Michael Vollman to exit Paramount Pictures

In a long expected shake-up in the marketing divisions of struggling Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and United Artists studios, Michael Vollman is leaving his job at Paramount Pictures to head marketing at the sister movie companies.

As the new executive vice president of worldwide marketing at MGM, Vollman replaces Perry Stahman. At UA, he succceds Dennis Rice as president of worldwide marketing. Vollman will consult with UA chief executive Paula Wagner but will report directly to Mary Parent, the recently installed chairwoman of MGM’s Worldwide Motion Picture Group.

Vollman has his work cut out for him given MGM’s poor box office track record and UA’s first release, “Lions For Lambs,” starring Tom Cruise (who heads UA with Wagner), which was a disappointment. One of his first tasks will be to figure out a marketing strategy for UA’s troubled World War II drama “Valkyrie,” starring Tom Cruise, which was supposed to be released this summer but was pushed back to next February.

Despite the challenges, Vollman, who will remain at Paramount through the Aug. 15 release of “Tropic Thunder,” said he’s looking forward to joining Parent’s team. “Mary has been there three months and has completely revitalized the place,” said Vollman. He previously worked at DreamWorks for 10 years and moved over to Paramount last year when DreamWorks was downsized.

-- Claudia Eller