Brian Robbins: Celebs Rumors

Brian Robbins, the CEO of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon, on the idea of adding some adolescent anarchy into their animated reboot of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” But there was a problem with the initial designs for the film’s four reptile heroes: Instead of looking like muscular teens, these Turtles were scrawny and malnourished, barely strong enough to wield nunchucks or hurl a throwing star. “They looked like they were on Ozempic,” Robbins jokes. In his peripatetic career, the 59-year-old Robbins has been on every end of these kind of creative discussions, working as an actor, writer, director, producer, digital entrepreneur and now, studio chief.

Keke Palmer made an appearance on The View on Juneteenth where she talked about her achievements and becoming a media mogul. The Scream Queens alum is the founder of KeyTV, a digital network that gives the spotlight to diverse creators.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Jenny Tartikoff, the executive VP of global communications at Paramount Pictures, has departed the studio. “I wanted to let you know that Jenny Tartikoff informed me that she will be departing the company, effective today,” Paramount’s president & CEO Brian Robbins said in a statement. “She has been a trusted colleague to us, and I am grateful for her contributions to the studio and our team. Please join me in wishing her the very best.” Tartikoff, a veteran of Universal and Spotify, was hired at Paramount in November of 2021. She reported to Robbins and was responsible for the studio’s corporate communication strategies, including media relations, executive and internal communications and corporate social responsibility.

This just in….Paramount EVP Global Corp Comm Jenny Tartikoff is leaving the Melrose Lot.

Rihanna is about to be the only girl in the world. 

Martin Scorsese was front and center at Paramount’s CinemaCon session Thursday to show off the teaser for his Killers of the Flower Moon. Caesars Palace Colosseum Theatre gave him a huge cheer.

The wait just got a little shorter for audiences to see Tom Cruise back in action as Ethan Hunt with Paramount/Skydance’s highly-anticipated Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One now set for domestic release on July 12 rather than July 14. That puts it in step with the start of international rollout and is a move designed to take advantage of early summer play.

Rihanna will star as Smurfette in the Untitled “Smurfs” Animated Film, Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies announced at CinemaCon on Thursday.Appearing on stage, the singer and entrepreneur will also write and perform original music and serve as a producer for the film.“On behalf of our studio and our creative partners at LAFIG, we couldn’t be more excited to have found our Smurfette in one of the most beloved stars in the world,” Brian Robbins, President and CEO of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon, and Ramsey Naito, President of Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation said in a statement. “With Rihanna’s singular creative appeal and musical talents, there is an enormous opportunity to elevate the cultural touchstone of The Smurfs universe in a way that’s never been done before.”Based on the characters and works of Peyo, Untitled “Smurfs” Animated film is directed by Chris Miller, co-directed by Matt Landon, and produced by Rihanna, Jay Brown, Tyran “Ty-Ty” Smith, and Ryan Harris.Based on the popular animated TV series “The Smurfs,” Smurfette was created by the evil wizard Gargamel to spy on the Smurfs and sow jealousy among them.

Edi Patterson, Julian Barratt, Scott Mescudi, Ellie Taylor have joined the cast of of the Paramount+ and SEGA series Knuckles, with Idris Elba set to reprise role of titular character. Adam Pally, who appeared in the most recent Sonic the Hedgehog sequel will reprise role of Walt Whipple with Rory McCann guest starring. In addition, Tika Sumpter will guest star, reprising her role as Maddie.

EXCLUSIVE: More changes at Paramount+: Tanya Giles, the streaming platform’s chief programming officer, is leaving after a combined 28 years at Paramount Global and its various iterations. A rep for Paramount+ confirmed Giles’ departure to Deadline, declining further comment. There is no immediate replacement, and Giles’ decision to step down is not part of a restructuring, sources said.

