Paramount Sets Up Damien Chazelle’s Next Film

Director Damien Chazelle’s next project has found a home at Paramount, it was announced at CinemaCon Thursday.

Nothing is known about the project short of Chazelle and his partner Olivia Hamilton will produce it under their Wild Chickens production banner. Chazelle is also acting as writer on the project.

This marks the first project between Chazelle’s Wild Chickens and Paramount under their multi-year, first look deal they signed together back in December. The studio released Chazelle’s big-budget Old Hollywood spectacle “Babylon” in 2023, which earned five Golden Globe nominations, including Best Picture.

Also announced, though previously known, was that Paramount is also set to release “Heart of the Beast,” which Wild Chickens is producing. “Suicide Squad” director David Ayer is helming that one. Ayer and Chris Long will produce alongside under their Cedar Park Entertainment banner. There are no plot details on that one as well.

Chazelle has directed several features, including the musical “La La Land” and “First Man.” The story of NASA’s mission to land a man on the moon garnered four Oscar nominations, winning Best Achievement in Visual Effects. “La La Land” earned 14 Oscar nominations, winning six awards, including Best Director for Chazelle, who is the youngest director to receive the award.

His 2014 film, “Whiplash” received five Academy Award nominations and three wins, including Best Supporting Actor for J.K. Simmons.

“Babylon” marked Hamilton’s first feature producing credit. Previously, she produced, wrote, directed, and starred in the film “Surrogate,” which premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Hamilton also ran the LA theatre group PLAY, which she founded in 2013 and for which she served as creative director. She previously appeared in “Don’t Worry He Won’t Get Far on Foot,” “First Man,” and “The Last Tycoon,” and played film director Ruth Adler in “Babylon.”