ViacomCBS announces CBS All Access’ new name for early 2021
After five years since CBS All Access had made its debut, ViacomCBS has officially announced that the streaming service will be sporting a new name called Paramount+ as part of its relaunch and global expansion efforts that was previously confirmed by ViacomCBS CEO Bob Bakish. This re-branding is expected to take effect in early next year.
“Paramount is an iconic and storied brand beloved by consumers all over the world, and it is synonymous with quality, integrity and world-class storytelling,” CEO Bob Bakish said in a statement (via Deadline). “With Paramount+, we’re excited to establish one global streaming brand in the broad-pay segment that will draw on the sheer breadth and depth of the ViacomCBS portfolio to offer an extraordinary collection of content for everyone to enjoy.”
Paramount+ will feature original content as well as shows from CBS and other broadcast networks such as MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount Network and Nickelodeon. Showtime, the sister streaming service to CBS All Access, will continue to operate separately from Paramount+. Some Showtime-branded originals will be ticketed for the new service and some form of bundling is likely down the line.
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In addition, the company has also revealed the new slate of original series that are currently being in development under Paramount+. This includes: a new spy drama series titled Lioness which hails from Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan: and a miniseries titled The Offer which centers around the making of the iconic crime drama The Godfather.
Check out the full details of the upcoming shows below:
The Offer – a scripted limited event series from Paramount Television Studios, based on Oscar-winning producer Al Ruddy’s extraordinary, never-revealed experiences of making “The Godfather.” The 10-episode event series is written and executive produced by Michael Tolkin (“Escape at Dannemora” and “The Player”). Ruddy will also serve as executive producer, and Emmy-winning producer Leslie Greif (“Hatfields & McCoys”) will executive produce and be a writer on the series.
Lioness – a spy drama created by Taylor Sheridan (“Yellowstone”) with Sheridan, Jill Wagner, David Glasser, David Hutkin, and Bob Yari set to executive produce. Based on a real-life CIA program, LIONESS follows a young Marine recruited to befriend the daughter of a terrorist to bring the organization down from within. The series is produced by Paramount Network and 101 Studios.
MTV’s Behind the Music – The Top 40 – the reboot will unlock MTV’s vault from the past 40 years for a unique and intimate look at the 40 biggest artists of all time, through their voices and their eyes. The series will be produced by Creature Films and MTV Studios.
The Real Criminal Minds – a true crime docuseries based on the hit CBS Television series, and produced by XG Productions in association with CBS Television Studios and ABC Signature.
The Game – a revival is being developed as part of BET’s programming for Paramount Plus from CBS Television Studios and Grammnet Productions.
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ViacomCBS CEO Bob Bakish told Wall Street analysts last May that the streaming platform would be getting a rebranding that will also expand internationally over the next 12 months. After the quarterly earnings call, the service began its updating by adding over 100 films from the Paramount vault including the Star Trek franchise, The Godfather, Terms of Endearment and An Inconvenient Truth.
Other networks set to have programming debut on the platform include Smithsonian and the Paramount Network and a select number of specials and series from BET, which launched its own streaming service in September entitled BET+.
As of the end of March, CBS All Access and Showtime together had 13.5 million subscribers, which was a 50% increase from the same quarter last year, with general streaming revenue also rising 50% in the quarter to $471 million, estimated to stem from more viewers quarantining and looking for a variety of programming.
