Paramount Pictures has named longtime Lionsgate executive Sean Barber as head of domestic theatrical distribution.
In his new role, he will oversee the studio’s North American distribution strategy and operations for all big-screen releases, including this December’s The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie and upcoming titles such as Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie and Anne: The Last Airbender.
Barber will replace veteran executive Chris Aronson, who will step down from his role at Paramount on Dec. 1 amid a leadership shakeup surrounding Paramount’s $8 billion merger with Skydance.
Barber, who will begin his role on December 1, will work closely with Marc Vian, the studio’s head of international theatrical distribution. Both Barber and Vian will report directly to Josh Goldstein, Paramount’s newly appointed president of global marketing and distribution.
“Sean is a deeply respected leader who has spent his career building meaningful partnerships across trade shows and the industry,” said Goldstein. “He brings extensive expertise to our domestic distribution strategy and will help us strengthen our theatrical business and deliver a superior experience for moviegoers.”
Mr. Barber most recently worked for Lionsgate as Co-President of Worldwide Theatrical Distribution. During his 18-year tenure at Lionsgate and its subsidiary Summit Entertainment, he worked on blockbuster series such as “John Wick,” “The Hunger Games” and “Twilight,” as well as original hits such as “Knives Out,” “La La Land,” and “The Hurt Locker.”
Mr. Barber began his career at 20th Century Fox in New York City before moving to Los Angeles in 1998 to work at Warner Brothers. There he worked in theatrical distribution for nearly a decade, working on films such as “Harry Potter,” “The Matrix,” “Batman Begins” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” He joined Summit Entertainment in 2007 and helped launch the company’s domestic distribution division, which was acquired by Lionsgate in 2012.
“I am honored to join Paramount Pictures at a defining moment in its storied history,” Barber said. “I look forward to working with the talented team that will lead the studio’s next phase of growth. We are committed to working with our exhibition partners to champion and elevate the power of the theatrical experience for audiences around the world.”
