Say goodbye to Showtime. Yellowjackets fans (because what else would you have Showtime for?) will be getting their fix someplace else, as Showtime will merge with the Paramount+ streaming service. The combo will become…Paramount+ with Showtime. They didn’t think very hard about that one, did they?
Paramount will merge the iconic Showtime premium cable channel with their Paramount+ streaming service. The Showtime library of programs will become part of the Paramount+ premium tier later this year, and there will be an all-new price point to reflect the change.
Speaking of programming, some shows aren’t going to make the cut. Deadline says this rebrand has already lead to a few cancellations, such the American Gigolo series with Jon Bernthal, the latest version of Let the Right One In, and the Shailene Woodley-led drama Three Women which has already completed season one and has been teased in a trailer. However, it could end up elsewhere as Paramount is quietly shopping it around to other outlets.
The focus for Paramount now will be on programming with franchise potential, something Paramount+ has in spades with Yellowstone and Star Trek.
Unfortuantely, any merger such as this will come with employee layoffs, and Paramount chief Bob Bakish has said there will be “uncertainty” for staffers until decisions are made.
We saw in 2022 that the streaming boom wasn’t without its casualties. A number of high-profile subscription services went bust while others drastically reduced costs to stay afloat. Right now, what Paramount is doing with Paramount+/Showtime looks a lot like the cost reduction efforts by Warner Bros. Discovery with HBO Max.