Paramount+ and Showtime to Merge in a New Rebrand

After months of speculation, Paramount + and Showtime are officially merging in a new rebrand. Many speculated that Showtime may get rolled into an online platform after its resurgence of popularity following shows like the psychological thriller Yellowjackets, New Blood, and dark murder mystery Dexter.

Despite the popularity, Paramount’s drive to boost its numbers following the launch of Paramount + has led many to believe that the two may get rebranded in a different platform.

The Hollywood Reporter first brought the news of the Paramount+-Showtime merger. The report was first announced to the studio employees by Paramount CEO Bob Bakish.

He announced that the news of the potential merger was accurate and explained that the premium versions of both sites would be relaunched as Paramount + with Showtime. Here is what Bakish said:

While we are confident this is the right move for our company, our consumers, and our partners, we know this change brings uncertainty for the teams working on these brands and businesses. We are committed to being as transparent and thoughtful as possible throughout this process, and we expect to share additional details in the coming weeks.

Bob Bakish

Like all other streaming sites, show cancellations have dominated the two platforms since the merger was announced. Showtime shows like the vampire drama Let The Right One In and the Jon Benthral-starring American Gigolo have already been canceled after just one season on Showtime.

Moreover, Showtime has also decided not to air shows like Three Women Series, despite big expectations from the studio and competitive bidding wars to acquire the rights to the Lisa Taddeo novel.

Three Women still has a chance of finding a new streaming platform. The show boasts a star cast including Emmy-nominated Betty Gilpin and Jurassic World Dominion’s DeWanda.

However, with platforms like Netflix, HBO Max, and others canceling creatives left and right, it won’t be a surprise if the show gets shelved permanently.

In addition to the significant rebranding, the leadership of the two platforms will also see a minor change. Chris McCarthy will continue to lead Showtime’s studio and channel. He will work with Tom Ryan, who will oversee the streaming of Paramount + with Showtime model.

McCarthy has confirmed that there will be many cancellations and shows accounting for “less than 10 percent of our views” will be scrapped. This was the case with American Gigolo and Let the Right One In, both of which got lackluster ratings from both audience and critics.

While the merger appears to be in early stages, it can be confirmed that both platforms will go through a paradigm shift.