EXCLUSIVE: Paramount Global just announced that Showtime will be integrated into Paramount+ across both streaming and linear later this year. In preparation for the move, the premium network had been reevaluating its programming slate over the past several weeks under its new top executive Chris McCarthy.
As a result, Showtime will not be proceeding with new series Three Women, starring Shailene Woodley, Betty Gilpin, DeWanda Wise and Gabrielle Creevy, which has been completed. The drama had been quietly shopped by its producers, and I hear there has been interest, with at least one offer on the table.
Additionally, Showtime has opted not to renew for Season 2 two freshman drama series, Let The Right One In, starring Demián Bichir, and American Gigolo, headlined by Jon Bernthal. The former, inspired by the bestselling 2004 novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist and its 2008 Swedish film adaptation, also already has been shopped by Tomorrow Studios to other platforms. (I hear all titles removed from the Showtime platform will be available to take elsewhere.)
This marks the latest turn in Let the Right One In‘s long journey. The series was originally set up at A&E and A+E Studios in 2015 and then moved to TNT, where a pilot was ordered and cast but did not go to production. The series eventually found its way to Showtime where it got on the air.
This is likely the end of the road for American Gigolo, which had been plagued by issues during production, including an misconduct investigation and a showrunner change, ultimately producing an eight-episode season on a 10-episode original order.
Taking write-offs on completed seasons of TV series or movies has become a preferred MO for media companies over the past year, employed aggressively by Warner Bros. Discovery, with others also joining in.
In Three Women, adapted by Taddeo based on the nonfiction bestseller by Lisa Taddeo, a group of women are on a crash course to radically overturn their lives. The series is executive produced by Taddeo, showrunner Laura Eason, Kathy Ciric and Emmy Rossum. Louise Friedberg directed and executive produced the first two episodes.
Showtime has other high-profile upcoming scripted series, including Ripley and King Shaka, which are in post-production.
On the renewal front, there has been no decision yet on the future of Ziwe and I Love That For You. I hear, the former has informally been sending out feelers into the marketplace while the latter has a second season written.
Vampire drama series Let the Right One In comes from Away creator Andrew Hinderaker, Seith Mann and Tomorrow Studios. Described as an exploration of human frailty, strength and compassion through an elevated genre lens. it centers on Mark, played by Demián Bichir, and his daughter Eleanor (Madison Taylor Baez), whose lives were changed forever 10 years earlier when she was turned into a vampire.
American Gigolo, a present-day reimagining of the iconic 1980 film, follows Julian Kaye (Bernthal) after his wrongful conviction release from 15 years in prison as he navigates his complicated relationships with his former lover Michelle (Gretchen Mol), his troubled mother, and the people who betrayed him. The project is a production of Paramount Television Studios.
