Langley's bet on 'Oppenheimer' may bring Oscars gold to Universal
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[March 07, 2024]
By Dawn Chmielewski and Lisa Richwine
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Oppenheimer" appears poised to dominate
Sunday's Academy Awards, validating Universal studio chief Donna
Langley's bet on the unconventional, three-hour-long period drama about
the father of the atomic bomb.
Langley aggressively pursued the project, in part, for the chance to
work with acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan, who had just severed
his two-decade-long relationship with Warner Bros. Studios in a
disagreement over its streaming video strategy.
The executive committed Universal's full promotional resources to
"Oppenheimer," which would enjoy a 100-plus day exclusive run in movie
theaters before being made available for home viewing. "Donna's an
incredible collaborator, wonderful studio head to work for," Nolan told
Reuters. "I can't speak highly enough about her incredible take on
material, wonderful notes throughout, (and) an incredibly supportive
effort from her whole team, which is second to none." "Oppenheimer"
heads into the Oscars ceremony with a leading 13 nominations and is
considered the favorite to win best picture after sweeping other major
Hollywood awards. That would represent a departure from recent years
when arthouse films such as "Nomadland" and "Parasite" took the top
prize.
"Oppenheimer" already won big at the box office with $958 million in
global ticket sales, helping Universal rank as the highest-grossing
studio of 2023, according to Comscore's estimate of worldwide box office
revenue.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2024/Mar/07/images/ads/current/castlemanor_sda_FINANCIAL_2017.png)
Universal declined to make Langley, 56, available for an interview.
TALENT-FRIENDLY EXECUTIVE
Several Hollywood sources describe Langley as a talent-friendly
executive who is unafraid to take risks, which she demonstrated over her
tenure as chairman of Comcast Corp's Universal Pictures, and later, as
head of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, which includes
DreamWorks Animation TV and Focus Features.
"There's a fearlessness about her. There's this unwavering willingness
to take chances, to make big bets -- and it's always driven by her
intelligence, her passion," said Sarah Self, the co-head of the Motion
Picture Literary Department at talent agency WME.
Langley views talent as Universal's core intellectual property, backing
comedian Jordan Peele's directorial debut, "Get Out," and supporting
Judd Apatow's rise as a producer of such comedies as "Trainwreck" and
"Bridesmaids."
The studio has become a magnet for young talent, including Daniel Kwan
and Daniel Scheinert, the directing duo behind A24's Oscar-winning
"Everything Everywhere All At Once," who signed a five-year exclusive
deal. The executive also has been credited with expanding or
re-invigorating such lucrative franchises as "Fast & Furious" and
"Jurassic Park."
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![](../images/030724PIX/ent_c.96.jpg)
Director Christopher Nolan poses during a photocall before the
premiere of the film "Oppenheimer" at the Grand Rex in Paris,
France, July 11, 2023. REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2024/Mar/07/images/ads/current/debbiesfloral_lda_021424.png) She sought a deal with low-budget
horror shop Blumhouse to revive Universal Pictures' long tradition
of releasing monster movies. The collaboration has produced such box
office hits as "Halloween" and "Five Nights at Freddy's." "It was
Donna that brought me in," said Blumhouse CEO Jason Blum. "But it
was more than just that. It was Donna who cleared the path for me at
Universal to make low-budget movies."
'CREATIVE LEADER' The native of the United Kingdom has been
recognized for her impact on the industry. In 2020, she was awarded
a Dame of the British Empire in 2020, an honor that recognized her
influence over popular culture.
"She is actually the business and creative leader of her generation
in regards to creative content companies," said Creative Artists
Agency's co-chairman and chief executive, Bryan Lourd. During the
height of the pandemic, Universal ended the 90-day exclusive release
window movie theaters held for new releases when it sent "Trolls
World Tour" directly into homes. The studio began making movies
available for digital rental or purchase as soon as three weeks
after the theatrical debut.
This strategy has generated more than $1 billion in ancillary
revenue, which allowed the studio to justify greenlighting films,
such best picture nominee "Belfast," that otherwise would not be
financially viable. As rival Hollywood studios have trimmed their
release slates, Universal and specialty studio Focus have announced
a diverse portfolio of 19 domestic releases for 2024. "They have
really come out of the pandemic the most aggressively of any of the
studios," said Tim Richards, CEO of Europe's Vue cinema chain.
In June 2023, Langley assumed a broader role as chairman of
NBCUniversal's studio group and as chief content officer, overseeing
content strategy across the media company's film and television
studios.
Langley's picks do not always pay off. One notable flop was an
adaptation of the musical "Cats," which was savaged for
unrealistic-looking digital fur technology.
(Reporting by Dawn Chmielewski and Lisa Richwine; Additional
reporting by Danielle Broadway in Los Angeles and Marie-Louise
Gumuchian in London; Editing by Mary Milliken and Sandra Maler)
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