By Rachel Menendez

In a press release from Sony and Columbia Pictures Friday, it was announced that longtime Columbia executive Matt Tolmach has stepped down from his co-president role to start a new production company and produce the next Spider-Man film.

“This move has been a dream of mine and something I’ve been discussing with Michael, Amy and Doug for more than a year now. I’ve loved being a studio executive, and Columbia Pictures has always been my home, my family. I’m incredibly blessed to have had Doug as my partner in this job for the past eight years, and I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished; I am also deeply grateful to Amy and Michael for their unwavering support and leadership. Consistent with that, everyone has embraced this next chapter for me, and I am planning on making movies here for a long time. Over the years, I have worked with a lot of truly talented producers, and that I now get to join two of them on the set of Spider-Man is almost too good to be true.”

— Matt Tolmach

Tolmach, who has close ties with Sam Raimi, director of the first two Spider-Man films, has overseen many blockbusters during his tenure at Columbia Pictures, such as The Pursuit of Happyness (2006), The Da Vinci Code (2006), Angels & Demons (2009), and 2012 (2009). Tolmach has also overseen innovative comedies like Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006), Superbad (2007), Step Brothers (2008), Pineapple Express (2008), and Zombieland (2009). The co-leadership of Matt Tolmach and Doug Belgrad has run one of the most successful terms in Columbia Pictures’ history. Belgrad, who has many hits under his belt as well – including Bad Boys (1995), Men in Black (1997), 50 First Dates (2004), Hitch (2005), Hancock (2008), 21 (2008), Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009), The Ugly Truth (2009), Grown Ups (2010), The Karate Kid (2010), and The Social Network (2010) – will remain as sole president of Columbia.

Contact the Author: RachelMenendez@MoviesIDidntGet.com