Former DC Films Chief Walter Hamada Launches New Horror Banner At Paramount

Walter Hamada returns to his horror roots!

Walter Hamada Paramount Pictures

Walter Hamada continues making big moves following his DC Films exit.

The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that former DC Films president Walter Hamada has launched a new Paramount-based horror banner known as 18hz Productions. Hamada joined Paramount Pictures this past November with a multi-year deal, trading in superheroes for horror movies. Under the deal, Hamada oversees the mainstream horror genre franchise business of Paramount.

According to THR, Walter Hamada has so far made two key hires at 18hz Productions. Nathan Samdahl, one of the Paramount Players executives behind the 2022 horror hit Smile, has signed on as senior vp while Nick Romano is on board as a creatuve executive.

“Nathan’s work on hit genre movies like Paramount’s Smile, 10 Cloverfield Lane and A Quiet Place as well as his extensive filmmaker relationships make him the perfect addition to the team. I’m lucky the stars aligned and I was able to get him,” Hamada told THR. “Nick is a true horror fan and his passion for the genre is contagious. Together they will be instrumental in making 18hz the home for horror.”

Walter Hamada’s DC Films history

Walter Hamada kicked off his tenure as the head of DC Films with the release of 2018’s Aquaman, which is currently the highest-grossing DC Comics movie to date with earnings north of $1.4 billion globally. He left his post at DC Films in October 2022, just before the release of the Dwayne Johnson starrer Black Adam.

Warner Bros. Discovery replaced Walter Hamada with James Gunn and Peter Safran, with two now leading the studio’s DC Studios division, which has replaced DC Films. However, WBD’s four 2023 DC Universe releases — Shazam! Fury of the GodsThe FlashBlue Beetle and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom — were all overseen by Hamada.

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Michael Bezanidis

Michael Bezanidis

Michael is the Managing Editor of Heroic Hollywood. When he's not playing video games, he's usually writing about film and television.