Soria also made headlines in 2019 when John Lasseter was hired as the head of Skydance Animation, which had an output deal with Paramount. She reportedly told her staff they would not have to work with Lasseter if they didnât want to, and told her team that they would no longer provide any feedback on the development of Skydanceâs feature Luck. Since then, Luck has been picked up by Apple as part of a multi-year overall deal with Skydance Animation.
Naito will continue her duties at Nickelodeon, in addition to her new duties at Paramount. Both Nickelodeon and Paramount are subsidiaries of ViacomCBS.
âRamsey is one of the savviest executives and creative minds in our industry,â Brian Robbins said in a statement. âDuring her time at Nick, she has transformed and reinvigorated the animation studio division with her sharp business instincts, deep stable of relationships and unique eye for great storytelling, and Iâm thrilled to have her bring her talents to this expanded role where she can further elevate our overall animation business.â
Naito is also not a stranger to Paramount Animation. Back in 2018, prior to joining Nickelodeon, she was hired as an executive at Paramount, and ironically, reported to Soria, who she is now replacing. In that role, Naito oversaw the development of Sponge on the Run. Since moving to Nickelodeon in late 2018, she is credited with spearheading the studioâs largest production slate in history.
New Nick shows launched under Naitoâs watch include Kamp Koral: Spongebobâs Under Years, Baby Sharkâs Big Show!, Santiago of the Seas, and Middlemost Post, with other high-profile projects in the pipeline, like Star Trek: Prodigy and Seth Rogenâs revival of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Dozens of other projects are currently in various stages of development and production at Nickelodeon, with the studio hiring over 500 people during the pandemic.