Revived Paramount TV Studios To Be Led By Matt Thunell

EXCLUSIVE: The Paramount Television Studios label is making a comeback — and returning to its roots.

Skydance Media this morning announced the top executive team for the combined Paramount company after its acquisition of Paramount Global closes August 7. It includes Skydance’s Dana Goldberg who will serve as Co-Chair of Paramount Pictures and Chair of Paramount Television and will lead Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Films (with Josh Greenstein) as well as Paramount Television Studios.

This marks the official rebirth of Paramount TV Studios whose previous incarnation shut down a year ago after an 11-year run. Being housed at Paramount Pictures under Goldberg, the new Paramount TV Studios is a throwback to its original incarnation, launched in 2013 by Paramount Pictures’ Brad Grey and run by Amy Powell.

Goldberg is expected to name Skydance’s President of Television Matt Thunell as head of Paramount TV Studios, sources tell Deadline. The newly formed unit will absorb Skydance Television, which produces such series as Reacher, Cross and Foundation, as well as the previously merged Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios, consisting of MTV Entertainment Studios, home of the Taylor Sheridan universe and Darren Star’s Emily In Paris and Jez Butterworth’s MobLand, and Showtime’s production operations.

Sheridan, whose current deal with MTVE Studios goes to 2028, is expected to be based at Paramount TV Studios going forward. In addition to the expansive Yellowstone universe, he also has the Tulsa King franchise as well as Mayor of Kingstown.

A former Netflix executive, Thunell was considered a rising star at Skydance and destined for a large role at the new Paramount. He is one of two top lieutenants of Goldberg at Skydance, along with President of Features and Sports Don Granger, who are poised to serve in the same capacity at Paramount after the merger, with Thunell leading TV under Goldberg and Granger leading film under Goldberg and Greenstein.

Showtime/MTVE’s head of scripted content Keith Cox is expected to transition to the new label and continue to work with Sheridan and Sheridan’s longtime collaborator, David Glasser, whose 101 Studios also produces MobLand and The Agency. Years ago, when he was at Paramount Network, Cox bought Yellowstone in the room from the duo and has remained a main liaison for them.

A rep for Skydance declined comment.

MTVE Studios was previously overseen by former Paramount Global co-CEO Chris McCarthy who will be leaving once the merger is completed.

In the new Paramount structure, oversight of the TV production entities are split between Goldberg (Paramount TV Studios) and George Cheeks, Chair of TV Media at Paramount (CBS Studios, BET Studios, Nickelodeon TV Studios and the unscripted/documentary-focused See It Now Studios). Cheeks also will also oversee South Park, produced by South Park Digital Studios, a joint venture co-owned by Paramount and series creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s Park County, as its original run is for Comedy Central.

The division is based on the type of outlet studios’ output targets — primarily linear networks for scripted and all unscripted (Cheeks) and streaming platforms for scripted (Goldberg).

There will likely be some exceptions, CBS Studios produces the Star Trek franchise and offshoots of broadcast franchises, including NCIS and Criminal Minds, for Paramount+, while Sheridan has the upcoming Yellowstone spinoff, Marshals, for CBS.

The decisions are expected to be made on a case-by-case basis, with Goldberg and Cheeks currently in discussions about where the different pieces would land.

No leadership changes are expected at CBS Studios, which will remain the largest TV production entity within Paramount, with David Stapf as its President.

The previous incarnation of Paramount TV Studios, most recently overseen by Cheeks and run by Nicole Clemens, also was streaming-focused. Following its August 2024 shutdown, its slate was absorbed by CBS Studios.

Given that it’s based at Paramount Pictures, the new Paramount TV Studios will likely take over any existing projects based on Paramount film IP that had migrated from PTVS to CBS Studios. It is unclear what happens with current streaming series that originated at PTVS and are now produced by CBS Studios, including Murderbot at Apple, which was just renewed for a second season, and Netflix’s high-profile Little House On the Prairie series adaptation.

That will all be part of the ongoing conversations between Goldberg and Cheeks.