 Logo used from 2010 to 2018 | |
_-_227.jpg) Former Awesomeness headquarters atColumbia Square | |
| AwesomenessTV | |
| Company type | Division |
| Founded | July 2012; 13 years ago (2012-07) |
| Founders | |
| Defunct | October 2025; 1 month ago (2025-10) |
| Fate | Merged intoParamount Television Studios[1] |
| Successor | Paramount Television Studios |
| Headquarters | , United States |
| Parent |
|
| Divisions | |
| Website | Official website (now redirects to the Paramount Skydance website) |
| Footnotes / references [3][4] | |
Awesomeness, LLC was an Americandigital media andentertainment network company owned byParamount Skydance Corporation. Established in July 2012 byBrian Robbins andJoe Davola, the studio currently focuses on producing films and television series forstreaming services that target ageneration Z audience.
The company initially operated as aYouTube channel andmulti-channel network known asAwesomenessTV, which producedweb series and other digital content targeting adolescents and young adults. The company later expanded intotalent,branded content, music, publishing, and retail businesses targeting that audience.
In 2013,DreamWorks Animation (DWA) acquired AwesomenessTV. In 2014,Hearst Corporation acquired a 25% minority stake. In 2016,Verizon Communications acquired another roughly-quarter stake in the company for $159 million (valuing it at $650 million), while AwesomenessTV entered into a multi-year deal to produce content for Verizon's streaming video servicego90.
In 2018, followingNBCUniversal's acquisition of DWA (which led to internal conflicts due to it being owned by Verizon competitorComcast) and the shutdown of the fledgling go90, Viacom acquired AwesomenessTV for around $50 million – a fraction of its 2016 valuation. The studio has currently focused on producing long-form series and films, with the majority of its recent productions having been forParamount+ and/orNickelodeon.
In October 2025, Awesomeness alongside its production state had been merged intoParamount Skydance's television production studioParamount Television Studios.[1]
In July 2012, foundersBrian Robbins andJoe Davola[5] launched AwesomnessTV as part of theYouTube Original Channel Initiative, producing various web series oriented towards atween andteenage audience. Robbins had personally observed his two sons as examples of changing media consumption trends among the demographic, which had increasingly favored short-form internet video over television.[6]
Robbins had been well known for his work on series such asOne Tree Hill,Smallville, and severalNickelodeon series, such as the sketch comedyAll That. In 2009, Robbins spearheaded the production ofa film based on YouTube comedianLucas Cruikshank's characterFred. Robbins and Cruikshank bankrolled it as anindependent film for Nickelodeon—where it became the highest-rated basic-cable film of the year among youth in 2010 and spawned alarger franchise of Nickelodeon content featuring the character.[6]
The channel had an initial slate of 15 series in development, including the talk showIMO; the stunt showsThe Blow-Up Guys, teen dramaThe Runaways, andAwesomeness Sports (a series of videos that would feature professional athletes and showcase youth athletes).[6] Davola compared the channel toMTV upon its launch, explaining that "it was maverick, it was brand new, it was something the young people were getting involved with."[6]
Brett Bouttier joined as a chief operating officer in November 2012.[7] In December 2012, AwesomenessTV launched amulti-channel network targeting similar demographics.[8]
On May 1, 2013,DreamWorks Animation announced its intent to acquire AwesomenessTV for $33 million. It was also announced that AwesomenessTV would develop and operate a YouTube channel focusing on content from DWA's franchises.[9] In October 2013, the company partnered with the teen magazineSeventeen to operate its YouTube channel.[10]
In April 2014, AwesomenessTV acquired the MCN and talent management company Big Frame for $15 million.[11] That month, the company also hired formerClaire's CEO James Fielding to lead a new consumer products division.[12] In June 2014, AwesomenessTV launched DreamWorksTV, a YouTube channel that featured shorts and original series relating to DreamWorks franchises (such asShrek, and theDreamWorks Classics library), as well as supplemental content promoting its upcoming films.[13] The following month, therecord label Awesomeness Music was announced, in partnership withUniversal Music Group.[14]
