EXCLUSIVE: Chernin Entertainment, the flagship branch of North Road Company, has promoted longtime exec David Ready to President of Film. Ready will oversee CE’s film business going forward while reporting to Scott Manson, President of North Road.
Ready will drive Chernin’s continued growth by servicing its new first-look feature film deal with Apple TV+, delivering movies in development and production under the company’s prior Netflix deal, and working independently across all major studios and platforms.
CE also announced that Jenno Topping, CE’s longtime President of Television and Film, has inked a new multi-year deal whereby she will continue to oversee a robust slate of projects while also launching her own production company, Jenno Topping Productions, in partnership with The North Road Company. The new deal extends Topping’s tenure with CE through her 15th anniversary with the company.
“David and Jenno are two of the best producers in town – exceptional taste, strong industry relationships, and proven track records delivering commercially successful and critically acclaimed content,” said Peter Chernin, Chairman of North Road. “They’ve consistently elevated their teams and projects through their genuine passion for film and unparalleled production expertise. As we continue to expand our film slate, we know their continued leadership will help both CE and North Road achieve new levels of success.”
Ready, who has been promoted from Executive Vice President of Film and Television to President of Film, has been instrumental in building the company’s robust film slate under Topping for the past decade. Ready was key in assembling this year’s hottest film package High Side, which reunites James Mangold and Timothée Chalamet. The package also reunites Chernin with Mangold after their successful collaboration on Ford v Ferrari. High Side was recently announced by Paramount as the first feature film under the company’s new leadership with Chernin and Ready producing on behalf of Chernin Entertainment.
“I’m honored to step into this expanded role and drive Chernin Entertainment’s film business forward,” said David Ready, President of Film, Chernin Entertainment. “Jenno and Peter have been incredible mentors to me, and we’re uniquely positioned to bring even more ambitious and inspiring films to global audiences. I couldn’t be more excited about the future we’ll build together.”
During his tenure at Chernin, Ready has produced an impressive range of films, including Luther: The Fallen Sun, Slumberland, the Fear Street trilogy, Red Sparrow, The Mountain Between Us, Tolkien and Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates. Ready recently wrapped production on Apex for Netflix, starring Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton, directed by Baltasar Kormákur. His upcoming projects include a slate of films at Netflix – among them a Ronda Rousey biopic directed by Augustine Frizzell, a live-action Popeye film, and several high-profile projects with Apple under CE’s first-look film deal.
Prior to joining CE, Ready held executive positions at Di Bonaventura Pictures, where he worked on the Transformers franchise and developed and executive produced the Red franchise for Lionsgate. He previously served as Director of Development for Jerry Weintraub Productions, working on the Ocean’s 11 franchise, and started his career at Warner Bros.
Since joining CE in 2011, Topping has developed and overseen numerous notable films, including the Oscar-nominated Ford v Ferrari, Hidden Figures and The Greatest Showman. She produced the Fear Street trilogy, which pioneered the back-to-back release strategy on Netflix, and Fear Street: Prom Queen, which debuted at #1 on Netflix’s most-watched list.
“I’m excited to continue building upon the foundation Peter and I have established at CE where we’ve produced 40 films and worked together for more years than either of us would like to admit,” said Jenno Topping. “And I am absolutely thrilled for David Ready to lead CE’s film team going forward as we all work together to deliver the next 40 films.”
Her extensive list of credits also includes the action-comedy Back in Action (currently #7 on the Netflix all-time Most Popular Movies List), Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Spy, The Drop, St. Vincent, and The Heat. Topping served as an Executive Producer on Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the Oscar-nominated War for the Planet of the Apes and the Netflix hits Slumberland and Luther: The Fallen Sun.
Her upcoming film slate includes Apex, 11817 and Heartland for Netflix as well as Altar and The Backrooms with A24. The company currently has seven films in production and dozens more in development at studios and streamers.
“It’s a privilege to collaborate with David, Jenno, and the extraordinary creative team at Chernin Entertainment,” said Scott Manson, President of North Road. “Their commitment to bold, high-quality storytelling sets them apart, and I’m excited to support them in their next phase of growth.”
