Walter Hamada
{{Short description|American film producer and executive}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Walter Hamada
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| occupation = Film executive and producer
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| employer = Paramount Pictures
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Walter Hamada is an American film executive and producer. He joined New Line Cinema in 2007, where he served as an executive producer on horror films such as The Conjuring (2013), Annabelle (2014), The Conjuring 2 (2016), Lights Out (2016), and It (2017). In January 2018, he was appointed the President at Warner Bros. Pictures for DC-based film production (DC Films) before departing from the company in October 2022.{{cite news |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |url=https://deadline.com/2022/10/dc-films-boss-walter-hamada-warner-discovery-david-zaslav-1235149111/ |title=DC Films Boss Walter Hamada Has Departed Studio As Warner Bros Discovery Finalizes Exit: The Dish |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=October 19, 2022 |access-date=October 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221019151617/https://deadline.com/2022/10/dc-films-boss-walter-hamada-warner-discovery-david-zaslav-1235149111/ |archive-date=October 19, 2022 |url-status=live}} He was hired by Paramount Pictures to oversee their horror film franchises beginning in 2023.
Career
Hamada began his career as an assistant at TriStar Pictures and became Vice President of production at Columbia Pictures, overseeing films such as The Big Hit, Godzilla and S.W.A.T. He also oversaw development for MBST Entertainment.{{cite news|last1=Lang|first1=Brent|title=Warner Bros. Taps Walter Hamada to Oversee DC Films Production (Exclusive)|url=https://variety.com/2018/film/news/warner-bros-taps-walter-hamada-to-oversee-dc-films-production-exclusive-1202652878/|accessdate=January 9, 2018|work=Variety | date=January 4, 2018}} Hamada worked for four years as a partner at the management and production company H2F Entertainment before leaving in 2007 to join New Line Cinema, a division of Warner Bros., where he served as a production executive for a decade.{{cite news|last1=Kit|first1=Borys|title=Hamada joins New Line as sr. vp prod'n|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/hamada-joins-new-line-as-150124/|accessdate=November 16, 2022|agency=Associated Press|publisher=The Hollywood Reporter | date=September 14, 2007}} He oversaw their horror slate of films with Dave Neustadter, including The Conjuring series and It (2017). He also co-wrote the story for 47 Ronin (2013), a Universal Pictures film starring Keanu Reeves.{{cite web|last=Debruge|first=Peter|url=https://variety.com/2013/film/reviews/film-review-47-ronin-1200990486/|title=Film Review: '47 Ronin'|date=December 23, 2013|accessdate=April 6, 2018|work=Variety}}
In January 2018, after Justice League underperformed critically and commercially,{{cite web|last=Lang|first=Brent|url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/dc-films-justice-league-1202632214/|title=DC Shake-Up in the Works After 'Justice League' Stumbles (Exclusive)|date=December 7, 2017|accessdate=June 3, 2018|work=Variety}} Warner Bros. appointed Hamada as the President for DC-based film production (DC Films) at Warner Bros. Pictures. In this capacity he oversaw production of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) and other DC-based films.{{cite web|url=https://www.warnerbros.com/studio/executives/walter-hamada|title=Walter Hamada|publisher=Warner Bros. | accessdate=June 3, 2018}} According to The Hollywood Reporter, his overseeing of the DC film Shazam! (2019) at New Line impressed Toby Emmerich, the then-President and chief content officer of Warner Bros. Pictures.{{cite web|last=Kit|first=Borys|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/dc-movies-find-new-president-it-conjuring-executive-1071435|title=DC Movies Finds New President With 'It,' 'Conjuring' Executive|date=January 4, 2018|accessdate=April 6, 2018|work=The Hollywood Reporter}} In January 2021, he signed an extension to his contract with DC Films until 2023.{{cite web|last=Donnelly|first=Matt|url=https://variety.com/2021/film/news/walter-hamada-re-ups-deal-as-dc-films-president-exclusive-1234878800/|title=Walter Hamada Re-Ups Deal as DC Films President (Exclusive)|date=January 5, 2021|accessdate=January 5, 2021|work=Variety}}