South Park co-creator Trey Parker is set to direct a live-action comedy film produced by Kendrick Lamar, according to reports.The untitled collaboration between Lamar and South Park creators Parker and Matt Stone was announced last year, who were all producing the project with the rapper’s longtime manager Dave Free.According to Above The Line, Parker will now direct the film himself, from a script written by South Park producer Vernon Chatman.Production on the project was supposed to begin in spring last year, but it’s claimed Parker’s commitments to South Park pushed the schedule back to an unknown date.As per the initial announcement, the comedy film “will see the past and present coming to a head when a young Black man who is interning as a slave re-enactor at a living history museum discovers that his white girlfriend’s ancestors once owned his”.Speaking about the project, Brian Robbins, president and CEO of Paramount Pictures, said: “On behalf of Paramount Pictures and the wider ViacomCBS family, we look forward to ushering in the first theatrical collaboration from these creative visionaries, and galvanizing audiences worldwide around a powerful storytelling experience.”South Park is currently in its 26th season, which recently attracted attention through an episode that parodied Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.Lamar is set to headline festivals Outside Lands, Roskilde and Open’Er later this year, which comes after the release of his fifth studio album ‘Mr.

Welcome back to Good Burger! After years of speculation, Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell  revealed that a sequel to the 1997 movie is officially in the works.

EXCLUSIVE: Almost 16 years ago Denzel Washington and Ridley Scott wowed audiences with their hit crime drama American Gangster, and now it looks like the the two A-listers are ready to get back together in a big way. Sources tell Deadline that Washington is in final negotiations to co-star in Scott’s sequel to his Oscar Best Picture winner Gladiator for Paramount.

Parker Finn has just signed a first-look deal with Paramount to write, produce, and direct features.

$217 million at the global box office last fall, filmmaker Parker Finn has signed a first-look deal with Paramount Pictures. “I am honored and thrilled to be joining the Paramount family,” Finn said in a statement.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Somebody must be flashing their pearly whites. Paramount Pictures has entered a multi-year, first-look deal with Parker Finn to write, produce and direct features.  The pact comes on the heels of Finn’s breakout horror hit “Smile,” which became a sleeper box office sensation. Finn wrote and directed the creepy tale, which went on to be the top grossing original horror movie of 2022, raking in $216 million worldwide on a $17 million budget. It was based on his short film “Laura Hasn’t Slept.” “‘Smile’s’breakthrough success is a testament to Parker’s unique and fresh filmmaking, and we are thrilled that he will make Paramount his home,” said Paramount Pictures President & CEO Brian Robbins.

Paramount Pictures has hammered a multi-year, first-look deal with Parker Finn to write, produce and direct features. 

Ahead of the SXSW world premiere and the March 31 opening of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Paramount Pictures has closed a multi-year, first look deal with the film’s directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein and their newly formed production company GoldDay under which they’ll write, direct and produce features.   

Paramount has entered a first-look, multi-year deal with GoldDay, the newly formed production company of filmmakers John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. The “Game Night” and “Vacation” writer-director-producer duo has teamed up with the studio and eOne on “Dungeons & Dragons: Honors Among Thieves,” which hits theaters on March 31.According to a release, GoldDay will focus on “telling unique stories that defy easy genre classification,” with the intention of creating “entertainment that takes viewers on a journey they haven’t been on before.

After expanding his role to include Nickelodeon Studios back in March, Paramount COO Andrew Gumpert is exiting the Melrose lot, effective this week. The announcement as just made by studio Boss Brian Robbins tonight.

Amanda Bynes, along with fellow former All That cast members Lori Beth Denberg, Danny Tamberelli and Kel Mitchell, will reunite at 90’s Con for the show’s largest reunion since the popular Nickelodeon series wrapped 18 years ago. It also marks Bynes’ first major public appearance since her conservatorship ended last year. Hosted by Thats4Entertainment, the convention runs March 17-19 in Hartford, CT.

Ahead of the opening of Damien Chazelle’s $80M early Hollywood opus Babylon, the Brian Robbins-run Paramount Pictures studio is doubling down on the filmmaker and his producer wife Olivia Hamilton with a multi-year, first look directing and producing deal with their Wild Chickens Productions.

