Longtime Searchlight Pictures executive Katie Goodson-Thomas is joining London-based LuckyChap International as president of film.
Goodson-Thomas, presently executive vice president, co-head of production and development at Searchlight Pictures, will lead the film slate of LuckyChap International, in partnership with co-managing directors Mona Qureshi and Tanya Qureshi, from January 2027.
“Goodson-Thomas’s deep roots in the UK film industry and extensive experience operating within the global studio system will be invaluable in expanding the company’s fast-growing film slate, and amplifying the company’s international ambitions,” said LuckyChap’s US team of Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley, Josey McNamara and Milan Popelka, to whom she will report.
“[She] brings together world-class producer instincts, deep creative relationships across the UK and Europe, and an understanding of how to identify distinctive stories and filmmakers with the potential to travel globally – without losing the cultural specificity and creative ambition that makes them compelling.”
Since joining Searchlight in 2015, Goodson-Thomas has overseen titles including Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite and Poor Things, Martin McDonagh’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, The Banshees Of Inisherin and the upcoming Wild Horse Nine, as well as Andrew Haigh’s All Of Us Strangers and Alice Birch’s upcoming directorial debut Sweetsick starring Cate Blanchett, a co-production with Tessa Ross’s House Productions.
“We’re in awe of everything Katie has accomplished throughout her career, and we all feel extraordinarily privileged that she is bringing her undeniable creative talents, vision and depth of experience to LuckyChap International,” added the LuckyChap US partners.
“She’s such a kindred spirit culturally, and we’ve long admired her ability to spot exceptional filmmaking talent and champion their projects from the very beginning all the way through. We genuinely couldn’t be more excited to have her join us on this adventure, and to forge a killer slate together that we can all be incredibly proud of.”
LuckyChap International was set up in November 2025 as a joint venture with France-based European studio group Mediawan to operate in the UK and across Europe. Mona Qureshi, a former director of scripted series at Netflix UK, and Tanya Qureshi, previously drama commissioning editor at the BBC, have led the company to date with a focus on TV.
“[Goodson-Thomas’s] career embodies the kind of independent spirit and big-heartedness that inspires us, and her ambition, taste and creative instinct make her a natural fit for what we are building,” said Mona Qureshi and Tanya Qureshi. “We can’t wait to have her alongside us as a fellow journeywoman.”
LuckyChap majority owns the company and has credits including Saltburn, Barbie and Wuthering Heights. Upcoming titles include Rich Peppiatt’s Kneecap follow-up Bad Bridgets, with Trevor Birney’s Coup d’Etat Films for Netflix.
Goodson-Thomas joined Graham Broadbent and Damian Jones’ Dragon Pictures in 1996. She went on to work with Jon Finn on the stage version of Billy Elliott, before roles at David Thompson’s Origin Pictures and Chris Coen’s Unanimous Pictures.
“The LuckyChap team has exceptional taste, fearlessness and a creative identity entirely its own, as well as an infectious sense of possibility about what the company can achieve,” said Goodson-Thomas. “Searchlight has been such an incredible creative home for me that I always knew it would take somewhere truly special to tempt me away. The opportunity to join that alongside Mona, Tanya and such a brilliant team was simply too exciting to resist. The UK and Europe are full of remarkable talent, and I’m hugely ambitious about what we can find, back and get made together.”
“Business as usual”
Searchlight Pictures told Screen it is “business as usual” in London, with Pete Spencer, vice president of production and development, reporting directly to Los Angeles-based DanTram Nguyen, executive vice president and head of film production and development.
“Katie has been a wonderful colleague all of these years and LuckyChap International is getting an exceptional and passionate advocate for filmmakers,” said Matthew Greenfield, president of Searchlight Pictures.
“We couldn’t be happier for her as she takes on this next chapter, and we’re excited to see all that she and the team will accomplish together.”
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