Spin Master Entertainment’s Jennifer Dodge has been tapped as president of Paramount Animation.
Dodge starts on Jan. 5 and will report to Paramount Pictures co-chairs Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein. In her new role, Dodge will oversee all operations of the animation group from development through release.
She’ll take over for Ramsey Naito, who exited the top post amid the executive shakeup surrounding the company’s $8 billion merger with Skydance. As part of the transition, Paramount’s new chairman and CEO David Ellison announced last week that he’s undertaking a series of staffing cuts that are expected to eliminate approximately 2,000 jobs in the U.S. with additional layoffs taking place internationally.
“Jennifer is an exceptional creative executive and producer with a proven track record of building franchises that connect with global audiences,” Goldberg and Greenstein said. “Her deep understanding of storytelling, world-building and brand development make her the ideal leader to shape the next era of Paramount Animation. We’re thrilled to welcome her to the team.”
Dodge most recently served as president of Spin Master Entertainment and Consumer Products, where she oversaw the growth, development, production and global distribution of film and television at a subsidiary of the toy company that’s best known for “PAW Patrol.” In 2021, she helped bring the kid-friendly franchise to the big screen with the company’s first feature, “PAW Patrol: The Movie” as well as 2023’s sequel “PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie,” both of which were distributed by Paramount.
Dodge first worked at Spin Master Entertainment from 2009 to 2015 as vice president and executive producer, overseeing more than 200 episodes of animation including “PAW Patrol” and “Little Charmers” before returning in 2017 as executive VP. In between, she was hired at Nickelodeon Preschool as senior VP of development, where she spearheaded the creation of original content.
As part of her new responsibilities at Paramount Animation, Dodge will shepherd the rollout of theatrical films including this December’s “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants” as well as upcoming titles like “PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie” and “Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender” in 2026 and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” in 2027.
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“I’ve always believed in the power of animation to inspire, entertain and unite audiences of all ages. Paramount has a rich legacy of bringing bold, imaginative stories to life,” Dodge said. “I’m honored to join Dana, Josh and the entire team as we expand that vision and create the next generation of unforgettable animated films.”
From Variety US