DougBelgrad and Matt Tolmach have each been promoted to president of production atColumbia Pictures following three of the most successful years in the studio'shistory.

Both senior executives have extended their contracts until 2008 and willcontinue to report to Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group chairmanAmy Pascal.

In the two years since Belgrad and Tolmach were named co-presidents ofproduction, the studio has enjoyed strong performances at the box office,finishing last year as the top US major with $1.3bn in domestic receipts and$2.5bn worldwide.

The studio has ranked number one two out of the last three years.

Belgrad and Tolmach are currently overseeing production on a 2005 slate thatincludes the comedy Hitch starringWill Smith, Bewitched starringNicole Kidman and Will Ferrell, the action title Stealth starring Josh Lucas, and Memoirs Of A Geisha directed by Rob Marshall, among other projects.

Beyond that, 2006 and 2007 titles include The Da Vinci Code starring Tom Hanks, RV starring Robin Williams, Catch and Release starring Jennifer Garner, Sofia Coppola's MarieAntoinette, and Spider-Man 3.