Overview

• Paramount is framing the agreement as a first-look, multi-picture pipeline for franchise-starting, four-quadrant theatrical vehicles led by Smith.
• Two films are in development: Sugar Bandits, adapted from Chuck Hogan’s Devils in Exile, and Rabbit Hole with Dune co-writer Jon Spaihts scripting.
• Sugar Bandits follows a former soldier targeting Boston drug operations, drawing from Hogan’s 2010 novel.
• Sugar Bandits was previously set at Universal, with rights now at Paramount according to IndieWire, and Westbrook is expected to base on the Paramount lot.
• The deal comes as new leadership targets an output of up to 20 films a year, following signings tied to the Duffer Brothers, Call of Duty and a James Mangold–Timothée Chalamet package; Smith’s Bad Boys: Ride or Die grossed $404 million worldwide in 2024.