Paramount Players
Paramount Players is an American film studio that is the division of Paramount Pictures, focusing on "contemporary properties" while working with other ViacomCBS brands. The name alludes to the company's earliest origins as Famous Players Film Company, before its 1914 founding by William Wadsworth Hodkinson.
 | |
| Division | |
| Industry | Motion pictures |
| Founded | June 2017[1] |
| Founder | Jim Gianopulos |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Emma Watts (Interim role) |
| Products | Film production |
| Parent | Paramount Pictures |
History
On June 7, 2017, Jim Gianopulos, who joined Paramount Pictures as the Chairman and CEO in March, announced the launch of the Paramount Players division with Brian Robbins, the founder and former CEO of AwesomenessTV, as president. Robbins will work with Viacom’s Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central and BET operations to generate projects while the new division focuses on "contemporary properties."[1] The division was created after Paramount and Viacom expressed disappointment at Comedy Central stars Jordan Peele and Amy Schumer producing their own films (2017's Get Out and 2015's Trainwreck, respectively) for Universal Pictures due to feeling "unwelcome" by Paramount's former executives.[2]
On August 17, 2017, Paramount Players acquired its first project, which is a film adaptation of the book Vacation Guide to the Solar System by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley.[3]
On October 1, 2018, Brian Robbins left his position as the president of Paramount Players after Viacom tapped him to be the president of Nickelodeon, ending his 16-month run at the studio. Despite leaving the studio, he will remain involved with Paramount Players' Nickelodeon films (Dora and the Lost City of Gold and Playing with Fire). Wyck Godfrey, the president of Paramount Pictures’ Motion Picture Group, is serving as interim and will oversee day-to-day operations with support from Robbins until Paramount finds a new president for the studio.[4]
On June 30, 2020, Emma Watts replaced Wyck Godfrey as the president of Paramount Pictures’ Motion Picture Group and began on July 20th(Godfrey returned to producing). [5]
Films
Released films
| Release date | Title | Notes | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 2, 2018 | Nobody's Fool | Co-produced by Tyler Perry Studios and BET Films | |
| February 8, 2019 | What Men Want | Co-produced by Will Packer Productions and BET Films | |
| August 9, 2019 | Dora and the Lost City of Gold | Co-produced by Nickelodeon Movies, Walden Media, Media Rights Capital and Burr! Productions | |
| October 18, 2019 | Eli | Distributed by Netflix; co-produced by MTV Films, Intrepid Pictures and Bellevue Productions | [6] |
| November 8, 2019 | Playing with Fire | Co-produced by Nickelodeon Movies, Walden Media and Broken Road Productions | [7] |
| May 19, 2020 | Body Cam | Co-produced by Ace Entertainment and BET Films | |
Upcoming films
| Release Date | Title | Notes | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 12, 2021 | Monster Problems | Co-produced by MTV Films, 21 Laps Entertainment, and Entertainment One | [8][9] |
Highest-grossing films
| Rank | Title | Year | Worldwide gross | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dora and the Lost City of Gold | 2019 | $120.6 million | $49 million |
| 2 | What Men Want | 2019 | $72.2 million | $20 million |
| 3 | Playing with Fire | 2019 | $68.6 million | $30 million |
| 4 | Nobody's Fool | 2018 | $33.5 million | $19 million |
References
- McNary, Dave (7 June 2017). "Paramount Pictures Launches New Production Division Headed by Brian Robbins". Retrieved 14 October 2018.
- Faughnder, Ryan; James, Meg (April 24, 2018). "Paramount Pictures CEO says struggling studio is 'poised for a renaissance.' Inside Jim Gianopulos' first year". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
- Ford, Rebecca. "Paramount's New Banner Lands 'Vacation Guide to the Solar System'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 24, 2017.
- Sandberg, Bryn Elise (October 1, 2018). "Viacom Names Brian Robbins President of Nickelodeon". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
- McClintock, Pamela (June 30, 2020). "Paramount Pictures Names Emma Watts President of the Motion Picture Group". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
- D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 12, 2018). "Netflix Buys Horror Pic 'Eli' From Paramount". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
- "Paramount Dates 'Crawl' & 'Playing With Fire', Moves 'Loud House' Off Schedule". Deadline. 18 January 2019. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
- Sandy Schaefer (April 4, 2019). "Paramount's 2020 Sizzle Reel Hypes Top Gun: Maverick, Coming to America 2 & More". Screen Rant. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
- Fleming Jr, Mike (October 22, 2018). "Paramount Players Has Michael Matthews Directing, Dylan O'Brien Negotiating On 'Monster Problems'". Deadline. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
