Opening and closing ceremonies 2028 Olympic Games are produced by Ben Winston
Ben Winston is known for producing live events that deliver great spectacle and surprise. Winston is about to take on the biggest assignment of his career as he has been tapped to serve as executive producer and creative director of the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Winston will direct key TV moments for the Summer Games and Paralympics, also to be held in Los Angeles. He will work with Olympic veteran Scott Givens, who will serve as executive producer for the production of both events. Winston’s Fulwell Entertaiment and Givens banner FiveCurrents have formed a joint venture called FulFive, which is already planning events for LA28, the entity in charge of producing the Summer Games and Paralympics.
Peter Rice, the film and TV veteran who was appointed LA28’s head of ceremonies and content in July, said the combination of Winston and Givens sets the stage for an epic live TV production that will kick off the Summer Games on July 14, 2028. Both opening ceremonies are a massive four-hour live TV undertaking. Rice acknowledges that the pressure is on for the Los Angeles Games to reflect the deep well of creativity and innovation in Hollywood’s hometown.
“The Olympic Games are a unifying force in the world, where people always come together and put aside national differences,” Rice said. Variety. “And you have incredible athletes who compete all their lives, most of whom compete for very little monetary gain. But the amount of energy and time they have to train to become Olympians, and then the ceremonies, I just love that unifying feeling about the ceremonies.”
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LA28 leaders have spent a long time considering the best options to address the production issues. The bar is high because the Paris Summer Games were so widely praised for the execution of the opening and closing ceremonies.
“There’s no event of this magnitude in the world. We’re also hosting it in Hollywood, which has a unique opportunity to tap into the entertainment world that no other city anywhere can do,” Rice said. “So we were really looking at, how do we combine those two things? And with Ben and Scott, it really combines the ability for us to really have confidence in the logistics of the ceremonies, and to infuse it with a unique kind of LA-based entertainment perspective that Ben is going to bring. And they’re both California companies, which is also something we like about this arrangement.”
Winston had something of an audition for the job last year when he helped with the tricky transfer from Paris to LA during the conclusion of the 2024 Summer Games in the City of Light. Winston teamed up with Tom Cruise to perform an elaborate TV stunt that involved Tom Cruise leaving the Paris location on a motorcycle, only to emerge in the Hollywood hills and parachute out of a plane at the iconic Hollywood sign with the Olympic flag in tow. That broadcast also featured music performances from artists with deep roots in Los Angeles: Billie Eilish, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Snoop Dogg.
“The Olympic and Paralympic Games represent the pinnacle of human achievement, and Los Angeles, the home of storytelling, offers a unique opportunity to reimagine what these ceremonies can be,” Winston said. “I couldn’t be more honored, grateful and excited to take on this role and work with Peter, Scott and the entire LA28 team to create unforgettable ceremonies
that will truly inspire and entertain, while cerebrating the Olympic and Paralympic spirit and creative energy of this city.”
Winston is known for executive producing numerous Grammy Awards telecasts and concert specials such as CBS’ “Adele: One Night Only” and Disney+’s “Elton John: A Farewell From Dodger Stadium.”
Givens has produced more than 400 live events and served in roles at 15 Olympic Games and produced 63 global ceremonies. He has earned the prestigious Olympic Order, one of the highest honors bestowed by the International Olympic Committee.
“These Ceremonies represent the ultimate challenge in live production – bringing together global headliners, thousands of artists, the best technologies and a split second of world-class power.
biggest stage,” said Givens. “I am thrilled to join Ben and Peter in working with the incredibly talented LA28 team to execute a vision that honors the athletes and creates a unifying memory for Los Angeles, California, our nation and a global broadcast audience in the billions.”
The opening ceremony of the 2028 Summer Games will take place on July 14, 2028, primarily at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium, which will be renamed “2028 Stadium” for the Games. The closing ceremony will take place on July 30. The Paralympic Games will follow on August 15 and close on August 27. Los Angeles previously hosted the 1984 and 1932 Olympic Games.
Rice emphasized that Winston’s deep institutional knowledge of the Olympics and Winston’s entertainment instincts will make for a powerful mix.
“It feels like a dream team,” Rice said.
