Paramount Animation, a division of Paramount Pictures, has been a significant player in the animation industry since its inception on July 6, 2011. The studio was established following the success of Paramount’s own animated film, “Rango,” and the end of their distribution deal with DreamWorks Animation in 2012. Paramount Animation has since produced a variety of animated films, with their latest release being “The Tiger’s Apprentice” on February 2, 2024. Their next highly anticipated release is “Transformers One,” set to hit theaters on September 20, 2024.
The studio’s journey began with the release of “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water” on February 6, 2015, which grossed $325.1 million worldwide, making it their highest-grossing film to date. Paramount Animation has since produced several other films, contributing to a total box office gross of $604.1 million.
Paramount Animation’s history is rooted in the legacy of Paramount Cartoon Studios, which operated from 1942 to 1967. After the closure of Paramount Cartoon Studios, Paramount distributed a few animated films produced by outside studios from 1973 to 1992. In 1993, Paramount signed a multi-year deal with Canadian animation studio Nelvana to produce five animated feature films, although none of these films were ultimately produced.
Following Paramount’s merger with Viacom, the studio released several animated films based on Nickelodeon’s TV shows, including the Rugrats film trilogy, “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie,” and “Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.” The studio also released features based on MTV’s “Beavis and Butt-Head” and Comedy Central’s “South Park.”
In 2005, Paramount’s new CEO Brad Grey considered building an in-house animation division, seeing family films as a lucrative market. This led to a distribution deal with DreamWorks Animation, starting with “Over the Hedge” and ending with “Rise of the Guardians.” During this period, Paramount released Nickelodeon Movies’ “Barnyard” in 2006 and ImageMovers’ “Beowulf” in 2007.
The success of “Rango” in 2011, which grossed over $245 million at the box office, helped Paramount realize its potential in producing successful animated features independently. This led to the formation of Paramount Animation in July 2011, with the studio initially producing one animated film a year with a maximum budget of $100 million. A significant portion of these films were co-produced with Nickelodeon and cross-promoted at Nickelodeon’s theme parks and hotels.
In October 2011, David Stainton, a former president of Walt Disney Feature Animation, was named president of Paramount Animation. However, he resigned in February 2012 for personal reasons, and Paramount Film Group’s president, Adam Goodman, stepped in to oversee the studio. The studio’s first film, “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water,” was released in 2015 to positive reviews and box office success.
In 2015, Paramount Animation announced the development of several animated films in collaboration with Nickelodeon, Mary Parent, and J.J. Abrams. This included the development of a new live-action/animated franchise titled “Monster Trucks,” which was released in 2017 but became a box office failure.
In 2017, Jim Gianopulos replaced Brad Grey as chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures, and Mireille Soria, a former DreamWorks Animation co-president, was named president of Paramount Animation. Soria restructured the studio, increasing its number of employees and setting a goal of releasing two tentpole animated films a year with different animation styles and genres.
Under Soria’s leadership, Paramount Animation released “Sherlock Gnomes” in 2018, which was a critical and financial disappointment. The studio also released “Wonder Park” in 2019, which received mixed reviews and became a box office flop. However, “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run,” released in 2020, received positive reviews despite its limited theatrical release due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, Brian Robbins replaced Jim Gianopulos as chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures, and Ramsey Ann Naito was named president of Paramount Animation in addition to her role as president of Nickelodeon Animation Studio. The studio’s latest film, “Rumble,” was released on Paramount+ in December 2021.
Looking ahead, Paramount Animation has several exciting projects in the pipeline, including “Transformers One,” set to be released on September 20, 2024. This film is highly anticipated and is expected to be a significant addition to the Transformers franchise.
Paramount Animation continues to be a major player in the animation industry, producing films that captivate audiences of all ages. With a rich history and a promising future, the studio is poised to continue its legacy of creating memorable animated films.
Source: Paramount Animation, Hasbro Entertainment
