said Rothman, “After years of casually implying that I’m related to Tom Rothman in order to move projects ahead, it makes perfect sense, and there is no reason to stop now.”
Rothman’s Sony Pictures Animation title Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature among several other awards and grossed over $384M WW. Rothman is also executive producing Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which Sony Pictures will release in theaters on June 2. He previously served as a writer on Sony Pictures’ 22 Jump Street and his other credits include The Five-Year Engagement, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Popstar, and Get Him to the Greek.
Before Modern Magic, Rosenberg served as Co-President of Production for MGM’s Worldwide Motion Picture Group, overseeing feature film development and production. During his tenure he oversaw such projects as Creed 1 & 2 with Ryan Coogler, Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone, Jordan Peele and Nia DaCosta’s Candyman, the Aretha Franklin biopic Respect starring Jennifer Hudson, Bad Trip starring Eric Andre, Little Rel and Tiffany Haddish, Antoine Fuqua’s The Magnificent Seven starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt, Dwayne Johnson’s Fighting With My Family and Hercules. Most recently, he executive produced Creed 3 for MGM.
Modern Magic is a media company focused on creating innovative event animation and live-action entertainment for the 21st Century audience. Since its founding in 2021, it counts a slate of projects with studio partners across Hollywood, including Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Illumination, Interscope, Warner Bros, Skydance, Picturestart, FX, Sony Pictures Television, and 20th Television.
Rothman is repped by UTA and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole. Rosenberg is repped by UTA. Brunson is repped by CAA, Authentic Talent and Literary Management, and Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka Finkelstein Lezcano Bobb & Dang. Krisel is repped by UTA, Mosaic, and Yorn, Levine, Barnes, Krintzman, Rubenstein, Kohner, Endlich & Gellman.
