Paramount Famous Productions

Paramount Famous Productions
Company typeDivision
IndustryHome Entertainment
FoundedFebruary 2007; 17 years ago (2007-02)
DefunctJanuary 23, 2011; 13 years ago (2011-01-23)
SuccessorLibrary:
Paramount Home Entertainment
Headquarters,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Louis Feola (President)
ProductsMotion pictures
OwnerNational Amusements
ParentParamount Pictures
(Viacom)
Websitewww.paramount.com

Paramount Famous Productions, Inc. was a made-for-home entertainment division of Paramount Pictures. It primarily developed home entertainment sequels to films from Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures (pre-2005 library), and other Paramount-related properties.[1] The company's name also revived the Famous moniker previously used by the Paramount-owned Famous Studios.

History

In February 2007, Paramount Pictures named Louis Feola president of its new direct-to-DVD division. The initial division plan called for $10 million maximum cost films being released four to six times a year working with Paramount Worldwide Home Entertainment. All but Columbia Pictures had a direct-to-video unit at this time. Feola indicated that direct-to-video faces competition from popular TV shows, but it takes the place of the decreasing sale from older library titles. DTV in an up year can bring in "hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue".[1]

With the completion of principal photography on its first feature length sequel, Without a Paddle: Nature's Calling in August 2008, Paramount announced a name for the division: Paramount Famous Productions. Spin-offs of Road Trip, Bad News Bears, The Naked Gun, Mean Girls, and Grease were announced to be in development at that time, and three executives were appointed. The division expected to be releasing a full slate starting in 2010.[2] Paramount Famous Productions was quietly closed in 2011, after the release of Mean Girls 2.

Films

Title Release Date
Without a Paddle: Nature's Calling January 13, 2009
Van Wilder: Freshman Year July 14, 2009
Road Trip: Beer Pong August 11, 2009
Wrong Turn at Tahoe January 12, 2010
Schuks Tshabalala's Survival Guide to South Africa May 28, 2010
The Romantics September 10, 2010
Mean Girls 2 January 23, 2011

References

  1. ^ a b Eller, Claudia (February 28, 2007). "Paramount names head of direct-to-DVD unit". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 17, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
  2. ^ Finke, Nikki (August 20, 2008). "Paramount Famous Productions Beefs Up". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 20, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2014.