Max Michael, UTA’s head of business development in Asia, will be retiring from UTA after nearly 20 years.
Variety has exclusively learned that Michael plans to launch M3 Global Strategy, which he describes as a “next generation advisory and agency firm.”
“I think M3 is a company built for global storytellers, people and companies that operate internationally or want to operate internationally,” Michael said in an interview with Variety. “This is not management in the traditional sense; it’s more of a talent advisory model where we help our clients shape the creative, financial and structural aspects of their business, so that their work really spreads.”
“M3 is the culmination of everything I’ve built in my career, relationships, trust, and the belief that stories know no boundaries,” he continued. “The industry is changing, but experience, perspective and agility have never been more important.”
Michael first joined UTA in 2008. The company’s clients include Hong-Jin Na, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Derek Tsang, Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans, Byung-Hun Lee, Webtoon, and more. All will remain at UTA after Michael’s departure.
Along with Tsang, Michael led his feature film “Better Days” to an Oscar nomination. During his time at UTA, Michael also packaged and built the strategy behind “Crazy Rich Asians,” which grossed nearly $240 million worldwide on a $30 million budget.
Together with M3, he wants to build a reliable partner for cross-border transactions. “The goal is to be the first call for studios, streamers and creators who want to bridge markets intelligently,” he said. “I want M3 to be the most trusted global bridge between creative IP, strategic capital, and the talent that delivers both. It’s important to me that M3 remains a company large enough to move quickly, yet influential enough to change the way content is built globally.”
Michael’s other work at UTA includes brokering a partnership between Apple TV+ and Bound Entertainment to reimagine the popular Kakao webtoon “Dr. Brain” into a high-end sci-fi thriller directed by Kim Ji-woon. This was Apple’s first Korean series.
His move to launch M3 comes as Asian content is exploding in popularity both in the U.S. and abroad. The company plans to focus on vertical short-form content as well as traditional film and television.
“I think Asian content is some of the most popular and exciting content in the world right now. People are paying attention to it and consuming it at an unprecedented pace. Now is the time to pay attention,” he said.
“Content collaboration between the U.S. and Asia is evolving. In the early days it was about access; now it’s about sustainability. Today, the most successful cross-border projects are the ones that start from a place of mutual authorship and trust, rather than outsourcing,” he continued.
