Donna Langley: Approach To Universal’s Diverse Slate Comes From Quality, Not Quota – Sundance

Universal chairman Donna Langley and Pitch Perfect 2 filmmaker Elizabeth Banks sat down at the annual Women at Sundance Brunch to talk about their breaking through in an industry dominated by men. Langley not only rallied Universal to an industry high of $6.7 billion in 2015, but she did it on the back of an inclusive slate including the femme-targeted Pitch Perfect 2 and Trainwreck, the multicultural franchise Furious 7 and the African American box office success Straight Outta Compton. However, shepherding these films from targeted demo fare to mass-appealing films doesn’t come from “sitting down and deciding we have a quota and checking off an African American box,” said Langley. Read More…