Walter Hamada is joining Paramount Pictures following his Warner Bros. Discovery exit

Paramount Pictures announced today that it’s entered an exclusive multiyear deal with Hamada that will see him heading up all of its horror genre films for both theatrical and streaming releases. In a public statement about the deal, Paramount Pictures president and CEO Brian Robbins called Hamada “the ideal partner and visionary” to take point on the company’s horror-focused endeavors. He also pointed to the success of director Parker Finn’s Smile, which was released theatrically after originally being meant for Paramount Plus, as an example of the kind of opportunities Paramount sees in pursuing the horror genre with Hamada guiding the studio’s efforts.

“As evidenced by the fantastic performance of Smile, there is a tremendous appetite for original, high-concept storytelling in the global marketplace, and we look forward to a long and successful partnership,” Robbins said.

Hamada, who first rose to prominence at New Line Cinema as a producer on films like The Conjuring and Annabelle before moving over to head up DC Films in 2018, said that he was excited to return to his horror roots and cultivate new talent in the space.

“Over the course of my career, nothing has been more gratifying than discovering emerging, first-time filmmakers and writers and unleashing their brilliance in a studio setting,” Hamada said. “Thank you to Brian and the entire team at Paramount Pictures for this tremendous opportunity, I can’t wait to get started.”