Michael Hackman
Founder and CEO at Hackman Capital Partners
Last year's rank: 35
Call him Hollywood Hackman.
No one person is doing more to grow the content creation footprint in the entertainment capital of the world — and beyond — than Michael Hackman. Serving streamers such as Amazon Prime and Netflix, Hackman has amassed one of the largest and fastest-growing portfolios of studio and soundstage space in the business.
Since the last Power 100 was released, Hackman has added yet another billion-dollar
studio project to the list. In February, his Hackman Capital Partners announced plans to expand the 55-acre production campus at Radford Studio Center — which it acquired for $1.85 billion in late 2021 — and invest an estimated $1 billion in new facilities and operations.
The plan calls for the addition of 1 million square feet for 20 to 25 soundstages, as well as office and support facilities, significantly updating and upgrading the existing 22 soundstages that brought us shows like “Gilligan’s Island” and “Seinfeld.”
This plan was announced a few months after Hackman said it raised $1.6 billion to grow its studio empire. It also extends an unprecedented run that includes Hackman and frequent joint venture partner Square Mile Capital Management acquiring Kaufman Astoria Studios and Silvercup Studios, both in Queens.
Earlier in 2021, Hackman acquired Hollywood’s historic Raleigh Studios — with another 13 soundstages and 165,000 square feet of office and support space — and then bought Sony Animation Studios in Culver City a couple of weeks later.
Additionally, Hackman is working on a $1.3 billion redevelopment for more than 1.13 million square feet of studio, office and support space at Television City in L.A.’s Fairfax District. The company also manages other historic filming properties such as Culver Studios, which was part of a $620 million redevelopment and is now occupied by Amazon Studios.
Hackman also has a growing Class A creative office portfolio. Earlier this year, the company announced it fully leased the Culver Steps development, which includes an Amazon Studios office, a ground-floor retail center anchored by Erewhon, and the future next spot from successful restaurateur Dean McKillen.
