Brian Robbins

Brian Robbins (né Levine; November 22, 1963) is an American film producer, director, and studio executive. He was the Co-CEO of Paramount Global from 2024 to 2025; President and Chief Executive Officer of Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon from 2021 to 2025 and 2018 to 2025 respectively; and Chief Content Officer, Movies & Kids & Family, Paramount+ until his departure from the company after the completion of the merger between Paramount Global and Skydance Media.

As President & CEO of Paramount Pictures, Robbins oversaw the filmed entertainment division's creative strategy and worldwide business operations including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

In early 2026, he founded the entertainment company Big Shot Pictures, with backing from Sony Pictures.

Early life Robbins was born on November 22, 1963 in New York City and raised in the Marine Park, Brooklyn, neighborhood. Robbins was born to a Jewish family.

His father was the actor Floyd Levine. He graduated from Grant High School in 1982.

Career

Following his father into acting, Robbins is the founder of AwesomenessTV, a YouTube channel aimed at teenagers. The channel spun off into a television series, on which Robbins served as executive producer. DreamWorks Animation acquired the company in 2013. On February 22, 2017, following NBCUniversal/Comcast's acquisition of DreamWorks Animation, Robbins resigned as AwesomenessTV's CEO, ending his five-year run with the company.

Robbins first joined Paramount in 2017 as the first president of Paramount Players, after which he became president of Nickelodeon in 2018, and then president of Kids & Family Entertainment, for Viacom (later merged with CBS Corporation to form ViacomCBS, now Paramount). On October 1, 2018, shortly after being appointed as president of Nickelodeon, he resigned his position as the president of Paramount Players, ending his 16-month run at the studio. Despite leaving the studio, he remained involved with Paramount Players division Nickelodeon Movies.

Robbins became head of Paramount Pictures in September 2021. He focused on driving Paramount's multi-platform strategy and theatrical success through a diversified portfolio of films. Robbins was also at the forefront of securing strategic filmmaker partnerships to expand the studio's global franchise business across live-action features, animation, consumer products and themed entertainment.

As President and CEO of Paramount Pictures alongside from his dual role at Nick, Brian Robbins oversaw the expansion and revitalization of well-known franchises from Nick and Paramount Pictures such as Transformers, Sonic the Hedgehog, Mission: Impossible, A Quiet Place, Scream, SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and PAW Patrol, with the latter two receiving a combined $2.5 billion in consumer products revenue in 2023 alone. Robbins emphasized allowing intellectual property-driven brands to drive other lines of business, particularly consumer products. Robbins was instrumental in leading a multi-platform franchise strategy including greenlighting both a third Sonic The Hedgehog film and the spinoff series Knuckles. Most recently, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 surpassed the $405 million box office record of the previous film and the film franchise surpassed $1.2 billion in worldwide box office gross across its three movies. Following its debut, Knuckles, in its first 28 days streaming on Paramount+, received over 11 million total global hours and is the most-watched children's and family series on Paramount+ in terms of hours.

Under Robbins' tenure, Paramount Pictures received over $6 billion in worldwide box office gross and had numerous number 1 hits, including Top Gun: Maverick. In 2024, Robbins oversaw the theatrical release of five number 1 openings, including Sonic the Hedgehog 3, Smile 2, Bob Marley: One Love, Mean Girls, and IF.

Robbins has been recognized for his strategic approach to theatrical release windows relative to streaming. As an example of this, he shifted the release strategy of Smile from streaming to theatrical, with Smile becoming the top-grossing original horror film of that year and becoming the studio's third most profitable film in a decade. Robbins also strengthened Paramount Animation and Paramount's consumer products division through the success of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and PAW Patrol. Robbins emphasized allowing intellectual property-driven properties to drive other lines of business, particularly consumer products.

Robbins is a board member of the Motion Picture Association; a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; sits on the board of trustees for the AFI and is the recipient of a Directors Guild Award, a Peabody Award, and the Pioneer Prize from the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Following the merger of Skydance Media and Paramount Global, Robbins stepped down from his positions within Paramount and Nickelodeon. In January 2026, it was announced that Robbins was creating a new entertainment company titled Big Shot Pictures, managing to acquire a first look deal with Sony Pictures.

Personal life He married publicist Laura Cathcart and they had two sons together before divorcing in 2013. He married stylist Tracy James in 2014.

