Viacom Is Courting Jim Gianopulos, Michael DeLuca to Take Over Paramount Pictures

Viacom CEO Bob Bakish is getting serious about a replacement for former Paramount Pictures CEO Brad Grey — and is said to be “heavily courting” former Fox Film chief Jim Gianopulos for the job, TheWrap has learned.

In addition to Gianopulos, Bakish is looking to recruit top Universal Pictures producer Michael De Luca to come on board in a senior role overseeing Paramount’s film division, one individual familiar with the matter said.

Gianopulos has been a prime candidate for several high-profile studio jobs — including discussions to run Legendary Entertainment — following his exit from Fox last fall, where he was succeeded by Stacey Snider.

Also Read: Viacom Boss Bob Bakish Bemoans Paramount Not Having Jordan Peele's 'Get Out'

Representatives for Paramount, Viacom, Universal, Gianopulos and De Luca declined to comment on the matter.

While Gianopulos has to land somewhere, De Luca has a cushy role at Universal working with his longtime colleague Chairman Donna Langley.

The producer, who just handled the Oscars, is described as “iffy” on the potential offer the insider said.

At present, Paramount is being run by a committee of department heads under the supervision of Bakish. The committee includes Motion Picture President Marc Evans, Worldwide Distribution and Marketing President Megan Colligan, Paramount COO Andrew Gumpert and the studio’s digital and TV head Amy Powell.

Also Read: Inside Paramount's Shakeup: Why Brad Grey Is Out, and Who Could Replace Him

Paramount is also said to have heavy-handed guidance from Viacom CFO Wade Davis, who now splits his time between New York and Los Angeles at the behest of Bakish.

Gianopulos started his career at Paramount before his early days on the Fox lot in international distribution. He was named Co-Chair of the filmed entertainment group in 2000 alongside now-Sony Pictures head Tom Rothman.

He assumed the sole title of Chairman and CEO in 2012, and oversaw production and rollout for titles across 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight and Fox 2000.

9 Potential Brad Grey Replacements at Paramount Pictures (Photos)

TheWrap reported Friday that Paramount Chairman and CEO Brad Grey was in negotiations with Paramount parent company Viacom to depart from the position he’s held for 12 years. Here are eight potential replacements.
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Jeff Robinev

The hard-charging movie exec made a splashy deal with Singapore's Fosun International for his label Studio 8. While a planned 24 films have not come to fruition, Robinov is decisive -- and largely speculated to be in the running for Michael Lynton's chairman job at Sony.
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Jim Gianopulos

The former Fox Film chief is perhaps the hottest free agent in town. His years of experience and position as Hollywood elder statesman makes him a prime target to run a studio -- and he reportedly already has a job offer from the Dalian Wanda Group top head their new mega-studio WQS.
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Janice Min

It’s a very far left-field choice, but the word around town is that Min is gunning for a Hollywood job now that she’s stepping down as co-president of The Hollywood Reporter-Billboard. While she has little-to-no experience with filmed entertainment, she certainly has the taste, the proximity to high-calibre executives and the knowledge of how to spend on premium content.
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John Landgraf

Sure, it’s television, but Landgraf has made a stunning success out of Fox cable property FX. Couple that with his scholarly knowledge of storytelling and his preachy, must-see lectures on the content bubble, and he’s a safe bet to run a successful ship and innovate at the same time.
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Greg Silverman

By no stretch of the imagination did Silverman leave Warner Bros. in a cloud of triumph, but the studio’s troubled DC Comics division can hardly be blamed solely on the longtime movie executive. Silverman has experience in both development and overseeing global production, and has seen great success on film franchises without spandex and capes — like the raunchy “Hangover” series.
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Rob Friedman

The veteran movie executive was so instrumental in expanding Summit Entertainment with the blockbuster "Twilight Saga," that Lionsgate named him Co-Chairman when they acquired Summit in 2012. He stepped down from the position last September, so he's available. It doesn't hurt that he knows where to park at Paramount -- Friedman previously served as COO and Vice Chairman at the studio for almost 10 years.
Bryan Burk

Another interesting possibility is Burk, producing partner to J.J. Abrams. Their Bad Robot label has become of vital importance to the studio, as the pair have a hand in everything from “Mission: Impossible” to “Star Trek” tentpoles, and will be developing a film-a-year movie universe in Abrams’ original “Cloverfield” series.
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Peter Liguori

The former Tribune honcho is seeking a Hollywood job, multiple insiders have previously told TheWrap, and he could be an easy fit for Grey's empty chair.
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Andrew Gumpert

Gumpert is a well-liked and effective executive who just joined Paramount in November after leaving Sony. He might not have the lay of the land yet, but Gumpert is more than capable of such a high-ranking job.
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On Friday, TheWrap reported that Grey was in talks to step away from his role as Paramount Pictures Chairman and CEO

TheWrap reported Friday that Paramount Chairman and CEO Brad Grey was in negotiations with Paramount parent company Viacom to depart from the position he’s held for 12 years. Here are eight potential replacements.

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9 Potential Brad Grey Replacements at Paramount Pictures (Photos)

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