Former DCEU cast member Ray Fisher has accused Hamada of "undermining an investigation into misconduct that is alleged to have occurred during Joss Whedon's reshoots of Justice League",{{Cite web|last=Kit|first=Borys|date=January 14, 2021|title=WarnerMedia Stands by Walter Hamada After New Ray Fisher Accusations|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/warnermedia-stands-by-walter-hamada-after-new-ray-fisher-accusations|access-date=January 23, 2021|website=The Hollywood Reporter|language=en}} a claim that Warner Bros. and Katherine B. Forrest, the person in charge of the investigation, disputed.{{Cite web|last=Couch|first=Aaron|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/justice-league-investigator-backs-dc-films-walter-hamada-after-ray-fisher-claims|title='Justice League' Investigator Backs DC Films' Walter Hamada After Ray Fisher Claims|date=February 27, 2021|accessdate=October 25, 2021|work=The Hollywood Reporter}}
When the release of the film Batgirl was cancelled by Warner Bros. Discovery, Hamada was reportedly not consulted regarding the decision and only learned about it when Warner Bros. Pictures Group co-chairpersons and CEOs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy informed him at a test screening for Black Adam. Hamada was upset and considered resigning, but agreed to stay until the release of Black Adam.{{cite web |last1=Masters |first1=Kim |title=DC Films' Walter Hamada Was on the Brink of Exit After 'Batgirl' Cancellation |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/dc-films-walter-hamada-exit-batgirl-1235193439/ |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=August 5, 2022 |date=August 5, 2022}} He stepped down on October 19, 2022, two days before its release.
On November 15, 2022, Paramount Pictures announced that they had signed a multi-year production deal with Hamada to oversee their mainstream horror movies. The contract became effective on January 1, 2023.{{cite web |last=Rubin |first=Rebecca |title=Former DC Films President Walter Hamada Signs Multi-Year Production Deal With Paramount Pictures |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/news/former-dc-films-president-walter-hamada-production-deal-paramount-pictures-1235433431/ |website=Variety |access-date=November 15, 2022 |date=November 15, 2022}} Hamada later launched his own production label named 18hz Productions based at the Paramount Pictures studio lot.{{cite web |last=Kit |first=Borys |title=Walter Hamada Launches 18hz Productions, Executive Who Oversaw 'Smile' Among Key Hires (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/walter-hamada-launches-18hz-productions-1235302214/ |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=January 17, 2023 |date=January 17, 2023}} In April 2024, Paramount announced that Hamada will produce the film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin, an adaptation of the comic miniseries The Last Ronin, through 18hz Productions.{{cite web |last1=Kit |first1=Borys |title=Live-Action, R-Rated 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Movie in the Works From Producer Walter Hamada (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-last-ronin-movie-1235871493/ |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=April 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240411183608/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-last-ronin-movie-1235871493/ |archive-date=April 11, 2024 |date=April 15, 2024 |url-status=live}}
Filmography
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Film ! Role(s) |
|---|
| 2002
| Producer |
| 2007
| Whisper | Producer |
| rowspan="2" | 2009
| Executive producer |
| The Final Destination
| Executive producer |
| 2010
| Executive producer |
| 2011
| Executive producer |
| rowspan="3" | 2013
| The Incredible Burt Wonderstone | Executive producer |
| The Conjuring
| Executive producer |
| 47 Ronin
| Story, executive producer |
| rowspan="2" | 2014
| Executive producer |
| Annabelle
| Executive producer |
| 2015
| Executive producer |
| rowspan="4" | 2016
| Executive producer |
| Lights Out
| Executive producer |
| Within
| Executive producer |
| Wolves at the Door
| Executive producer |
| rowspan="2" | 2017
| Executive producer |
| It
| Executive producer |
| rowspan="3" | 2018
| Tag | Executive producer |
| The Nun
| Executive producer |
| Aquaman
| Executive producer |
| rowspan="3" | 2019
| Shazam! | Executive producer |
| The Curse of La Llorona
| Executive producer |
| Joker
| Executive producer |
| rowspan="2" | 2020
| Executive producer |
| Wonder Woman 1984
| Executive producer |
| 2021
| Executive producer |
| rowspan="2" | 2022
| Executive producer |
| Black Adam
| Executive producer |
| rowspan="4" | 2023
| Executive producer |
| The Flash
| Executive producer |
| Blue Beetle
| Executive producer |
| Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
| Executive producer |
| TBA
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin | Producer |
| Unreleased
| Batgirl | Executive producer; release cancelled |
See also
References
{{reflist}}