With Brian Robbins, ViacomCBS Bets a Kids’ TV Veteran Can Bring Paramount Into a Streaming Future

In one of Brian Robbins’ first major moves as Paramount Pictures President and CEO, he has brought in one of his top lieutenants at Nickelodeon, Ramsey Naito, to lead the film studio’s animation division in addition to her current duties as President of Nickelodeon Animation.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film WriterParamount Pictures has parted ways with animation president Mireille Soria. In a promotion, Nickelodeon’s Ramsey Naito has added oversight of the label to her purview.Soria’s exit comes as a continuing reorganization of Paramount Pictures by new chairman and CEO Brian Robbins, who replaced Jim Gianopulos in early September.

It was only a matter of time before Ariana Grande blocked John Legend during “The Voice”‘s season 21 Blind Auditions — but it didn’t quite go according to plan!

Ariana Grande blocked John Legend during 'sseason 21 Blind Auditions — but it didn't quite go according to plan!During Monday's Blinds, Ariana said that John «pushed a button, literally and figuratively» when he blocked her to land showtune-loving crooner Joshua Vacanti last week.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film WriterA “game of chicken” is commonly known as a conflict between two parties where neither wants to yield, but both are hoping to avoid embarrassment and failure.That seems to be the pervading psychological dynamic right now at Paramount Pictures, as it continues to topple its legacy leadership structure in favor of a streaming-first future under new studio chief Brian Robbins.“We’re all playing chicken right now,” one insider told Variety, explaining that studio

ViacomCBS CEO Bob Bakish was out beating the Wall Street drum for new Paramount boss Brian Robbins, who, he told investors, will lead “the film studio of the future.”

Ashton Sanders will be playing a young Bobby Brown in the upcoming biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody.

EXCLUSIVE: Ashton Sanders has joined the cast of the biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody, the upcoming feature about the late musical icon, Whitney Houston. Sanders will play Bobby Brown and sources also tell Deadline that Black Label Media is coming on board to co-finance the film with Compelling Pictures and Primary Wave Music.

Tom Freston, a founder of the MTV network, once observed: “What’s fascinating about the future is that so many people claim to understand it.” In 2006, Freston, then CEO of Viacom, was fired by Sumner Redstone, who explained that “Freston doesn’t understand the future.” As it turned out, Redstone had failed to understand the present.

ViacomCBS CFO Naveen Chopra — asked Tuesday about Paramount’s management shakeup — said outgoing studio CEO Jim Gianopolus “leaves some very big shoes to fill. There is no doubt he has helped revitalize the studio both creatively and financially. But I think Brian [Robbins] is really the perfect person to take the reins from here.”

The transition plan for Paramount Pictures is officially set, with ViacomCBS confirming Jim Gianopulos will exit and Brian Robbins will add leadership of the studio to his growing portfolio.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaBrian Robbins has officially been named president and CEO of Paramount Pictures, replacing Jim Gianopulos as head of the studio behind the “Mission: Impossible” and “Transformers” franchises.He will take the reins while continuing in his current post as head of Nickelodeon and as the chief content officer of kids and family for Paramount Plus, the streaming service launched this year by Paramount’s parent company ViacomCBS.

EXCLUSIVE: Here’s some sweet first footage for under-the-radar animated film Bug Therapy, which is voiced by Dr. Phil McGraw, Meghan Trainor, Jay Leno, Sterling K. Brown, Tom Green, Emily Goglia, and Jason Reisig.

Jennifer Garner, 49, glowed as she headed to a brunch in Malibu, California. The 13 Going On 30 actress looked boho chic in a loose fitting brown patterned dress as she waved to cameras on Saturday, Sept. 11 before walking into exclusive restaurant Shutters on the Beach. She kept her brown hair down in a loose, natural wave for the morning outing, accessorizing with a flat gladiator inspired sandal, black leather clutch and black sunglasses. 

When is a staffing announcement not a staffing announcement? When it suggests a major shift in the way we consume media, that’s when. While most personnel decisions never rise above the industry trades, the recent news that Paramount was moving on from CEO Jim Gianopulos and replacing him with Nickelodeon executive Brian Robbins sent minor shockwaves through the industry for what it means in the ongoing streaming-versus-theatrical debate.

In November 2018, Paramount Pictures boss Jim Gianopulos revealed a major new initiative for then-parent Viacom: a multi-picture deal with Netflix. “Our priority is to expand our role as a major global content supplier,” Gianopulos said.

Deadline has confirmed that Jim Gianopulos is leaving Paramount as Chairman and CEO. There was a report in the Wall Street Journal this morning. It is reported that Brian Robbins, the head of ViacomCBS Inc.’s Nickelodeon kids TV empire, will take over Gianopulos’ position as the head of Paramount Pictures.

The Wall Street Journal. Robbins founded AwesomenessTV and has earned a reputation for his kid friendly content at Nickelodeon, of which he became president in 2018.