Paramount+ Isn’t ‘Writing Off’ International Shows Anytime Soon as It Marks One Year of Global Originals (EXCLUSIVE)
Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Last June, Paramount Global pulled out all the stops at London’s spacey Outernet venue for its streaming launch in the U.K. The studio flew in 21 stars including Michelle Pfeiffer and Sylvester Stallone to pitch their Paramount+ originals to a wide-eyed audience. No expense, it seemed, was spared for the service’s splashy kick-off. One year later, as Paramount Global sheds assets Stateside and offloads original programs in a bid to save money, that investment in international seems to be paying off. The company’s most robust signs of growth appear to be from its international streaming division, which has penetrated more than 45 markets to date, spanning Western Europe, Australia, South America and Canada. Currently, 85 local originals have been earmarked for the platform (some are already on the service, while others are in production or recently greenlit) — and those commissions aren’t going anywhere, according to top brass.