In a significant development for the film industry, hours after the Skydance-Paramount merger was finalized last week, the new studio leadership team made headlines by securing a deal for the much-anticipated project, High Side, featuring Timothée Chalamet and directed by James Mangold. This bold initiative signaled to Hollywood that Paramount 2.0 is committed to enhancing its feature slate, reinforcing the promises made during the merger discussions.
During a press conference in Los Angeles, David Ellison, the newly appointed CEO of Paramount, articulated the studio’s ambition to reclaim its position as the top choice for filmmakers and talent globally. He emphasized, “Great filmmakers make great movies.” Ellison outlined a strategy to expand content offerings for both the streaming service and theatrical releases, indicating a robust future for Paramount.
The merger not only aims to stabilize Paramount but also excited industry leaders, including AMC’s Adam Aron, who expressed optimism about an increase in theatrical releases. Historically, Paramount has produced between 11 to 14 feature films annually, but Josh Greenstein and his team revealed plans to elevate this number to 15 movies per year as soon as possible, with aspirations of reaching 20 in the near future.
As noted by industry insiders, Paramount has faced financial constraints in recent years, limiting its ability to greenlight new projects. However, with Skydance now at the helm, there is optimism that the studio will see a resurgence in movie releases, potentially surpassing its previous output rates. Aron pointed out that Skydance is financially robust, suggesting that we can expect a significant increase in the number of films released under the Paramount banner.
While High Side marks a promising start for the new administration, there are numerous other projects in the pipeline. The leadership team, which also includes President Don Granger, is set to explore both high-profile franchises and original stories featuring A-list talent.
Despite the challenges posed by competition—specifically losing the Marvel franchise to Disney in 2009—Paramount has recently celebrated substantial box office successes. In 2022, Top Gun: Maverick, starring Tom Cruise, achieved remarkable earnings, amassing $1.29 billion domestically and $2.6 billion globally. This success was significantly bolstered by Skydance, which co-financed the film.
Looking ahead, the production of Top Gun 3 stands out as a major priority for Greenstein, Goldberg, and Granger. Furthermore, the leadership is keen on developing family-friendly films and R-rated comedies to diversify their offerings. The studio aims to retain full financial control over major franchises like Star Trek and Top Gun, reserving co-financing for mid-budget projects with higher risk potential.
Among the key projects on Paramount's agenda is the Star Trek franchise, which Ellison has been involved with since the release of Star Trek Into Darkness in 2013. Currently, the studio is working on a new film featuring original characters, directed by Toby Haynes and written by Seth Grahame-Smith, with Simon Kinberg and J.J. Abrams producing. Additionally, another installment featuring beloved characters like Captain Kirk and Spock is in development.
Regarding the Top Gun franchise, speculation is rife about the next installment following the massive success of its predecessor. In 2023, it was reported that Ehren Krueger began scripting for the next film, though progress has been slow as Tom Cruise focused on other projects. However, with Cruise now available, movement on this front is expected to accelerate.
In the realm of the Transformers franchise, the recent release of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts generated $442 million globally. Before the merger, three scripts were in development, including one that may see Michael Bay return to the franchise. The new leadership is poised to evaluate these scripts shortly.
Looking ahead, here is the current release schedule for Paramount from 2025 to 2027:
2025 Roofman – Oct. 10 Regretting You – Oct. 24 The Running Man – Nov. 7 SpongeBob Movie: The Search for Squarepants – Dec. 19 2026 Scream 7 – Feb. 27 Untitled Trey Parker/Matt Stone/Kendrick Lamar movie – March 20 Scary Movie – June 12 PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie – July 24 The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender – Oct. 9 2027 Children of Blood & Bone – Jan. 15 The Angry Birds Movie 3 – Jan. 29 Untitled K-Pop movie – Feb. 12 Sonic the Hedgehog 4 – March 19 A Quiet Place III – July 9 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2 – Sept. 17With a strong leadership team and an ambitious slate of projects, Paramount is poised for a dynamic resurgence in the film industry, aiming to solidify its status as a top-tier studio.
