Paramount Pictures Signs Deal with Will Smith
Paramount Pictures has sealed a first-look, multi-picture deal with Will Smith and his company, Westbrook. This deal comes after the completion of the SkyDance fusion last month and will focus on creating global, four-quadrant theatrical films with franchise and IP-based films.
Details of the Deal
The terms of the deal include a first-look agreement with a development obligation for franchise starters, which are positioned as leading roles for Smith. Two of the projects mentioned are the thrillers Sugar Bandits and Rabbit Hole. Westbrook is based on the Paramount lot in Hollywood.
Upcoming Projects
Sugar Bandits is based on the book Devil in Exile by Chuck Hogan and follows a former special forces soldier who runs an elite vigilante squad working to wipe out the drug trade in Boston. On the other hand, Rabbit Hole is written by Jon Spaihts, who also wrote Dune, but plot details are unknown at this time.
Impact on Paramount
This deal is another significant victory for Paramount, which has been attracting top talent under its new boss, David Ellison. Last month, the Duffer Brothers, who had a strong relationship with Netflix, signed a four-year contract with Paramount, surprising the industry. Smith and Westbrook have previously had a long-standing relationship with Sony.
Recent Moves by Paramount
Paramount has been busy on the content front, recently acquiring the rights to adapt a feature film based on the Activision video game series Call of Duty. The company also landed the coveted package High Side with Timothée Chalamet and James Mangold as director on the day the SkyDance deal was closed. Smith and Westbrook are represented by CAA.
