UPDATE: Shortly after Deadline broke the story, MGM sent out a press release, confirming Pam Abdy’s appointment. She’ll carry the title of MGM Motion Picture Group President. Read the release before Deadline’s scoop.

EXCLUSIVE: Pam Abdy is being named to a top production post at the reconstituted MGM, sources said. The hire was made by Michael De Luca, who in early January was named chairman of MGM Motion Picture Group.

Abdy is a veteran producer and studio exec who most recently helped Brad Weston start the production/finance company Makeready. Before that, she worked closely with Weston at New Regency during that company’s Oscar winning run with films that included Birdman, 12 Years A Slave, and Best Picture nominee The Revenant, which won three Oscars. Before that, she was an exec at Paramount.

The post would be comparable to the position held by Jon Glickman, before he exited to become a producer there. De Luca inherited Cassidy Lange and Adam Rosenberg, who were elevated to co-presidents of production in summer, 2018.

At a time when many studios have been quietly retrenching, MGM has been staffing up and growing aggressive on projects after De Luca took the reins late last year. That included a bold seven figure deal in an auction for Project Hail Mary, the new sci-fi novel by The Martian author Andy Weir, that Ryan Gosling will star in and produce with Ken Kao. Studio also bought North American rights to distribute Dog, a film to star Channing Tatum, who will co-direct the film with his longtime creative partner, Reid Carolin.

De Luca has also brought over Elishia Holmes to be exec veep and Johnny Pariseau for senior veep. Both worked for Michael De Luca Productions.

I hear Abdy will start in early May.

Attempts to reach MGM were unavailing.

PAMELA ABDY NAMED PRESIDENT MGM MOTION PICTURE GROUP

Veteran Producer And Film Executive Will Report

To MGM Film Group Chairman Michael De Luca

LOS ANGELES, Calif., [April 7, 2020] – Metro Goldwyn Mayer’s (MGM) Film Group Chairman Michael De Luca announced today that producer and veteran film executive Pamela Abdy is joining MGM as Motion Picture Group President. She begins her new position starting [TK 2020]. Abdy will oversee development, production and post-production for all MGM and Orion films, reporting to De Luca.

Said De Luca, “I have long admired Pam for her exceptional abilities as both a studio executive and producer – both critical jobs in our industry and ones that she has handled with the utmost skill, taste and talent. She is among the very best and we are all beyond thrilled that she will be joining the MGM team as we steer the studio into the future.”

Said Abdy, “I am honored to join Mike and the team at MGM/Orion. As a colleague and friend for over 20 years, I have long admired his bold choices and passionate support of filmmakers. I look forward to helping him build on the legacy of MGM as a home for great artists.”

Most recently a Partner and Head of Film at Makeready, Abdy managed the creative team and all feature development, production and post-production. During her time at Makeready, the company financed and produced Queen & Slim from director Melina Matsoukas and writer Lena Waithe; and A Million Little Pieces from director Sam Taylor-Johnson.

From 2013 until 2016, Abdy served as President of Production at New Regency. During her post at the company, New Regency released Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Academy Award®-winning Birdman, David Fincher’s Gone Girl, Darren Aronofsky’s Noah, Adam McKay’s Academy Award®-winning The Big Short, Justin Kurzel’s Assassin’s Creed and Gore Verbinski’s Cure For Wellness. Abdy also oversaw the release of Iñárritu’s The Revenant in 2016, which received twelve Academy Award® nominations including Best Picture, and won two Golden Globe awards for Best Picture (Drama) and Best Actor.

Prior to New Regency, Abdy was the President of Scott Stuber’s Bluegrass Films where she procured, developed and produced features for the company’s diverse slate, including 47 Ronin, Identity Thief, Kill the Messenger and Endless Love.

Abdy previously served as Executive Vice President at Paramount Pictures where she oversaw the development and production of a number of films, including Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island; The Love Guru starring Mike Myers, Kimberly Peirce’s Stop-Loss, the Judd Apatow produced Drillbit Taylor, Oliver Stone’s World Trade Center, Karyn Kusama’s Aeon Flux, Richard LaGravenese’s Freedom Writers, the Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Golden Globe-winning film Babel, and Mark Waters’ Mean Girls.

Abdy started her career as an intern at Jersey Films while participating in the Emerson College internship program. She was hired as the receptionist and went on to become Danny DeVito’s assistant. From there, she rose through the company and ultimately became president where she associate produced Man on the Moon; co-produced Caveman’s Valentine; executive produced How High; and produced the film Garden State, which won an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature Film and a Grammy award for Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, TV, or other media.

She is a member of the Producers Guild of America, and serves as a member on the Executive Board of the Executive Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She also serves as a board member of the Los Angeles Dance Project, founded by choreographer Benjamin Millepied.

Upcoming MGM releases include Candyman from writer/producer Jordan Peele; the 25th film in the James Bond series No Time to Die starring Daniel Craig; Samaritan starring Sylvester Stallone; Respect starring Academy Award®-winner Jennifer Hudson; and Dog co-directed by Channing Tatum (who will also star) and Reid Carolin.