J.J. Abrams Surprise Plot Twist

J.J. Abrams, the mastermind behind “Alias” and “Lost,” signed extremely lucrative deals with Warner Bros. Television and Paramount Pictures late last week that are collectively worth approximately $60 million. At the last minute, WB poached Abrams’ Bad Robot Productions from Touchstone Television, where the writer-director-producer had been since 1997. And Brad Grey and Gail Berman were apparently impressed enough with Abrams’ management of Mission: Impossible III, which he co-wrote and directed, that they locked him in for the next five years.

So now we know the Paramount strategy: With M:I:iii star Tom Cruise getting shunned around town and his producing deal there about to expire, the studio has hedged its bets by recruiting the reigning cross-platform Hollywood talent.

Suddenly

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