Longtime Russo Brothers partner Mike Larocca is leaving the filmmakers’ studio AGBO that he co-founded at the end of this year, Deadline has confirmed. As the Co-Founder and Vice Chairman of AGBO, Larocca focused on creative development and production.
Said Joe and Anthony Russo in a statement to Deadline, “We founded AGBO with Mike seven years ago. In that time, he’s been an exceptional producing partner and an exceptional friend. We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished together, and we know Mike will continue to do incredible work in his next endeavor.”
Deadline understands Larocca’s departure is amicable and he’s eyeing the next chapter of his career. He leaves AGBO on high note with the studio being reportedly evaluated at $1.1 billion after receiving a $400M investment (for 38% stake) from Tokyo based video game maker, Nexon Co. Ltd last year.
At AGBO, among other film and TV projects, Larocca was a producer on Netflix mega-hit The Gray Man, starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans. That pic is one of the streamer’s top five most watched movies worldwide with over 253.8M hours clocked. He was also a producer on Netflix’s Chris Hemsworth movie Extraction, the No. 7 most watched movie on the OTT service with over 231M hours. Larocca also produced the Academy Award-Winning Best Picture film and A24’s highest grossing title ($140M WW), Everything Everywhere All at Once which is also AGBO’s first independent drama. Other AGBO producing credits include Mosul; the horror-thriller Relic; Cherry, directed by the Russos and starring Tom Holland; and 21 Bridges starring Chadwick Boseman. Larocca is a producer on the upcoming film The Electric State starring Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt for Netflix; Extraction 2 starring Chris Hemsworth for Netflix; and an EP on Prime Video’s second most-watched series of all time, Citadel, and the forthcoming Prime Video series Butch and Sundance starring Regé-Jean Page and Glen Powell.
Larocca has been with the Russos as far back as their first production company Getaway which was based at Sony Studios prior to the launch of AGBO. Prior to the Russos, Larocca was SVP of Production at Chernin Entertainment. There, he was an EP on the Melissa McCarthy blockbuster comedy Spy ($235.7M WW); The Drop, starring James Gandolfini and Tom Hardy; and was a Co-Producer on Rise of the Planet of the Apes ($481.8M WW). Larocca was previously a VP at Spyglass Entertainment.
AGBO which spans developing and producing IP spanning film, TV, audio, publishing and gaming, has a mission to innovate and advance the next generation of storytelling to entertain and inspire worldwide audiences. AGBO’s “Gozie Agbo” banner is geared toward championing exciting visionaries in independent film. AGBO is based in Los Angeles.
The post AGBO Co-Founder & Vice Chairman Mike Larocca Departing Russo Brothers’ Studio At Year’s End appeared first on Deadline.
