Boyter Flees New Line as MGM Bulks Up For The Future

The first New Line refugee has officially landed at MGM, where new president Mary Parent hired ex-NL development exec Cale Boyter to help iron out the resurgent studio's forthcoming production slate. The move signaled the latest hint that MGM chief operating officer Rick Sands — whose short-lived emphasis on library outsourcing and new media development was made essentially irrelevant by Parent's own recruitment two weeks ago — is himself looking for a new gig.

Not shockingly, nobody involved is commenting on the shuffle, but the pressure is on as Parent and MGM kingpin Harry Sloan count on Boyter's touch with hits including Wedding Crashers and Elf — as opposed to his lesser-achieving New Line-obit-stuffers like Semi-Pro — to nudge the lion out of hibernation for the first time in years. Sands will no doubt land on his feet; we hear Paramount may have an office on the lot open in the near future.