Over a year after its initial launch in the U.S., streaming service Paramount+ will be available in the U.K. and Ireland on Wednesday, June 22. Its international slate of seven new titles was announced on Monday, including its plans for 150 international originals by 2025.
The global expansion of the streaming service was first announced in May. Many U.S.-based streaming services are now entering into new countries and territories, as well as investing in international content to attract new audiences and diversify their content offerings across the globe. Disney+, for example, recently launched in 16 markets across the Middle East and North Africa. The streaming service aims to expand to 160+ countries by its fiscal 2023.
Although Paramount+ is considered a younger streamer than its rivals Disney+, HBO Max, and Netflix, the company is committed to expanding in large international markets as the race for global domination continues for U.S. streaming services.
Last week, Paramount+ launched in South Korea in a partnership with TVING. In addition, launches in Italy, Germany, France, Austria, and Switzerland are set for the end of 2022. Paramount+ will launch in Africa and the Middle East in 2023, as well as in India in partnership with Viacom 18.
The remainder of the markets in Europe has Paramount and Comcast partnering together to launch a new service called SkyShowtime. Coming later this year, the service will be available in Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Kosovo, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
Previously, Paramount+ unveiled its determination to greenlight 50 new scripted originals this year, with previously announced titles like “Sexy Beast” (from the U.K.), “The Chemistry of Death” (Germany), “Bosé” (Spain), “Fallaci” (Italy), “Impact” (France), and “Los Enviados” (Mexico), among others.
On Monday, Paramount+ revealed several more upcoming titles, including “Murder of God’s Banker,” a docuseries about the murder of Italian banker Roberto Calvi in the 1970s; a French fantasy horror series called “Mask: Marie Antoinette Serial Killer;” a German thriller “A Thin Line;” a German drama “The Sheikh;” an Italian true-crime drama called “Circeo;” a Mexican crime thriller “Sinaloa’s First Lady;” and a Mexican suspense thriller movie “One Must Die.”
In addition, international viewers who subscribe to Paramount+ will get to watch exclusive originals, blockbuster films from Paramount Pictures, and a wide selection of popular shows like “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” “Halo,” “The First Lady,” and more.
“Paramount’s story began with the longest-running studio in Hollywood, and today we span the globe with our worldwide production studios that create hits for audiences around the world, which now live all in one place: Paramount+,” EVP and International General Manager Marco Nobili said in a statement. “As the service continues to expand internationally, there’s a great opportunity for content to travel globally, opening up a world of opportunities for talent and creators as we plan to commission 150 international originals by 2025 while delivering incredible value to subscribers on Paramount+.”
Today, the company will also have a drone show in Birmingham featuring 600 drones — the largest drone show in the U.K. The spectacle will feature a QR code, which gives viewers a free seven-day trial of the streaming service. Paramount Global has done this before to promote its sci-fi series “Halo” in March but with 400 drones flying above Austin, Texas.
To further excite potential subscribers in the U.K. and Ireland, Paramount+ revealed a two-minute teaser starring Uma Thurman and Jack Whitehall.