About a year after tapping veteran media executive Chris Albrecht to launch its Legendary Global operation, Legendary Entertainment will consolidate its entire international and domestic TV business under the former Starz CEO.
Albrecht, who joined Legendary Global in December 2019, will become head of Legendary Television. Former Legendary Television president Nick Pepper will step down from that role after three years, transitioning to an executive producer role with various Legendary shows he developed.
According to reports, the consolidation is an effort by Legendary to improve operational performance and efficiency at the TV unit. In addition, Legendary Television also named former CAA executive Danny Grover as head of business affairs.
Albrecht has a long history in the TV business. He spent nearly two decades at HBO -- five years as chairman and CEO -- when he was abruptly ousted in 2007 after being arrested in Las Vegas for assaulting his then-girlfriend. Albrecht joined Starz in 2010, leaving the company in 2018 amid talk that he had clashed with the premium service’s parent Lionsgate Entertainment.
At Legendary Global, in which Albrecht was also a part owner, the former Starz chief concentrated on acquiring several foreign language titles and formed a partnership with ESPotlight to create Spanish language content. Legendary Television is known for developing several series for Netflix (Love, Lost in Space and Pacific Rim: The Black); Hulu (The Looming Tower); Amazon Prime Video (Carnival Row); and NBCUniversal Debris, set to premiere on March 1).