In September 2014, AwesomenessTV partnered with the department store chainKohl's to launch a teen fashion line co-branded with its web seriesLife's S.o. R.a.d., as its first consumer product line.[15][16] In October 2014, AwesomenessTV launched the publishing label AwesomenessInk,[17] andNetflix ordered a live-actionRichie Rich sitcom from AwesomenessTV as part of an ongoing development deal with DWA.[18] In December 2014,Seventeen publisherHearst Corporation acquired a 25% stake in the company for $81.25 million.[19]
In June 2015, the company hired formerLionsgate executiveMatt Kaplan as president of Awesomeness Films.[20] In August 2015, AwesomenessTV announced an output deal with Canadian children's media conglomerateDHX Media, in which the companies would co-develop and license new original content, with DHX handling international distribution and merchandising. DHX also began to acquire the studio's programming to air on its owned television networkFamily Channel.[21][22]
On April 6, 2016,Verizon Communications—which had acquired several series from the studio (such asGuidance) for its ad-supported streaming servicego90—acquired a 24.5% stake in AwesomenessTV for $159 million, valuing the company at $650 million. Alongside the equity stake, the deal included a multi-year, $180 million investment for the studio to produce content for Verizon, for which it would hold exclusive U.S. distribution rights. Verizon and AwesomenessTV also planned to launch a branded, subscription-based video service targeting mobile devices.[23][24]
On April 28, 2016,Universal Pictures announced its intent to acquire DreamWorks Animation for $3.8 billion, in a deal completed August 22, 2016.[25][26] On February 22, 2017, Brian Robbins stepped down as AwesomenessTV's CEO.[27] On November 1, 2017, it was announced that Kelly Day would step down as Chief Business Officer to become the new CEO for Viacom Digital Studios.[28]
In February 2017, it was reported that the planned premium content service with Verizon had been shelved, with content investments reallocated to go90.[29]
After a struggled launch and performance below expectations, Verizon shut down go90 in July 2018.Digiday reported that Verizon's content investments with AwesomenessTV had accounted for approximately 40% of the studio's revenue, which led to concerns over how the company would run without this backing.[24] The acquisition of DWA byUniversal Pictures led to animosity within the venture, as its stake was now owned by Verizon competitorComcast.[24] The two companies had also become uninterested in the venture, as the exits of Brian Robbins and DWA CEOJeffrey Katzenberg had lessened the appeal of the venture to Verizon, while Comcast did not think that the company was one of DWA's core assets, or fit alongside its other digital media investments (such asBuzzFeed). The company had planned a downsizing under its new CEOJordan Levin.[24]
On July 25, 2018,Viacom announced that it was in talks to acquire AwesomenessTV for a fraction of the company's $650 million valuation in 2016.[30][31] Two days later, on July 27, Viacom officially announced the purchase, with a valuation initially reported to be $25 million plus the assumption of debt, but later $50 million.[32] Operations of DreamWorksTV were taken in-house by NBCUniversal Direct-to-Consumer and Digital Enterprises after the purchase.[33][34] Jordan Levin left his position as CEO following the acquisition.[3][4]
Since the sale, the studio has shortened its name to Awesomeness, and has operated under Viacom Digital Studios. It has focused on productions for subscription video on-demand platforms such asHulu, Netflix, andParamount+ that target ageneration Z audience, such as the Netflix filmTo All the Boys I've Loved Before, and Hulu original seriesPEN15—which was nominated forOutstanding Comedy Series at the73rd Primetime Emmy Awards.[35][36] Viacom also launched an Awesomeness-branded channel onPluto TV after acquiring the service in early-2019.[37][38]
