You weren’t surprised, were you? For most of the summer, ViacomCBS owner Shari Redstone wasn’t exactly shy in expressing her displeasure with the direction of Paramount Pictures. Lunches, meetings, Hamptons parties—people who spoke with her tell me how openly she dissed it. Never mind that Jim Gianopulos, the old-school film executive that she had hired in 2017 to fish the studio out of the Melrose Avenue tar pit where Philippe Dauman and Brad Grey had left it to fossilize, was doing exactly what she asked of him. Gianopulos swung the unit from a $450 million loss, in the year before he joined, to profitability; built a solid exec team; rebooted the Tom Clancy and Top Gun franchises; and created new ones with A Quiet Place and Sonic The Hedgehog.
Try Puck for free
Sign up today to join the inside conversation at the nexus of Wall Street, Washington, A.I., Hollywood, and more.
Already a member? Log In
- Daily articles and breaking news
- Personal emails directly from our authors
- Gift subscriber-only stories to friends & family
- Unlimited access to archives
- Exclusive bonus days of select newsletters
- Exclusive access to Puck merch
- Early bird access to new editorial and product features
- Invitations to private conference calls with Puck authors
Exclusive to Inner Circle only
Latest Articles from Hollywood
At What Point Will Ellison Intervene at CBS News?
Ellison’s Legal Gladiator Is Ready for War
Letters from the HollyTube Revolution
The Blake Lively–Justin Baldoni Suit Could Be Headed for a Do-Over
Disney Is Ready to Clobber Brendan Carr
The 27-Year-Old Assistant Who Found ‘Backrooms’
The Hollywood A.I. Appeasement Vibe Shift
Get access to this story
Enter your email for a free preview of Puck’s full offering, including exclusive articles, private emails from authors, and more.
Latest Articles from Hollywood
Hollywood’s Saudi Tax Rebate Problem
The Ellison Trust-Busting Is Getting Political
Hollywood’s Gen Z Gap Is Real… and It’s Growing
What I’ve Heard: Five Years of Hollywood Disruption
Summer Box Office Blackjack: What the Biggest Movies Need to Beat the House
SAG-AFTRA’s Surprise A.I. Détente
Streaming TV’s Romantasy Problem
You have 1 free article Left
To read this full story and more, start your 14 day free trial today →
Already a member? Log In
Get access to this story
Enter your email to get access to one article and free previews of our private emails from Puck authors and editors.
Already a Member? Sign in
Latest Articles from Hollywood
The Hollywood C.E.O. Gluttony Index
Netflix Goes to the Movies & Baldoni’s Second-Act Chances
Yes, the Blake-Baldoni Case Does Have a Winner
Disney’s Josh D’Amaro Manifesto Translator
Trump Defamation Theories & Newsom’s Weak Case
Why Netflix Caved for Greta Gerwig’s ‘Narnia’