Relativity Chief Operating Officer Brian Edwards exits company

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

The revolving door of senior executives at Relativity Media continues as Chief Operating Officer Brian Edwards has left after less than six months on the job.

On Thursday afternoon, a spokesman for the independent studio behind ‘Immortals’ and the upcoming Snow White film ‘Mirror Mirror’ confirmed that Edwards, who joined in May from Mark Burnett Productions, left the West Hollywood-based studio in October.

Edwards, an experienced entertainment attorney, is a former COO and general counsel at DreamWorks and held the same posts at Mark Burnett Productions.

Relativity’s controversial Chief Executive Ryan Kavanaugh has been unable to hold onto a number of senior executives in the last year. Former Chief Financial Officer Bill Sutman left in January following a two-year stint. In April, marketing and distribution President Peter Adee departed after just eight months on the job. The following month, President Michael Joe, Kavanaugh’s No. 2 at the time, exited after a year on the job and a clash in management style with Kavanaugh.

Last month, Relativity’s senior vice president of acquisitions, Joe Matukewicz, left for a similar job at Sony Pictures after less than a year on the job.

Now, with Edwards gone, Kavanaugh may be about to lose his other top lieutenant. Relativity President Steve Bertam, promoted from COO when Michael Joe left, is in discussions about whether he will stay or leave when his contract ends Dec. 31. Those discussions were first reported by the Wrap.

While ‘Immortals’ has had a fairly good box-office performance, taking in $77 million in the U.S. and Canada so far, Relativity has found itself in a cash-strapped position. Its original investor, Elliot Management, is winding down its relationship with the studio and not putting in any more money, according to knowledgeable people not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

Kavanaugh has also been trying to raise funds from new investors, the people said.

RELATED:

Relativity Media is at a crossroads

Relativity Media opens a door into China

Box Office: Sandler, DiCaprio can’t beat No. 1 ‘Immortals’

-- Ben Fritz