Fathom Entertainment CEO Ray Nutt will retire in late 2026, ending a nine-year run as the head of the specialty theatrical distributor.
Nutt will assist Fathom’s board of directors in the search for his successor and will be involved in the transition process. Nutt joined Fathom in 2017 from Regal Entertainment Group (now Regal Cineworld), where he served as SVP of Business Relations.
“Serving as Fathom Entertainment’s Chief Executive Officer for these past nine years of transformational growth at the company has been an honor, a privilege, and the professional opportunity of a lifetime after my near four-decade career in the theatrical movie business,” Nutt said. “I wish to thank the unparalleled leadership team at Fathom, our talented and hard-working employees at Fathom for their unwavering commitment and dedication, and the Board for the opportunity and support.”
Under Nutt’s leadership, Fathom has grown from its origins as a theatrical broadcast of live sports and arts events — most notably performances of the Metropolitan Opera — into a theatrical distributor that has provided cinemas with a way to fill in gaps left behind by major studios in the release slate.
Fathom’s non-event releases that have been successful at the box office include faith-based titles like “The Blind,” which grossed $17 million, and “The Chosen: Last Supper,” the independent streaming series about the Gospel that has grossed $140 million worldwide and cracked the top 5 at the domestic box office.
Fathom has also become a major player in the repertory market with its annual re-releases of Studio Ghibli films and anniversary screenings of titles like “The Lord of the Rings” and “Coraline.” The latter became Fathom’s highest-grossing re-release when it earned $33.6 million in 2024 for Laika’s 15th anniversary, helping drive the company’s overall box office grosses that year to $145 million.
“Now is the right time for me to begin the process of stepping down from
a full-time executive role and transition to retirement, while also an opportune inflection point in the history of Fathom Entertainment to find its next leader,” Nutt said.
“Fathom stands at the precipice of a terrific new chapter in its growth and evolution as a leader in the theatrical distribution business; illustrated by its recent selection by Laika to take the brilliant, upcoming new feature film, ‘Wildwood,’ to theatres nationwide this October,” he continued.
“Ray Nutt’s longtime leadership of Fathom Entertainment has delivered meaningful benefits to AMC, the broader theatrical exhibition industry, and, most importantly, moviegoers nationwide,” AMC CEO Adam Aron said. “Under his direction, Fathom has further strengthened its position as the leading force in alternative theatrical experiences, broadening the scope of content available to AMC guests. I am grateful for his partnership and confident that Fathom will continue to deliver compelling programming that resonates with our audience.”
“Ray Nutt has been an exceptional leader for Fathom, and it’s been a privilege to work alongside him over the years. Under his guidance, the company has evolved into a real innovator in theatrical distribution that has expanding audience expectations of the big screen,” Regal Cineworld CEO Eduardo Acuna added. “We’re grateful for Ray’s leadership, his partnership, and the lasting impact he has made on the industry. I’m confident the business is well positioned for continued growth and success, and we look forward to supporting the team in its next exciting chapter.”
“Throughout his career, Ray Nutt has been a well-respected advocate for theatrical exhibition, and his work at Fathom Entertainment has played an important role in bringing a wide range of non-traditional stories and events to movie theaters,” Cinemark president and CEO Sean Gamble said. “His leadership at Fathom helped steer a valuable part of the industry ecosystem, expanding opportunities to experience alternative programming on the big screen and connecting theaters with new and diverse audiences. We greatly appreciate Ray’s contributions, wish him well on his next chapter, and look forward to our strong continued partnership with Fathom for years to come.”
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