Sony Pictures Entertainment tapped Fede Goldenberg, a veteran YouTube content partnership executive, to run its genre film label, Screen Gems, replacing Ashley Brucks. The executive shuffle follows a summer box office dominated by digital-native creator projects, positioning the studio to target a new wave of online storytelling.
Fede Goldenberg Replaces Ashley Brucks at Screen Gems
Fede Goldenberg takes over the genre label after spending the past 15 years at YouTube. His career includes working with multi-channel networks like Maker Studios and Fullscreen, alongside his most recent tenure as YouTube’s Head of TV & Film Content Partnerships. In that role, he worked with studios to expand their global footprints across the platform and helped drive major creator initiatives, including the exclusive digital release of Markiplier’s Iron Lung.
Goldenberg reports directly to Sanford Panitch, President of Sony Pictures’ Motion Picture Group, who announced the executive change. The appointment comes as Ashley Brucks steps down from the post she held since 2023. Sony announced that Brucks will segue to a producing role on upcoming Screen Gems projects, though the studio did not name those specific films in its release.
Brucks arrived at Screen Gems following a tenure at Paramount, where she brought in the original Paranormal Activity, helped relaunch the Scream franchise in 2022, and oversaw A Quiet Place and A Quiet Place Part II. THR reported the Goldenberg hire earlier.
Shifting Focus to Digital-Native Storytellers
Sony stated that the leadership change marks a new creative strategy for Screen Gems. The studio aims to expand its longstanding focus on traditional genre films to include theatrical projects originating from the next generation of digital-native storytellers.
The strategy shift follows a summer box office season heavily influenced by content creator-driven genre hits. Curry Barker’s Obsession, Kane Parsons’ Backrooms, and Markiplier’s Iron Lung led the way during this period.
Screen Gems recently experienced strong box office returns with its traditional slate. Insidious: Out of the Further earned $169.5 million globally after its mid-August release. Prior to that, July’s Evil Dead: Burn—a team-up with New Line and Ghost House—grossed $72.4 million worldwide.
