Ramsey Naito to Stay at Paramount Animation; Skydance Animation Remains Independent Under Lasseter and Edwards – The Dish

Leadership and Structural Changes at Paramount Animation

Ramsey Naito, the President of Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation, will continue to lead the animation division at Paramount following the completion of Skydance’s acquisition of Paramount Global. This decision comes as part of the broader restructuring efforts that have taken place within the company.

Skydance Animation, which was acquired by Skydance, will not be merged with Paramount Animation. Instead, it will operate independently for the foreseeable future. John Lasseter, the former Chief Creative Officer of Pixar Studios, will remain as the head of Skydance Animation, while Holly Edwards will continue as its president. The primary focus of Skydance Animation will be on its existing Netflix output deal, ensuring continued production of content for the streaming platform.

Post-Merger Corporate Structure

The post-merger corporate structure unveiled on Monday has resulted in a clear division between different areas of operation. Features are now under the leadership of Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, who serve as Co-Chairs of Paramount Pictures. Meanwhile, George Cheeks has been appointed as Chair of TV Media, overseeing Nickelodeon and Nickelodeon TV Studios. This is a term that has not been used recently but likely refers to the existing Nickelodeon Animation Studio.

As a result of this separation, Ramsey Naito will no longer be responsible for television animation at Nickelodeon. Her focus will shift to animated features for Paramount. However, it remains unclear who will take over the leadership of Nickelodeon TV Studios/Nickelodeon Animation Studio, which houses some of the network's most iconic franchises, including SpongeBob SquarePants, The Fairly OddParents, Rugrats, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Loud House, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Naito’s Impact on Paramount Animation

Naito took on her role as President of Paramount Animation in September 2021, following Brian Robbins’ appointment as President and CEO of Paramount Pictures. She was tasked with developing Nickelodeon properties into animated films. During her tenure, the studio released several successful projects, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, which grossed nearly $182 million worldwide and generated over $1 billion in global retail sales for that year alone.

Other notable releases during her time at Paramount Animation include Paw Patrol: The Movie ($144.3 million), Transformers One ($129.4 million), and Smurfs ($90 million). Upcoming projects include The SpongeBob Movie: The Search for SquarePants (December 19), Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie (July 24, 2026), The Angry Birds Movie 3 (January 29, 2027), and still-to-be-dated projects such as Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2.

Expanding the Animation Slate

In addition to feature films, Naito oversaw the development of several animated series under the Nickelodeon umbrella. These include Star Trek: Prodigy from Nickelodeon Animation and a Monster High animated series. Under her leadership, the Nickelodeon Animation Studio launched the network’s largest animation slate in its 40+ year history, with over 70 projects in development and partnerships with top talent and creators.

Before becoming President of Nickelodeon Animation in 2020, Naito served as Executive Vice President of Animation Production and Development for the Nickelodeon Group. In 2021, she oversaw the launch of several major projects, including PAW Patrol: The Movie, the expansion of the SpongeBob SquarePants universe with The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, and two original spinoffs, Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years and The Patrick Star Show. Other notable projects included Baby Shark, Blue's Clues & You!, Santiago of the Seas, The Loud House Movie, and Rugrats.