Paramount, the corporate parent of content platforms Showtime and Paramount+, is set to combine the two brands, which will eventually exist as one entity.

A merger of Showtime and Paramount+ has been officially announced by Paramount CEO Bob Bakish in a memo distributed to staff, reported via THR. The move, while dramatic from a business standpoint, is not entirely a surprise since the company has been dodging rumors that it might shutter the longtime cable staple amid a changing industry landscape. Thus, the codification will lead to a joint rebranding of the services. This will first take shape when the linear Showtime subscription channel will subordinately take the name "Paramount+ with Showtime" in the US, which will also air select content from the streamer. The channel will move forward under the leadership of Chris McCarthy, with Tom Ryan left in charge of the streaming side of things.

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Showtime Becomes Paramount's Plus One

Given the scope of the move, Bakish attempted to assuage the prospective fears of customers in the aforementioned memo. "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," he wrote. "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."

Additionally, Bakish's memo avoids language that eulogizes Showtime, and instead points to the role it will play in the future of Paramount's content delivery. "Its name will always stand for critically acclaimed, groundbreaking entertainment and creative excellence," he lauded. "Now, with Showtime's content integrated into our flagship streaming service, and select Paramount+ originals joining the linear offering, Paramount+ will become the definitive multiplatform brand in the streaming space — and the first of its kind to integrate streaming and linear content in this way."

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Showtime launched back on May 9, 1976, originally under the corporate auspices of Viacom, which, by way of a merger with CBS, would eventually become absorbed by the Paramount monolith. It was one of the original premium cable channels, following in the footsteps of HBO's 1972 launch. However, in the modern era of the 2020s amongst myriad streaming platforms and channels, the brand's visibility has diminished, sparking the aforementioned rumors of its end. Thus, the merger will, at the very least, still see Showtime exist, albeit partially. It will join a more modern form of film and television content delivery in Paramount +, which just rebranded from its original form as CBS All Access back in March 2021, not even seven years after its 2014 launch.

Regardless, the combined forces of Showtime and Paramount+ will create a formidable force of original content. Indeed, acclaimed but low-visibility Showtime series such as Yellowjackets, Dexter, Billions and The Chi will be kept afloat. However, some shows might not make it. Amid the merger news, it is already being reported that shows American Gigolo and Let the Right One In have been canceled. Those that do survive the pre-merger cuts will join a thriving Paramount+ lineup led by 1923 and 1883, which are prequel shows for the hit Kevin Costner drama Yellowstone. Additionally, there's the live-action video game adaptation Halo, the Sylvester Stallone-starring crime drama Tulsa King, the Sarah Michelle Gellar-led supernatural drama Wolf Pack and, of course, a sizable lineup of Star Trek shows consisting of Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

More details on the merger of Showtime and Paramount+ are reportedly set to emerge in the coming weeks.

Source: Paramount via The Hollywood Reporter