Savewith a NBCUniversal ProfileCreate your free profile or log in to save this articleNov. 7, 2025, 9:27 AM ESTBy Rebecca KeeganLOS ANGELES — When Paramount executives met with Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning over Zoom in September about a sexy new legal thriller the actresses are producing with A24, they made a passionate case for why the project should land at their studio.Executives told the A-listers that the show, titled “Discretion,” could help entice a new, more female-driven audience to Paramount+, according to multiple sources who were at the meeting. Their pitch — along with a bid that beat out six other studios — worked. Within days, the deal was done, making “Discretion” the latest among dozens of agreements the David Ellison-owned studio has closed since the $8 billion merger between Skydance and Paramount Global was completed in August.Executives at the studio have been making a bullish pitch to many Hollywood players and spending big for high profile projects. About a dozen industry insiders who spoke to NBC News — including talent agents, producers and executives — said the studio is aggressively closing deals with top talent and signaling to the entertainment industry what the tech-driven future of the company will look like. In addition to “Discretion,” Paramount has landed a Timothée Chalamet-starring crime drama, a four-year film, TV and streaming deal with the Duffer brothers (the duo behind “Stranger Things”) and a multipicture deal with Will Smith’s production company. Many who were interviewed spoke on the condition of anonymity, saying they’re wary of discussing Ellison on the record as they try to broker deals with the studio and its competitors.They describe Paramount executives leading with a confidence that is lacking at many of their less resourced competitors right now, and a mandate to make mainstream movies in the action, horror and comedy genres. Representatives for Paramount Skydance declined to comment for this article. Paramount, the 113-year-old studio behind legendary movies like “The Godfather” and “Top Gun: Maverick,” not to mention the “Yellowstone” TV franchise, is beginning to take shape under Ellison, who previously founded Skydance Productions. Ellison, 42, has long described himself as a film buff. He studied film at the University of Southern California, and often talks about how he and his sister, Megan Ellison (founder of Annapurna Pictures), grew up going to the movies together. Under David Ellison’s leadership, Skydance helped finance reboots of the “Terminator” and the “Mission Impossible” franchises, which were distributed in theaters by Paramount.