Paramount Pictures has entered a multi-year, first look directing and producing deal with Damien Chazelle and Olivia Hamilton’s Wild Chickens Productions, the studio announced on Tuesday.The studio most recently partnered with Chazelle and Hamilton on “Babylon,” which earned five Golden Globe nominations, including Best Picture, and releases wide theatrically on December 23rd.“Damien is one of the rare auteur filmmakers making an indelible mark on the theatrical landscape, and it’s a testament to this studio’s best-in-class production, marketing and distribution teams that he and his producing partner, Olivia, have decided to make Paramount Pictures their creative home,” Paramount Pictures President and CEO Brian Robbins said in a statement.Added Paramount Pictures Motion Picture Group Co-Presidents Daria Cercek and Michael Ireland, “We are already full speed ahead on this collaboration with the upcoming release of Babylon, which really showcases just why we’re in the Damien and Olivia business. Their brilliance and originality embody Paramount’s long legacy of bold and fearless filmmaking, and we couldn’t be more grateful that they’ve chosen us as partners in bringing daring, cinematic stories to audiences everywhere.”“We are honored to join the Paramount family.

Here’s some big news. In the wake of former DC Films Boss Walter Hamada departing Warner Discovery, he’s landed at Paramount Pictures in an exclusive, multi-year production deal. Big gain here for the Melrose lot in an executive, who not only steered DC to its highest grossing movie in Aquaman with $1.1 billion worldwide, but also was behind The Conjuring franchise, the highest grossing horror series ever with over $2 billion.

Paramount’s Parker Finn-directed horror pic Smile has laughed all the way past the $200M mark worldwide. After six weeks in release – and with scary strong holds – the split through Sunday is $99.1M domestic and $103.8M from the international box office for a global cume of $202.9M.

Paramount Pictures chief Brian Robbins wants to boost the studio’s annual theatrical output to 12 to 15 releases, up from its current Covid-affected level of eight this year and 10 to 12 in 2023.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter “Top Gun: Maverick” has crossed $700 million in North America, becoming one of six movies to ever surpass that milestone at the domestic box office. The film returned to the top of box office charts over Labor Day weekend, adding $7.5 million between Friday and Monday and bringing ticket sales to $701 million. According to Paramount, “Maverick” is the only film to ever be No. 1 at the domestic box office for both Memorial Day and Labor Day holidays.  After 15 weeks of release, the sequel to Tom Cruise’s 1986 blockbuster has overtaken Marvel’s behemoth “Black Panther” ($700.4 million) as the fifth-highest grossing movie in domestic box office history. Impressively, the “Top Gun” follow-up has long flown past “Black Panther” internationally and globally. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell’s latest mission has racked up $740 million overseas and $1.44 billion worldwide while T’Challa’s super-heroic adventure tapped out with $674 million overseas and $1.347 billion worldwide.

Salma Hayek and Tom Cruise are great friends, but the real test is when one of them goes as the third wheel during a dinner date. Recently the Top Gun actor was captured, accompanying the Mexican star and her husband, François-Henri Pinault.The 60-year-old Golden Globe winner, and Suri Cruise’s dad, grabbed dinner with the couple in a London restaurant on Friday, July 15.Una publicación compartida por Salma Hayek Pinault (@salmahayek)The outing comes after Cruise’s success in the sequel Top Gun: Maverick, which has surpassed $1 billion at the global box office, outperforming Titanic.

Tom Cruise’s latest run at the box office has proven to be a major success, with "Top Gun: Maverick" becoming Paramount Pictures’ biggest hit. Fans of the first "Top Gun" film waited over 35 years for a sequel and ticket sales and reviews suggest it was well worth the wait. In the near seven weeks since its initial theatrical release in late May, "Top Gun: Maverick" has grossed $601.91 million domestically, becoming Paramount Picture’s highest grossing domestic film in its first run.

