Paramount Global Co-Chief Executive Brian Robbins stepped down Wednesday, just one day before David Ellison’s Skydance Media finalizes its $8.4 billion acquisition of the entertainment giant.
The departure was anticipated after Skydance unveiled its senior leadership team earlier this week, signaling plans to overhaul Robbins’ domain—Paramount Pictures on Melrose Avenue.
Robbins has led the storied movie studio since 2021. Longtime Ellison ally Dana Goldberg and former Sony executive Josh Greenstein will take over as co-chairs of the studio, while another Skydance executive, Don Granger, will serve as president of motion pictures, reporting to Goldberg and Greenstein.
Robbins, a former child actor turned producer, joined Paramount (then Viacom) in 2017. He oversaw both Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon, focusing on revitalizing major franchises before his promotion in April 2024. Robbins then became part of a CEO trio running the company after former CEO Bob Bakish was ousted.
For 15 months, Robbins, along with CBS chief George Cheeks and cable programming head Chris McCarthy, navigated the company through challenging times marked by cable subscriber losses, staffing cuts, and mounting business pressures.
Majority owner Shari Redstone’s desire to sell Paramount added further uncertainty within the company’s ranks.
Cheeks is the only senior Paramount executive remaining under new ownership. He will serve as chairman of TV media, overseeing CBS properties and cable channels like MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and BET.
McCarthy, who managed key cable franchises including “Yellowstone” and “South Park,” also stepped down as the Redstone era draws to a close.
In a farewell message to staff, Robbins reflected, “When I first walked onto the Paramount Pictures lot as a young filmmaker many years ago, I never imagined I’d one day be entrusted with leading this storied studio. It has been one of the greatest privileges of my life to work alongside such an extraordinary group of people.”
Robbins highlighted his efforts to revitalize franchises such as “Sonic the Hedgehog,” “Scream,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” and “Mission: Impossible.”
His leadership team, along with Skydance, helped produce Paramount’s highest-grossing film in over a century—“Top Gun: Maverick.”
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