What’s happening with the premium cable network Showtime? It will be rebranded into Paramount+ linear and streaming platforms in 2023.
Showtime will soon be part of the Paramount+ linear and streaming platforms in an effort to make Paramount+ “the definitive multiplatform brand in the streaming space.”
The TV channel rebrand for the premium tier of Paramount+ and linear Showtime channel (in the US) will be called “Paramount+ With Showtime,” launching sometime in 2023.
In effect, Showtime content will be integrated into Paramount+ (Paramount’s flagship streaming service) along with select Paramount+ originals moving into the linear space.
Bob Bakish, CEO of Paramount, says the move will be “the first of its kind to integrate streaming and linear content in this way.”
Paramount+ in the international space already includes Showtime content, so the upcoming integration domestically will create more continuity in the product.
Showtime has already announced expansion of the hit show Billions into as many as four new spinoff series (reportedly at least two shows titled Millions and Trillions) as well as Dexter Origins and a new Dexter: New Blood series based on the original Dexter show.
However, some Showtime content may be canceled with the merger. Paramount Media Networks’ Chris McCarthy said the company would “divert investment away from areas that are underperforming and that account for less than 10% of our views.”
Some of the titles already pulled from Showtime include American Gigolo, American Rust, Kidding, and Let the Right One In.
The rebranding and merger of Showtime and Paramount+ (as Paramount+ With Showtime) may cause some confusion for viewers who may not be sure where certain titles can be watched (whether on linear channels, streaming, or both) and how the “Essential” and “Premium” Paramount+ streaming tiers differ besides monthly fee.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, Variety
