Jeff Robinov out at Warner Bros.; studio taps new film leadership

Warner Bros. unveiled new leadership for its movie division, promoting executives Sue Kroll, Greg Silverman and Toby Emmerich and confirming that studio chief Jeff Robinov is leaving.

The trio will lead Hollywood’s largest film studio, a unit of Time Warner Inc.

Kroll, president of worldwide marketing, adds international distribution to her duties. Silverman, president of production, will also become president of creative development and worldwide production at Warner Bros. Pictures. New Line Cinema President and Chief Operating Officer Emmerich will continue to oversee that production company and assume responsibility for Warner Bros. Theater Ventures., which is its live theater division.

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The Burbank company also said it has extended the contract of Dan Fellman, president of domestic distribution. The leadership trio and Fellman will report to Warner Bros. Chief Executive Kevin Tsujihara.

Robinov, president of Warner Bros. Pictures Group since 2007, was not mentioned in the Warner Bros. announcement. The Los Angeles Times reported last week that the executive was making arrangements to depart the studio after a falling out with management.

For more than two years, the studio has been gripped by tension and turmoil as three executives — Robinov, Tsujihara and former TV president Bruce Rosenblum — all jockeyed to succeed Barry Meyer, who is retiring as chairman at the end of the year.

Tsujihara won the bake-off and was named chief executive in January. He will assume Meyer’s chairmanship at the end of the year.

Robinov’s departure comes about a month after the resignation of Rosenblum, chief of Warner Bros. Television Group.

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Tsujihara’s decision to appoint a trio of executives to run Warner Bros.’ movie group is similar to the approach he took to restructuring the television unit in the aftermath of Rosenblum’s exit.

“Warner Bros. is the world’s preeminent motion picture studio with one of the most talented executive benches in the industry,” said Tsujihara in a statement. “Collectively, this team has more than 100 years at the company and broad experience across the film business, which will ensure that Warner Bros. Pictures continues as a respected leader in production, marketing and global distribution.”

Kroll became president of worldwide marketing at Warner Bros. Pictures in January 2008. Silverman has been president of production at Warner Bros. Pictures since April 2011.

Emmerich has headed New Line Cinema since March 2008. The production company, a unit of Warner Bros., made recent movies “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “Jack the Giant Slayer” and “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone.”

Warner Bros. also announced that Veronika Kwan Vandenberg will continue as president of international distribution, and will eventually take over worldwide distribution responsibilities upon the planned retirement of Fellman.

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Warner Bros. movie chief Jeff Robinov said to be planning exit