NEW YORK --- New Line TV, drawing up the blueprints to turn the new theatrical version of the "Lost in Space" TV series into a multimedia franchise (Daily Variety, Feb. 13), has chosen the point man for the project.
Chris Russo, 32, New Line TV's senior VP of marketing, gets the new title of executive VP, franchise programming and marketing.
One of his duties is to seek out old TV shows ripe for a 1990s update, such as "Lost in Space," and help secure the rights for New Line. Russo will also engineer plans that could yield further spinoffs in toys, books, videogames and even live events tied to such theatricals and series."Lost in Space," for example, is beginning its rebirth as a $70 million theatrical --- production gets under way next month with William Hurt and Gary Oldman --- because "a hit movie can kick off the whole process," says Bob Friedman, president of New Line TV.
Russo will continue as head of TV marketing, headquartered on the East Coast. Before he joined New Line, Russo was VP of marketing development and promotion for NBC.
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