Add Paramount+ to the list of streamers who have removed content from their platforms in exchange for a tax write-off.
The streamer supported by Paramount Global has been cancelled Grease: rise of the pink ladies after one season, reversed its decision on a season two pick up for the animated and kid-oriented Star Trek: child prodigy, canceled series Queen of the Universe after two seasons and nixed The game revival after two seasons. In addition, all four shows will be removed from Paramount+ as the conglomerate joins Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery takes on tax write-offs for underperforming series. The news comes when Paramount+ will pick up Showtime on the platform in the US on Tuesday.
“In the unified Paramount+ with Showtime plan, the Showtime portfolio of edgy, critically acclaimed programming will complement the broad and popular Paramount+ library in a seamless offering that appeals to everyone, enables greater cross-brand discovery and builds overall viewership a Paramount+ spokesperson said. said in a statement The Hollywood Reporter. “As we prepare to combine Paramount+ and Showtime in the US later this month, we are refining our content offerings to provide the best streaming experience for subscribers. This is consistent with our content strategy since launch and across our company, ensuring we make smart, efficient choices based on audience data and insights. We’re removing select shows as we look to optimize Showtime’s robust lineup of premium originals.
Other content is expected to be removed from the platform in the coming weeks, but there’s nothing more high-profile than the four series revealed on Friday. The four series will be removed from Paramount+ next week. The value of the tax write-off is expected to be revealed in an upcoming earnings call.
“The Paramount+ series Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, Star Trek: Prodigy, Queen of the Universe And The game have completed their runs on Paramount+ and will not be returning to the service,” a Paramount+ spokesperson said in a statement. “We would like to thank our immensely talented cast and crew and our producing partners for their passionate work and dedication to these programs, and we wish them all the best in their future endeavors.”
Star Trek: child prodigy was renewed for season two in November 2021 and was a major push from franchise captain Alex Kurtzman to introduce the property to a younger generation. The series will complete post-production on season two of Prodigy and producers CBS Studios will be shopping for a new buyer for both seasons. Paramount+ continues to be the home for the sprawling franchise with recently announced orders for one Star Trek: Section 31 film and crooked show for young adults Star Trek: Starfleet Academy join a slate that also includes strange new worlds, animated Lower decks and the latest season of the flagship, Discovery.
Grease: rise of the pink ladies ended June 1. The series was originally developed for HBO Max and redesigned after the Warner Bros. Discovery supported streamer dropped it. Producers Paramount Television Studios are shopping the poorly reviewed series elsewhere.
The game, meanwhile was a revival of the former CW/BET comedy of the same name and focused on black culture through the prism of football. The project was one of the few titles the former ViacomCBS identified as representative of its larger brand as it targeted it for a reboot. BET is part of the larger Paramount Global portfolio, but has its own streaming service, which may have served as a roadblock for viewers to find the show on Paramount+. The nine-season library of the original series will remain on Paramount+. CBS Studios, who produced The gamebuys the license for the series.
Finally, Queen of the Universe was an unscripted drag singing competition series featuring judges from the worlds of music, drag and reality TV. The last four episodes of season two dropped on June 22, and the show will be removed from the platform on June 30.
Paramount+ joins WBD and Disney in removing underperforming titles from their respective streaming services in exchange for financial considerations. Streamers continue to pay licensing fees to keep programs on their platforms. For example, WBD removed lower-rated series inclusive West world And The Nevers and instead licensed them for free, ad-supported streaming services in an effort to recoup some of the losses on the expensive scripted originals. Disney recently removed a few dozen titles from Disney+ and Hulu, and it remains unclear whether the Mouse House plans to follow suit and sell the underperforming titles to free, ad-supported streamers or elsewhere. In a recent earnings report, Disney took a $1.5 billion tax write-off for content removal.
