Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc, today announced an extension of its agreement with J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions to run through 2013. This continues the first-look relationship originally started with Abrams and long-time colleague, producer Bryan Burk, in July 2006.
“Today’s announcement is meaningful to me in many ways,” said Brad Grey, Chairman and CEO, Paramount Pictures Corporation. “Bad Robot was one of the first deals we made to help rebuild the studio. J.J. has since become part of the fabric of Paramount and we look forward to continuing our fruitful creative collaboration for many years to come.”
“Bad Robot has had an incredibly fun and productive collaboration with Paramount,” added Abrams. “We are all so grateful for their amazing support and creative team, and feel like we’re just getting started. We are thrilled that we get to stay right where we are.
Bad Robot and Paramount first collaborated to release Cloverfield (2008), which stands as the film with the highest grossing January opening weekend ever (at $40M). The film ultimately went on to gross $170M worldwide. The duo’s next upcoming release is the highly anticipated Star Trek (release date – May 8, 2009), which is directed and produced by Abrams; executive produced by Bad Robot EVP Bryan Burk and Jeffrey Chernov, and produced by Damon Lindelof; written and executive produced by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman; and starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, John Cho and Zoë Saldana. Bad Robot and Paramount also are slated to begin production of Morning Glory in June of this year, starring Harrison Ford and Rachel McAdams (to be released in 2010). Abrams also directed Mission: Impossible III for the Studio.
