Michael Bostick has been named Co-CEO of Walden Media, which has produced such vfx-driven fantasy films as The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Bridge to Teribithia and Charlotte’s Web. In his new role, the former head of Tom Shadyac’s Shady Acres Ent. will share CEO responsibilities with Walden Media’s Cary Granat.
Effective April 16, Bostick will be responsible for the acquisition and development of all future film projects for Anschutz Film Group’s Walden Media and Bristol Bay, with the exception of the Chronicles of Narnia franchise and a few other specific projects which Granat will oversee. Reporting to Anschutz Film Group CEO David Weil, the co-CEOs will jointly supervise physical production and marketing, with each ultimately responsible for films from his development slate.
Bostick is an Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning producer whose list of credits includes the hit comedies Bruce Almighty, Liar Liar and Evan Almighty. He was also associate producer of Apollo 13, and produced such television programs as 8 Simple Rules and the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning HBO mini-series From the Earth to the Moon. For the past seven years, he has served as Shadyac’s producing partner at Shady Acres, overseeing all of the company’s day-to-day operations.
Prior to joining Shady Acres, Bostick was president of Imagine Films. He has also worked at Touchstone Pictures and The Walt Disney Co., where he was instrumental in the creation of the New Writers Fellowship Program aimed at discovering and developing minority talent. Bostick serves on the Mentor Board for USC’s Peter Stark Program and frequently lectures for the UCLA and USC film programs.
In addition to teaming with Disney on the Narnia series, Walden Media has entered into a joint venture with Twentieth Century Fox to market and release family films. Pics released under this partnership include Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium (co-produced with Mandate Pictures) and The Seeker: The Dark is Rising. Upcoming releases co-produced by Walden include Fox’s Nim’s Island, New Line Cinema’s Journey 3D and Disney’s The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.