By January 2021 when Awesomeness' parentViacom re-merged withCBS Corporation into formingViacomCBS (now Paramount Global) in December 2019 two years ago, Awesomeness announced it had consolidated its live-action film & television production operations including current series & studio content and had combined it with those of ViacomCBS's fellow production subsidiaryNickelodeon Group into forming one live-action production division entitled Nickelodeon/Awesomess Live-Action Studio with the Awesomeness & Nickelodeon Productions names had been retained as brands of the combined studio following the departure of Awesomeness executive VP of live-action studio Shelley Zimmerman to join Bad Attitude Entertainment as president of TV, with Nickelodeon's head of live-action production Shauna Phelan and Zack Olin would serve as co-presidents of the combined live-action production studio Nickelodeon/Awesomeness Live-Action Studio with them started co-heading Awesomeness's live-action film & television production operations whilst Awesomeness's film division & Nickelodeon VP Syrinthia Studer would oversee the combined production outfit Nickelodeon/Awesomeness Live-Action Studio as executive vice president of live-action films.[39][40]
In October 2025 when Awesomeness' parent company Paramount Global merged withSkydance Media to formParamount Skydance, Awesomeness & Nickelodeon's live-action production studio and production state including Awesomeness' currently running television seriesXO, Kitty andSchool Spirits had been absorbed into Paramount Skydance's television production studioParamount Television Studios during the production ofVictorious spin-off seriesHollywood Arts which was originally ordered at the former Awesomeness/Nickelodeon live-action production studio as Paramount Television Studios assumed production of Awesomess & Nickelodeon's live-action production unit and production state beginning with the latter show[41] A week later in that month, it was announced that Awesomeness would be merged into Paramount Television Studios following the latter's absorption of Awesomeness' production assets.[42]
On June 23, 2015, AwesomenessTV announced its launch of a film division.[43][44][45]
In 2017, AwesomenessTV launched of a news division.[46]
On October 14, 2014, Awesomeness launched a digital young adult publishing unit.[47]
| Years | Title | Co-production with | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–present | Next Influencer | N/A | AwesomenessTV (2020–21) Paramount+ (2022) |
| Title | Years | Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Underground | 2012 | YouTube | |
| AwesomenessTV | 2013–2015 | Nickelodeon | co-production withNickelodeon Productions |
| Richie Rich | 2015 | Netflix |
|
| My Dream Quinceañera | 2015–2022 | YouTube/Paramount+[48] | |
| Project Mc2 | 2015–2017 | Netflix | co-production withMGA Entertainment and Katlin/Bernstein Productions |
| Guidance | go90 | ||
| Foursome[49] | 2016–2018 | YouTube Premium | |
| T@gged | go90/Hulu[50] | ||
| Freakish | 2016–2017 | Hulu | |
| My Dead Ex | 2018 | go90 | |
| Light as a Feather | 2018–2019 | Hulu | Grammnet Productions and Wattpad Studios |
| All Night | 2018 | ||
| Overthinking with Kat & June | YouTube Premium | ||
| PEN15 | 2019–2021 | Hulu | co-production withLonely Island Classics,Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment, Drama Leo (season 2), Damma Entertainment (season 2) and Family Version (season 2) |
| Trinkets | 2019–2020 | Netflix | co-production with Two Blocks Apart Productions |
| Niki and Gabi Take Bahamas | 2020 | YouTube | |
| Drama Club | 2021 | Nickelodeon | co-production withNickelodeon Productions |
| Love Allways | 2023 | Paramount+ |
| Release date | Title | Co-production companies | Distributor |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 21, 2014 | Terry the Tomboy | Nickelodeon Productions | Nickelodeon |
| December 12, 2014 | Expelled | N/A | 20th Century Fox |
| July 24, 2015 | Smosh: The Movie | Smosh Productions Defy Media | 20th Century Fox (North America) Netflix (International) |
| October 11, 2016 | Shovel Buddies | Awesomeness Films Film 360 Entertainment 360 | 20th Century Fox |
| January 21, 2017 | Before I Fall | Awesomeness Films Jon Shestack Productions | Open Road Films |
| June 23, 2017 | You Get Me | Awesomeness Films | Netflix |
| August 17, 2018 | To All the Boys I've Loved Before | Awesomeness Films Overbrook Entertainment | |
| April 12, 2019 | The Perfect Date | Awesomeness Films Ace Entertainment | |
| February 12, 2020 | To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You | ||
| October 6, 2020 | Spontaneous | Awesomeness Films Jurassic Party Productions | Paramount Pictures |
| February 12, 2021 | To All the Boys: Always and Forever | Awesomeness Films Ace Entertainment | Netflix |
| July 29, 2022 | Honor Society | Awesomeness Films Guardian Pictures | Paramount+ |
| March 13, 2024 | Little Wing | Awesomeness Films |