Universal Studio Group Boss Pearlena Igbokwe Wants TV To Fill Rom-Com Gap Left By Movies

Pearlena Igbokwe is a romantic.

The Chairman of Universal Studio Group is eyeing more rom-coms on the small-screen as the number of classic love stories continues to fall on the big-screen.

“I’m big on romance,” Igbokwe said at the FT’s Business of Entertainment conference. “My outlook tends to be optimistic. I don’t know how you can do what we do and not be an optimist, because you have to believe that we can take an idea from nothing and it becomes the next big hit show. I also think people are looking for things that make them feel hopeful and feel good.”

NBCUniversal is behind rom-com features such as Billy Eichner’s Bros and George Clooney and Julia Roberts’ Ticket To Paradise, both released via Universal Pictures, as well as Meet Cute, a Peacock original that starred Pete Davidson and Kaley Cuoco.

But despite the box-office success of Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell rom-com Anyone But You, there has been a downturn in the number of these types of movies being released in theaters.

“There was a time where there were all these great rom-coms and they seem to be gone from the theaters. I think the television space has taken over. There’s been some great streaming movies that have really worked and we’ve been talking about, how can we develop a show that just really appeals to that romantic in all of us,” she added.

Igbokwe-run USG oversees Universal Television, UCP, Universal Television Alternative Studio and Universal International Studio.