Sony Pictures Entertainment is putting a distribution dealmaker in charge of one of its oldest film labels. Fede Goldenberg, a 15-year YouTube veteran, has been named head of Screen Gems, the genre label behind Resident Evil, Underworld and Insidious.
Goldenberg succeeds Ashley Brucks, who has led Screen Gems since 2023 and will remain at the studio as a producer. He reports to Sanford Panitch, president of Sony Pictures’ Motion Picture Group.
A platform executive for a theatrical job
Since 2017, Goldenberg ran TV and film content partnerships at YouTube, working with studios, production companies and media groups on content and distribution. Before that he held roles at Globosat, Terra Networks Brazil and FremantleMedia Latin America. He has spent more than 20 years across entertainment, technology and digital media.
Why Sony is betting on creators
The move is not just a personnel change. Sony says Screen Gems will look for opportunities among creators on platforms such as YouTube and develop films that use their talent, audiences and intellectual property. The goal is to bring new audiences into cinemas.
For media planners and film-business readers, the logic is familiar: creator-led projects arrive with an existing, measurable audience. Instead of building awareness from zero, a studio starts with reach and fandom and then has to convert it into ticket sales.
- Audience first: Screen Gems wants built-in fanbases, not just a script.
- IP focus: Creator-owned formats and characters can become franchise material.
- Distribution lens: Goldenberg’s partnerships background signals a distribution-led strategy.
What to watch next
The real test is conversion. YouTube subscribers and views are not the same as opening-weekend attendance, especially for a label known for mid-budget genre films. Marketing teams should map creator IP and audience data now, but validate with ticketing and conversion signals rather than raw subscriber counts.
If Screen Gems can turn creator IP into theatrical results, expect other studios to chase the same slate strategy.
Source: C21media
