MGM Executive Erik Lomis’ death at 64 has shaken up most of Hollywood, leaving a hole in the hearts of many. Well-known for his generosity and passion for movie theatres, Lomis was a mentor to many people in the filmmaking industry.

Throughout his illustrious career, Lomis has helped the distribution and exhibition of many films, from No Time to Die to Licorice Pizza to Creed III. In the former’s case, Lomis was the first distribution executive to protect its distribution from COVID, holding it tight to a theatrical-only release. As a result, the film was able to become the fourth highest-grossing film of the year, reaching $774 million worldwide. 007 producer Barbara Broccoli paid her respects to Lomis, praising him as “a fierce supporter of theatrical distribution and handled each film with passion and care.” “He is irreplaceable,” she says “A part of the industry has died with him today.”

Warner Bros. CEO Michael De Luca recalls Lomis’ enthusiasm during the development and release of Licorice Pizza. Lomis pushed to set up the Mann Village theater with 70 mm film and showed great pride in how the film broke records there. According to De Luca, Lomis’ love for film helped MGM earn their first Best Picture nomination since 1988’s Rain Man. De Luca considers him “a blue-collar, movie theater guy.”

From Creed III star Michael B. Jordan to Warner Bros. Domestic Distribution Head Jeff Goldstein, many people have had their lives touched in one way or another by Lomis’ work and passion. Thanks to Lomis’ push to move Creed III to March instead of Thanksgiving, it gained access to premium theatres and earned more than $225 million at the global box office. “He was bigger than life in so many ways,” Goldstein mourns. “As a business person, he was inventive, relentless, curious, and effective. As a philanthropist, he was a tireless supporter of Will Rogers and Variety with a heart of pure gold. As a friend, he was someone you could always count on.”