Drew Simon to Leave FilmNation's Infrared After Four Years
Drew Simon is leaving Infrared, the FilmNation-backed production label he founded four years ago with chief executive Glen Basner, to pursue new opportunities, Deadline reported on 18 September 2026.
Simon led the label as President of Production and reported to Basner. FilmNation launched Infrared in September 2022, according to Deadline, with a mandate to develop and produce commercial, filmmaker-driven movies with global cinema potential.
Its first film was Novocaine, starring Jack Quaid, which Paramount released around the world in 2025. Simon produced the action thriller alongside producers including Joby Harold of Safehouse Pictures.
Simon’s other Infrared credits include Skeletons, directed by J.T. Mollner and starring Brie Larson, John Goodman and Kyle Gallner, which he produced alongside J.J. Abrams. He also produced Painter for 20th Century Studios alongside James Cameron and Derek Kolstad, directed by Garrett Warren and starring Amber Midthunder and Walton Goggins, which is set for release on Hulu and Disney+ in early 2027.
Before Infrared, Simon spent seven years at STX Entertainment, rising to executive vice president and overseeing production on more than 25 films. In 2022 he was named, aged 38, one of Variety’s Hollywood’s New Leaders, as noted by FilmNation.
He will stay on as a producer on a number of upcoming films after his departure. He plans to announce his next move at a later date. FilmNation had no comment on the exit.
For audiences, this means little changes on screen in the short term. The films Simon shepherded remain in the pipeline, and his continued producer role keeps him tied to several of them as Infrared moves into its next chapter.
