Paramount Taps Brian Robbins to Run New Production Division

AwesomenessTV’s Brian Robbins has been appointed to head up Paramount Pictures’ newly formed production division Paramount Players.

Under this new banner, Robbins and his team will develop, produce and market distinctive feature films in conjunction with such Viacom units as Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central and BET. Robbins, who joins the company later this month, will serve as president of Paramount Players, reporting to Paramount Pictures Chairman and CEO Jim Gianopulos.

Gianopulos said: “Brian is a true creative force in the entertainment and digital media industries. We are fortunate to draw from his vast experience to launch a new production paradigm with Paramount Players, which embraces the studio’s history and DNA through its name, but will focus, in distinctive ways, on contemporary talent and properties for young audiences while drawing upon the vast resources of the Viacom brands.”

Robbins commented: “In the past five years at Awesomeness I learned that new distribution has created so many more opportunities to find/watch content as a consumer and feed/market content as a creator. But, at the end of the day, it’s still about the creative: making good films that people will show up to watch. From there you can build a brand that people will trust and care about. I can’t wait to disrupt the status quo with a new approach to filmmaking. It also feels really good to be reunited with my Nickelodeon and MTV families and to work with all my new colleagues.”

Robbins co-founded AwesomenessTV with Joe Davola in 2012 and most recently served as CEO of the multiplatform media company. Robbins was also the co-founder of Tollin/Robbins Productions and the founder and president of Varsity Pictures. His executive-producing credits include a string of TV hits aimed at teens and young audiences, including the long-running CW series Smallville and One Tree Hill; Disney Channel’s Sonny With a Chance and So Random; Nickelodeon’s All That and Kenan and Kel; and Spike TV’s Blue Mountain State. Robbins was also the producing force behind the popular WB series What I Like About You and HBO’s Arli$$.