Paramount CEO David Ellison reveled in “our first upfront as the new Paramount” Tuesday night at a NYC event with ad agency Omnicom for drinks, dinner and conversation about advertising opportunities and the upcoming slate.
The company has opted for a series of smaller gatherings, or “partnership dinners” versus the traditional concert-sized shows during the crowded Upfronts week in May. Executives hit LA and Chicago, and will be holding several more gatherings in the Big Apple.
“It’s an opportunity to share our vision and talk about the incredible potential we see in partnering with all of you in deeper and more meaningful ways,” Ellison said, taking the stage after a reel of Paramount shows and movies and before several hundred attendees tucked into beef and salmon at hip West Chelsea event venue Storied NYC.
“We launched Paramount Skydance nearly nine months ago, and we really couldn’t be more excited with the progress and momentum we’ve achieved in a relatively short period of time,” Ellison said. “Our goal is to build a leading media and entertainment company that strengthens competition better serves the creative community and delivers even more compelling stories to audiences around the world. And as you saw clearly demonstrated in that reel, we’re doing exactly that that’s investing in great content and attracting and empowering exceptional talent, both in front of and behind the camera, and equipping our people with cutting edge technology that enables them to do their best work.”
Comedian and Daily Show correspondent Ronny Chieng talked up Comedy Central but struggled to pronounce “Omnicom,” said he had no idea what that was, and that Paramount was holding his family. “Please let them go now,” he joked when he was done.
Paramount’s Chief Revenue Officer Jay Askinasi; chair of Direct To Consumer, Cindy Holland; and Chief Product Officer Dane Glasgow took questions from Uzo Aduba in a panel moderated by the Roofman star. An retooling of pioneering FAST service Pluto this summer was a big topic.
Askinasi highlighted in-house creative studio Paramount Media Labs and how the company is helping to supercharge personalization for advertisers and streamline the process overall. “David talked about the powerful opportunities when storytelling and marketing are aligned, and we built the engine to make that possible.”
Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser talked Yellowstone spinoff Dutton Ranch, which premieres on Paramount+ May 15. It sees Reilly’s Beth Dutton and Hauser’s Rip Wheeler taking their next big step.
This is a new beginning. There are fresh challenges. There are new allies, and there are new enemies. More is at stake for Rip and Beth than ever, if you can believe that” said Reilly. “Beth is navigating new territory now, not only in her own heart but in a new location, in an unfamiliar place. Maybe a little mature maybe a little wiser, but she is still as fierce and as loyal to the thing and the people that she loves.”
“Having the opportunity to continue playing Rip, watching him grow as a human being, as a husband and as a father has been thrilling,” said Hauser. “Dutton Ranch is set in the Texas heartland. That show is gonna kick motherf—ing ass!” Annette Bening and Ed Harris also star.
Rapper-singer-songwriter Wyclef Jean wrapped the evening with a terrific set.
Paramount’s upfront showcases come just days before Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders at a special virtual meeting are set to vote on selling the company to Par. Paramount has said it expects the deal to close in the third quarter pending regulatory approvals. The offer is a rich $31 a share in cash. The merger is wildly unpopular with the creative community.
