Paramount

Paramount is a term used in American media and entertainment to refer to both the film studio Paramount Pictures and, more broadly, the umbrella company Paramount Global. The name is associated with a long history of film production, television networks, and streaming services, and it is used as a brand across multiple properties within the entertainment industry.

Paramount Pictures is a major American film studio and a subsidiary of Paramount Global. It originated in 1912 as the Famous Players Film Company founded by Adolph Zukor and, through mergers, became Paramount Pictures in 1916. The studio has produced and distributed numerous influential films and franchises, including Star Trek, Mission: Impossible, and Transformers, among others. It operates alongside other divisions within Paramount Global and continues to be a central entity in contemporary film production and distribution.

Paramount Global is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate formed from a 2019 merger of Viacom and CBS and rebranded in 2022. The company owns and operates a wide range of assets, including television networks such as CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon, and Comedy Central, as well as film production and distribution via Paramount Pictures. It also oversees streaming services such as Paramount+, along with various international and digital media brands. Paramount Global traces its corporate lineage to National Amusements, a family-controlled holding company that wields controlling interest in the group.

The Paramount logo features a stylized mountain surrounded by stars and serves as the emblem of the brand. The term “paramount,” meaning supreme or dominant, underpins the branding’s emphasis on leadership in entertainment.