Paramount Animation Reboot

Paramount Animation wants to kick things into gear.

Jeffrey K. and DreamWorks Animation are moving toward the door marked "Exit." David Stainton, hired last year to get projects launched, didn't work out. Now, however, elements are beginning to come together.

Paramount Pictures is ramping up its animation division/developments, and getting a number of projects into the production phase. ... One of the new projects might be produced by none other than J.J. Abrams. The report mentions, among many other details, that the "studio has hired seven scribes to tackle projects, some of which Mary Parent and J.J. Abrams are shepherding." Seven people for multiple animation projects, including another SpongeBob

A wise old cartoon exec told me that David S. received his walking papers from PA because he wasn't attracting live-action talent to the cartoon biz. (He didn't know many of those types, apparently.)

Mr. Abrams, of course, doesn't have that deficiency. He knows plenty of live-action players. And Paramount is eager to replicate the Rango magic. Are they going to build themselves a studio along the lines of DreamWorks, Disney and Blue Sky? I'm informed that they will go for the "sub-contract it out" model, using a studio who will make their movie for a price.

Time will tell. (Time is a mouthy bastard.)