Lachance has been tasked with guiding the creative direction of the new division. He will report to Miramax COO Bob Osher.
Mr. Lachance has an impressive resume having worked as both a writer and studio executive for the past 20 years. He was formerly the senior vice president of creative development at Sony Pictures Animation, where he developed the first two films in the
Hotel Translyvania series as well as
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2 and
The Smurfs franchise.
Before he joined Sony, Lachance was a senior development executive at Dreamworks Animation and is credited with conceiving the original idea for
Kung Fu Panda, a lucrative franchise that spawned 2 sequels and a television series. He was also instrumental in the development of other Dreamworks titles such as
Madagascar, Shark Tale and
Shrek 2.
Lachance issued the following statement:
“Miramax has always been a home for visionary filmmakers and original storytelling, so I’m thrilled that Bill and Bob have asked me to bring those qualities to its new Family and Animation division. I’m looking forward to building a slate of amazing stories for all ages and making this a home for directors, writers and artists to create their best work.”