Selome Hailu Nickelodeon has elevated Sabrina Caluori to executive vice president and head of marketing and brand strategy. She enters the role as Jenny Wall exits as chief marketing officer, having stepped down this week.Caluori previously served as senior vice president of brand and content strategy.

EXCLUSIVE: Jenny Wall is leaving Nickelodeon after a three-year stint as Chief Marketing Officer. She will be succeeded by Sabrina Caluori who has been promoted to EVP and Head of Marketing and Brand Strategy for Nickelodeon. In her new position, Caluori, previously SVP, Brand and Content Strategy, will be leading on- and off-air consumer marketing, brand creative and content launches globally across the brand’s linear, digital and social platforms. She will report to Brian Robbins, President and CEO of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon; and Chief Content Officer, Kids & Family for Paramount+.

‘Top:Gun Maverick’ has had impressive success at the box office since premiering, achieving more than $1 billion dollars worlwide and making history as the first Tom Cruise film to make this happen.After breaking the record for biggest opening over Memorial Day weekend with an estimated $156 million dollars domestically during the four-day weekend, taking the place of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End’ in 2007, ‘Maverick’ has now crossed the $1 billion mark.Paramount reported that this is the second-highest-grossing film in their long history behind the 1997 film Titanic, in reference to domestic figures. “It’s rare to get the special kind of alchemy that creates a true event film, and we have been absolutely blown away by the global response,” Brian Robbins, Paramount Pictures‘ president and CEO, stated.Tom Cruise is currently enjoying the success of the film, as this is the first project in his long Hollywood career, reaching more than $1 billion worldwide.This is also the second movie to make $1 billion at the global box office post-pandemic, getting to the level of success as “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” which was released in December 2021.The actor recently shared his excitement with fans at the Cannes Film Festival.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Tuesday that it is inviting 397 artists and executives to join the Oscar organizer’s membership ranks. The prospective 2022 class includes 71 Oscar nominees and 15 winners, with 44% of the invitees women, and 37% of the group belongs to underrepresented communities.

Selome Hailu Shauna Phelan and Zack Olin have been promoted to executive vice presidents and co-heads of Nickelodeon and Awesomeness live action series and film.They take their new positions after serving as senior vice presidents and co-heads of live action, and will now oversee all scripted live action Nickelodeon and Awesomeness series and movie content for Nickelodeon and Paramount+. They report to Brian Robbins, president and CEO of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon and chief content officer of movies and kids and family for Paramount+.“Shauna and Zack are behind some of Nickelodeon’s biggest hits from ‘iCarly’ to ‘That Girl Lay Lay’ and have been entertaining kids and families across all our demos for years,” Robbins said.

Nickelodeon’s Shauna Phelan and Zack Olin have been promoted to EVPs and Co-Heads, Nickelodeon and Awesomeness Live-Action Series and Films. The news was announced today by Brian Robbins, Paramount President & Chief Executive Officer of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon, and Chief Content Officer, Movies and Kids & Family, Paramount+.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentPart of what it describes as a bold and rapid expansion of its long-form animation department, London-based Oscar winning Passion Pictures has appointed Nicki Cortese as head of development for animated features and series.Cortese joins Pixar veteran David Park, a production manager on “Coco” and animation department manager on “Toy Story 3,” who was himself hired as Passion head of production for long-form animation in 2021, as well as executive producer Debbie Crosscup.Joining Passion ahead of Annecy, Cortese served as head of development for Elisabeth Murdoch’s Locksmith Animation, where she worked on Disney’s “Ron’s Gone Wrong” as well as the just-announced Netflix feature “That Christmas,” based on children’s books by “Four Weddings and a Funeral’s ”Richard Curtis. Cortese had a first-look deal with Brian Robbins’ studio, Awesomeness Films, and, prior to that, oversaw the “Divergent”franchise at Red Wagon.