‘Sonic’ Producer Neal Moritz Extends First Look Deal With

Paramount Pictures has prolonged its first-look movie take care of “Sonic the Hedgehog” producer Neal Moritz and his Original Film manufacturing firm, the studio introduced on Wednesday.

The deal is a two-year extension that may proceed the studio’s relationship by the tip of 2023. Moritz first shaped the movie take care of Paramount in 2019 after leaving a long-time take care of Sony.

Moritz produced this yr’s “Sonic the Hedgehog,” which is the highest-grossing film primarily based on a online game ever and has earned $307 million worldwide. It can be the studio’s file holder for digital gross sales, breaking first-day digital gross sales data and taking the studio’s total title in beneath three weeks.

“I am thrilled to extend this relationship with Neal and Original Film, which already has been so fruitful with the success of Sonic the Hedgehog. Neal has a unique talent for identifying, developing and building franchises that truly capture audiences and embody the spirit of movie going. I couldn’t be happier that he is continuing to make Paramount his home as we move into our next phase of creating incredible entertainment for audiences everywhere,” Paramount Pictures chairman and CEO Jim Gianopulos mentioned in a press release.

“I am incredibly grateful for the support, confidence and faith that Jim and everyone at Paramount have shown me since we forged this partnership. I am overjoyed to be continuing this relationship and to see where our shared vision for pushing the boundaries of great entertainment takes us,” Moritz mentioned in a press release.

Moritz will subsequent work on a “Sonic” sequel alongside Paramount, in addition to “To Catch a Thief” and the upcoming mobster thriller “American Son. “American Son” relies on Jacques Audiard’s French movie “A Prophet” and can star Russell Crowe. Moritz and Toby Jaffe can be producing by their manufacturing firm, Original Film.

His different credit embrace “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” “Cruel Intentions,” “Sweet Home Alabama” and “I Am Legend,” amongst others. His motion pictures have earned a mixed whole of over $10 billion in field workplace gross.