Filmography Film Year Title Director Producer Notes 1995 The Show Documentary film 1997 Good Burger Also executive soundtrack producer 1999 Varsity Blues 2000 Ready to Rumble 2001 Hardball 2004 The Perfect Score 2006 The Shaggy Dog 2007 Norbit Nominated- Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director 2008 Meet Dave 2012 A Thousand Words Filmed in 2008

Producer only Summer Catch (2001) Big Fat Liar (2002) (Also story writer) Radio (2003) Coach Carter (2005) Wild Hogs (2007) The To Do List (2013) Before I Fall (2017) Bigger Fatter Liar (2017) (executive producer) The Loud House Movie (2021) (executive producer)

Acting roles Year Title Role 1988 Cellar Dweller Phillip Lemley 1989 C.H.U.D. II: Bud the C.H.U.D. Steve Williams

Television Year Title Director Executive Producer Writer Notes 1988 Head of the Class Episode: "Will the Real Arvid Engen Please Stand Up?" 1994 All That Also creator 1996 Kenan & Kel 5 episodes 1998–2001 Cousin Skeeter Also creator;Wrote "A Family Thing", directed "Skeeter's Toy Story" 1999 Popular Episode: "The Phantom Menace" 2001 The Nightmare Room Episode: "Four Eyes" 2002 Birds of Prey Episode: "Pilot" 2005 All That 10th Anniversary Reunion Special TV special 2010 Blue Mountain State 2 episodes 2011 Supah Ninjas 2 episodes

Executive producer only The Amanda Show (2000–2001) Smallville (2001–2011) The Nick Cannon Show (2002) What I Like About You (2002–2006) One Tree Hill (2003–2012) Crumbs (2006) Sonny with a Chance (2009–2011) Fred: The Movie (2010) So Random! (2011–2012) AwesomenessTV (2013–2015)

Thanks credits Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (2019) The Loud House (2019–present) SpongeBob SquarePants (2019–present) Middle School Moguls (2019) Blaze and the Monster Machines (2019–2025) Are You Afraid of the Dark? (2019) The Casagrandes (2019–2022) Blue's Clues & You! (2019–2024) It's Pony (2020–2022) Glitch Techs (2020) Santiago of the Seas (2020–2023) Baby Shark's Big Show! (2020–2025) Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years (2021–2024) Rugrats (2021–2024) The Patrick Star Show (2021–present) Middlemost Post (2021–2022)

Acting roles Year Title Role Notes 1982 Harper Valley PTA Charlie's Nephew Episode: "The Return of Charlie's Chow Palace" Archie Bunker's Place Danny Ferguson Episode: "Double Date" The Facts of Life Ben Episode: "For the Asking" Taxi Young Man Episode: "Alex the Gofer" 1983 Teachers Only Vinnie Minetti Episodes: "Praise the Lord and Pasta Ammunition" and "Rex, the Wonder Husband" Three's Company Mark Furley Episode: "Janet's Little Helper" Knight Rider Randy Merritt Episode: "Soul Survivor" 1984 Diff'rent Strokes Skyhigh Episode: "Undercover Lover" Newhart Rob Episode: "The Fan" 1985 Charles in Charge Todd Baldwin Episode: "Mr. President" Growing Pains Mitch Episode: "Dirt Bike" 1986 The Gladiator Jeff Benton TV movie Mr. Belvedere Eric Episode: "The Dropout" 1986–1991 Head of the Class Eric Mardian 114 episodes 1987 Kids Incorporated Brian Episode: "Win a Date with Renee" 1990 Camp Cucamonga Roger Berg TV movie 1992 Full House David Janolari Episodes: "Captain Video: Part 1" and "Captain Video: Part 2" 1997 Kenan & Kel Risotto Episode: "Safe and Sorry"

Awards and nominations Year Award Result Category Title 1993 Heartland Film Festival Crystal Heart Award Hardwood Dreams (shared with Mike Tollin) 1995 Emmy Award Outstanding Informational Special Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream (shared with Debra Martin Chase, Fredric Golding, Dorian Harewood, David Houle, Tom McMahon, Pat Mitchell, Jack Myers, Vivian Schiller, Mike Tollin, Denzel Washington) 1996 CableACE Award Children's Special - 7 and Older Sports Theater with Shaquille O'Neal (shared with Leonard Armato, Bruce Binkow, Robert Mickelson, Shaquille O'Neal, Mike Tollin, For the special "4 Points") 1997Directors Guild of America Award Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs Sports Theater with Shaquille O'Neal (for the special "4 Points") 1998 Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs Sports Theater with Shaquille O'Neal (shared with W. Alexander Ellis, Cynthia Riddle, Brad Uecker: for episode "First Time") 2005 Black Movie Awards Outstanding Motion Picture Coach Carter (shared with David Gale, Mike Tollin) 2016 Emmy Award Outstanding Children's Series Project Mc²: Season 1