It's nearly Showtime for Paramount+. The Paramount Global streaming service combining content from the Showtime app and Paramount+ will launch on Tuesday, June 27th, as the previously announced Paramount+ with Showtime bundle. The merger means there will be a price increase for subscribers who will now have access to Showtime's programming as well as Paramount+'s library of movies and television, making Showtime series like Yellowjackets, Billions, and Your Honor available to stream alongside such Paramount+ Originals as Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Tulsa King, Mayor of Kingstown, and Yellowstone spin-off 1923. The ad-free Paramount+ with Showtime service will cost $11.99/month (up from $9.99/month), while the Essential plan - which is ad-supported and doesn't include Showtime content - will see a price hike to $5.99/month, up from $4.99/month. Currently, the service offers ad-free Paramount+ Premium for $9.99/month, plus its Essential with Showtime bundle for $11.99/month. Despite the price increase, Paramount+ with Showtime is less expensive than Warner Bros. Discovery's Max ($9.99/month with ads, $15.99/month without ads) and ad-free
Netflix ($15.49/month). "From Yellowjackets to Your Honor, Showtime is home to big, premium, sophisticated series which will now be complemented with broad, blockbuster originals and movies in the alignment of Paramount+ with Showtime," said Paramount Media Networks president and CEO Chris McCarthy in a statement. "Together, Paramount+ with Showtime will provide our consumers a much more rewarding experience with our vast set of unique originals and deep library of iconic shows and hit films."When Paramount announced plans to merge Paramount+ with Showtime and shut down the standalone Showtime app by the end of 2023, Paramount CEO Bob Bakish touted what will be the streamer's cornerstone offering. "Showtime has captivated audiences for decades with ambitious original series that defined premium content and fandom," Bakish said in January. "Its name will always stand for critically acclaimed, groundbreaking entertainment and creative excellence. 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.""This summer, Paramount+ will officially become the streaming home for Showtime, further advancing our lead in being the total household service," added Tom Ryan, President & CEO Paramount Streaming. "By integrating the Showtime premium and critically acclaimed portfolio with the service's already broad and popular slate, all at a competitive price, we will solidify Paramount+ as a cornerstone in streaming."Paramount+ with Showtime launches June 27th. Sign up for Paramount+ here. {replyCount}comments