Amblin Vet John Buderwitz Joins Aggregate Films

EXCLUSIVE: Jason Bateman and Michael Costigan’s Aggregate Films has hired John Buderwitz to become VP of Film.  Having just exited an 8-year stint at Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners, Buderwitz will shepherd feature projects for Aggregate through creative development and production.

“We have known John for a long time and always were impressed with his great eye for talent and his deep love for movies,” said Bateman and Costigan in a statement. “We are thrilled to have him at Aggregate.”

Buderwitz reached the title of Director of Development for Amblin and DreamWorks, before Spielberg severely downsized that company. While there, he brought in and developed projects with filmmakers, writers, and producers including Edgar Wright, Simon Rich, Andy and Barbara Muschietti, Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, among others.

The new veep got his start in the industry at management company Principal LA, before later moving to UTA where he worked with both the Motion Picture and TV Literary Departments.

In a first look deal with Netflix where Bateman starred in produced and directed many eps of Ozark, Aggregate most recently produced with AGC Studios Hit Man, the Richard Linklater-directed film that stars Glen Powell and Adria Arjona. It premiered at Venice and at Toronto scored the fest’s biggest deal when Netflix paid $20 million for the crowd pleasing comedy-drama. The film gets a Sundance premiere on Monday and Netflix will release it later this year.

Aggregate is behind the Apple TV+ series, Lessons In Chemistry, with Brie Larson starring. Next for Aggregate is the limited series Black Rabbit, which will star Bateman and Jude Law, and there is Season 2 of the Peacock show Based On A True Story, starring Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina.