Comcast/Paramount Streaming Service SkyShowtime Gets Exclusive Access to 21 HBO Max European Originals
January 10, 2023
Content sales at Warner Bros. Discovery continue.
The media giant has licensed exclusive access to 21 HBO Max original series to SkyShowtime, the upstart European streaming platform from Comcast and Paramount Global. In total, the deal provides SkyShowtime 168 episodes of new and previously aired original programming.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
The deal — which includes three new series that have completed production and will have their world premiere on SkyShowtime this year — significantly accelerates the company’s entry into original programming. The new shows, which will be branded as SkyShowtime Originals, include “ID” (Finland and Sweden), “The Winner” (Czechia and Slovakia), and “Warszawianka” (Poland). Additionally, SkyShowtime will also premiere the first and second seasons of “Por H o Por B” (Spain). Premiere dates for these shows will be announced at a later date.
Other popular shows acquired in the deal include several series that recently premiered on HBO Max but will now have their exclusive home on SkyShowtime. They are “Beartown” (Sweden), ” Beforeigners” (Norway), “Kamikaze” (Denmark), “Lust” (Sweden) and “The Informant” (Hungary). SkyShowtime will have the option to acquire worldwide rights on any renewed shows as well as the option to order new seasons for several shows.
As well as the nine new and current shows, multiple seasons of 12 successful series from HBO Max will be available exclusively on SkyShowtime beginning in March. The include: “Czech It Out!” (Czechia), “Foodie Love” (Spain), “Hackerville” (Romania), “No Activity” (Spain), “One True Singer” (Romania), “Pray, Obey,” “Kill” (Sweden), “Ruxx” (Romania), “Success” (Croatia), “Todo Lo Otro” (Spain), “The Sleepers” (Czechia), “Tuff Money” (Romania) and “Welcome to Utmark” (Norway).
Warner Bros. Discovery is in the process of reaching more than $3.5 billion in cost synergies following last year’s merger between WarnerMedia and Discovery. Cost-cutting has included canceling series, movie productions and licensing content to third parties.
All of the acquired shows will be available to SkyShowtime subscribers across all of its 22 markets.
“This is a landmark deal for SkyShowtime, giving us an immediate foothold in the original programming space well ahead of plan,” SkyShowtime CEO Monty Sarhan said in a statement.
SkyShowtime, which received regulatory approval in February 2022, continues to build out its programming team across all of its markets. In addition to the shows acquired under this deal, SkyShowtime is ramping up its own original programming capabilities.
Created for Europe, SkyShowtime has teams across six regional offices. Its apps and content will be available in 18 different languages across its 22 markets.
Already live in 12 markets, SkyShowtime first launched in September in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, followed by launches in the Netherlands and Portugal in November. In December, the streaming service launched in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia. SkyShowtime will launch in its remaining markets of Albania, Andorra, Czechia, Hungary, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Spain in the first quarter.
In addition to local programming, SkyShowtime features exclusive television first run theatrical films from Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, DreamWorks Animation, Paramount+, Showtime, Sky Studios and Peacock.