Like much of Hollywood, Paramount Animation is putting its focus on franchises.
The CEO of Paramount Pictures, Brian Robbins, talked about his approach in a wide-ranging cover story with Variety this week ahead of the release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, which is shaping up to be a hit for Paramount Animation. This isn't exactly something that division is used to. It's struggled to find its footing since its inception in 2011, with a couple of successful Spongebob Squarepants movies and some more disappointing outings in the likes of Sherlock Gnomes, Monster Trucks, and Anomalisa.
Robbins stepped in as Paramount CEO in 2021 and, as Variety notes, has overhauled the animation division, jettisoning projects that he didn't think were commercial. It was previously reported that Ron Howard's The Shrinking of Treehorn, which was set up at Paramount, was sold to Netflix, and Robbins also revealed that original musical comedy Under the Boardwalk would be released on Paramount+ instead of in theaters.
“We’re not going to release an expensive original animated movie and just pray people will come,” he said.
Instead, the cover story notes, the studio plans to double down on familiar IP, with two Spongebob Squarepants movies in the works, an Avatar: The Last Airbender animated film, the recently announced sequel to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, and a new PAW Patrol feature later this year.
Talking further about their strategy, Robbins said "it's not about Disney and Pixar anymore," pointing to box office disappointments like Lightyear and Elemental: “People are looking for animated movies that are irreverent and have a comedic point of view.”
It's worth noting that the heavily franchise-focused approach that Robbins laid out is somewhat of a contradiction of comments made by Paramount Animation president Ramsey Naito, who previously told Deadline that they're "also very invested in originals and our ability to be able to launch original titles theatrically."
The quote about "expensive original animated" movies, however, quickly made the rounds on social media after it was clipped out by DiscussingFilm, with the likes of Guillermo del Toro commenting with a simple "dear lord."
Dear Lord- https://t.co/QJcgzRNh7A
— Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) July 26, 2023
Chris Miller, one of the minds behind Sony’s animated Spider-Verse series, also weighed in:
“This is an ignorant attitude,” he wrote. “No studio head would say they wouldn’t make an original drama, or action movie, or biopic, or comedy, or wouldn’t have made Avatar. To suggest animation alone needs to be IP is absurd.”
However, he later added that he found that the DiscussingFilm tweet "somewhat mischaracterizes what he was saying - the context of which is more of a specific case than a sweeping generalization."
After reading the article this quote came from, I think this somewhat mischaracterizes what he was saying - the context of which is more of a specific case than a sweeping generalization.
— Christopher Miller (@chrizmillr) July 27, 2023
I try not to get swept into the outrage machine of social media but sometimes can’t resist
Shannon Tiddle, the creator of Kubo and the Two Strings and director of Ultraman, pointed out a number of original animated films – including Toy Story, The Incredibles, Frozen, and Spirited Away – that made millions (billions if you count merch sales).
Toy Story, The Incredibles, Inside Out, Frozen, Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, etc. were all original films that generated millions upon release and continue to make BILLIONS in merchandise. https://t.co/LFbpOgnW6u
— Shannon Tindle (@ShannonTindle_1) July 27, 2023
See more reactions from the animation community below.
I was gonna say how it’s not every day that the execs in charge of the most storied studios in the industry clearly show that they know nothing about the industry they’re supposedly leading, but we’re at 1-2 comments like this a day so there’s really no more doubt at this point. https://t.co/Qvn8aJ1nnl
— David DePasquale ? (@wolfinsheeps) July 26, 2023
Hollywood https://t.co/BzgE8VyFwD
— Jorge R. Gutierrez (@mexopolis) July 26, 2023
Ummm…. didn’t every IP start out as an original idea? At some point, someone took a risk on an idea about turtles who eat pizza and fight like ninjas. With this kinda mentality, you’re killing any chance of coming across future gold mines like that. https://t.co/DLU61Fmf4z
— Daniel Ceballos (@DCeballos95) July 26, 2023
A24, please get more invest in Animation. If Hollywood Isn’t gonna even bother to try, then this is your opportunity to dig in and grab the new IPs for yourselves ? https://t.co/vE0RP5ShBd
— Chris DeRose #NewDeal4Animation (@ScratchyDerose) July 26, 2023
This is such a very bad move for Paramount Animation. It's not that people don't want original animated films, it's just they want good ones that aren't Wonder Park or Rumble. Seriously, if they are gonna rely solely on IP for theaters, they are gonna crumble fast. https://t.co/6vYkYegIeq
— Animated Antic (@Animated_Antic) July 26, 2023
The reaction taps into one of the ongoing themes of 2023: the persistent focus on established franchises out of the belief that they create more certainty in an uncertain business. Warner Bros. is among the companies that has been candid about its focus on well-known properties like Harry Potter. However, these franchises are increasingly seeing diminishing returns, with Indiana Jones: Dial of Destiny and The Flash being some of the year's biggest flops while more original movies like Oppenheimer have soared.
With much of Hollywood on strike, there's also been a heavy pushback against the perception that executives are prioritizing commercialization above all else, including turning to AI to try and replace writers and artists.
Animation in particular has been under a great deal of pressure over the past year as studios have cut back or removed shows entirely. Certain beloved shows continue to go strong, with Futurama and King of the Hill both making comebacks, but they fall under the same category of "nostalgia favorite" that Paramount is seeking to capture.
One way or another, it's clear that Hollywood is at an inflection point, and nowhere is that more clear than in the animation business. For more, check out our story on how AI has become an animation battlefield for artists and other creators.
Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.
