Lionsgate boosted CEO Jon Feltheimer’s total compensation to $19.4 million for fiscal 2026, according to the studio’s latest proxy filing, a jump driven largely by a surge in his bonus following a run of theatrical and television successes. His $1.5 million base salary held flat, but his bonus climbed to $6.5 million from $1.2 million the prior year. Feltheimer took home $9.8 million in 2025 and $18.2 million in 2024, making this year’s figure the highest of the three.
The raise follows a stretch of hits for the studio. “Michael,” Lionsgate’s biopic distributed domestically by the company, recently became the first biopic in history to cross $1 billion worldwide, with its $372 million domestic haul ranking as the third-largest in Lionsgate’s history. “The Housemaid” also performed well theatrically. On the television side, the studio secured renewals for Discovery’s “Naked and Afraid,” ABC’s “The Rookie” and The CW’s “Trivial Pursuit,” along with previously touted returns for “The Studio” and “Yellowjackets.”
Feltheimer’s pay package excludes any value from stock options built into his contract, which vest only if Lionsgate’s share price reaches thresholds of $17.50, $20 and $22.50. Shares closed Tuesday at $13.25 on the Nasdaq, still well below those targets. He has led Lionsgate since 2000 and is under contract through 2031.
The compensation increase lands amid a turbulent stretch for the company’s stock. Lionsgate separated from its Starz cable and streaming business last year, and the newly independent studio has since drawn takeover interest from multiple parties, including France’s Bolloré Group and Banijay, the production company behind “Big Brother” and “Survivor.”
Reuters reported in July that Lionsgate was working with an investment bank to field inbound offers, though people familiar with the discussions cautioned a deal remains uncertain and that some past suitors have walked away over valuation disagreements. Lionsgate vice chairman Michael Burns has said the studio would be a valuable asset for several possible strategic partners given its scale and content library, though he has declined to name them.
The company’s first full quarter as a standalone studio brought a $94 million net loss, even as its library revenue hit record levels. Executives have said they expect losses to persist in the near term while the company works toward profitability in the coming fiscal year.
