Skydance CEO David Ellison and his new executive team held a press event last Wednesday at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles. The team addressed a variety of questions about the future of the studio, streaming, and television assets.
Ellison is eager to reset the narrative on Paramount following the completion of Skydance’s acquisition after a painfully drawn-out process. The new company is being managed by a team with extensive experience in the entertainment industry, with plans to make changes and bring new energy and focus.
The event produced headlines in the areas of widespread use of AI technology, the potential for new acquisitions, and the likelihood of seeing significant layoffs and cost-cutting measures. Signs were encouraging in the area of theatrical releasing, with studio co-chairs Dana Goldeberg and Josh Greenstein announcing that they will plan to release in theatres “up to 20” new movies each year, a dramatic increase from recent years.
Ellison said that Paramount Pictures plans to greenlight new sequels in its major franchises, TOP GUN and STAR TREK. It will also bring out buzzy originals, including HIGH SIDE starring Timothée Chalamet and directed by James Mangold, whose acquisition was confirmed by Deadline in the hours after Skydance reported the completion of its Paramount acquisition. Ellison proclaimed to the assembled journalists that his goal is to make Paramount the “number one studio” in Hollywood.
