Sony Pictures named former YouTube executive Fede Goldenberg as the new head of Screen Gems on Friday, moving current president Ashley Brucks into a producing role at the studio. The announcement, made Oct. 9, 2026, marks a leadership shift at the label known for genre filmmaking as Screen Gems looks to expand into theatrical projects from digital-native creators, according to TheWrap.
Goldenberg spent 15 years at YouTube and brings more than two decades of experience across entertainment, technology and digital media. He will report to Sanford Panitch, president of Sony Pictures’ Motion Picture Group.
The Details Behind The Fede Goldenberg Screen Gems Appointment
Goldenberg joins Sony after serving as YouTube’s Head of TV & Film Content Partnerships since 2017, a role in which he worked closely with major studios to expand their reach on the platform, per TheWrap. He also drove creator-led initiatives, including Markiplier’s exclusive digital release of the theatrical hit “Iron Lung” on YouTube.
Brucks has led Screen Gems as president since 2023. Before joining Sony, she helped shape several of Paramount Pictures’ most successful horror franchises, including bringing in the original “Paranormal Activity,” which launched a franchise worth nearly $1 billion, according to TheWrap. She also relaunched the “Scream” franchise in 2022 and oversaw “A Quiet Place” and “A Quiet Place Part II.”
Panitch framed the move as a natural extension of Screen Gems’ identity. “Screen Gems has long been a home for distinctive genre storytelling, and we see tremendous potential in expanding that vision to include a new generation of digital-native creators with theatrical ambitions,” Panitch said, according to TheWrap.
He also addressed Brucks’ new role directly. “We’re also thrilled that Ashley will continue her relationship with the studio as a producer on several films, bringing her expertise and distinctive genre taste to all the labels,” Panitch said.
What It Means For Fans And Screen Gems’ Genre Slate
For horror and genre-film fans, the appointment signals that Screen Gems intends to widen its pipeline of filmmakers rather than abandon the kind of material that built its reputation. The label’s track record includes “Insidious: Out of the Further,” which earned $170 million globally, a reminder of the commercial upside genre titles still carry for the studio.
Goldenberg’s mandate, according to TheWrap, is to leverage his creator relationships to broaden Screen Gems’ talent pipeline and develop theatrical movies from online creators who have already built devoted audiences. That approach would bring a different kind of filmmaker into the studio’s development process than the traditional Hollywood pipeline Screen Gems has relied on.
Brucks’ shift to producing keeps her genre expertise inside the building even as she steps back from running the label day to day. Panitch’s comments suggest Sony wants her creative instincts applied “across all the labels,” not just Screen Gems, which could mean her influence extends beyond genre films specifically.
Goldenberg’s Pitch For The Digital-To-Theatrical Shift
Goldenberg described his new role as a continuation of trends he watched develop at YouTube. “After 15 years at YouTube, the world’s biggest digital platform, I know firsthand that the next generation of great filmmakers is already building audiences on the platform,” Goldenberg said, according to TheWrap. “Expanding Screen Gems’ creative vision to include digital-native creators is the right move at the right moment, and I’m excited to join the incredible team at Sony to help lead that effort.”
Panitch echoed that reasoning when explaining why Goldenberg fit the job. “Fede has spent his career at the intersection of online creators and entertainment, and he is uniquely suited to build those relationships and help translate great storytelling from digital platforms to the big screen,” Panitch said.
What’s Next For Screen Gems
Sony has not detailed specific projects, creators or a timeline for when the digital-native strategy will begin producing theatrical releases. Goldenberg now takes over day-to-day leadership of Screen Gems, while Brucks transitions into her producing credits on upcoming films across Sony’s labels. Further announcements on titles or creator partnerships would mark the next concrete step in the strategy Panitch and Goldenberg described.
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