Zygi Kamasa

Source: Dave Hogan

Zygi Kamasa

Former Lionsgate Europe CEO Zygi Kamasa has joined Matthew Vaughn’s UK production outfit Marv as group CEO. 

Kamasa will oversee the expansion of Marv’s Kingsman franchise as well as all global sales, marketing and distribution of Marv’s films, TV series and merchandising.

Kamasa left Lionsgate in July after 15 years at the company. He previously worked with Vaughn on Eddie The Eagle, starring Hugh Jackman and Taron Egerton, produced by Marv and released in the UK by Lionsgate in 2016. 

Kamasa joined Lionsgate UK as CEO in 2005 when it acquired his company, Redbus Film Distributors in a $35m deal. During his tenure he oversaw the investment, production, and distribution of more than 350 feature films including The Hunger Games, The Expendables and John Wick franchises.

Spy thriller Kingsman: The Secret Service, starring Egerton and Colin Firth, grossed $414m worldwide when released by 20th Century Fox in 2014. A sequel, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, nearly matched that with $410m in 2017. Prequel The King’s Man is set to be released in February 2021 through Disney. Vaughn produced, wrote and directed all three films.

“Zygi is one of the few executives I have met in my career who is a true entrepreneur and really understands the bridge between business and film,” said Vaughn.

Recent Marv productions have included Elton John biopic Rocketman and the company’s upcoming slate includes Christmas film Silent Night, directed by Camille Griffin and starring Keira Knightley and Lily-Rose Depp, which is in post-production.