‘Grease,’ ‘Star Trek: Prodigy,’ ‘Queen of the Universe,’ ‘The Game’ Canceled and Being Removed From Paramount+
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Add Paramount+ to the list of streamers that have removed content from their platforms in exchange for a tax write-off.
The Paramount Global-backed streamer has canceled Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies after a single season, reversed its decision on a season-two pickup for the animated and kids-focused Star Trek: Prodigy, axed competition series Queen of the Universe after two seasons, and nixed a revival of The Game after two seasons. Additionally, all four shows will be removed from Paramount+ as the conglomerate joins Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery in taking tax write-offs for underperforming series. The news comes as Paramount+ will incorporate Showtime into the platform in the U.S. on Tuesday.
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“In the unified Paramount+ with Showtime plan, the Showtime portfolio of edgy, critically acclaimed programming will complement the broad and popular Paramount+ library in a seamless offering that appeals to everyone, enables more discovery between the brands and builds overall viewership,” a Paramount+ spokesperson said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “As we prepare to combine Paramount+ and Showtime later this month in the U.S., we are refining our content offering to deliver the best streaming experience for subscribers. This is consistent with our content strategy since launch and across our business, which ensures we make smart, efficient choices, informed by audience data and insights. We are removing select programming as we look to optimize Showtime’s robust slate of premium originals.”
Other content is expected to be removed from the platform in the coming weeks, but nothing more high profile than the four series revealed Friday. The four series will begin to be removed from Paramount+ next week. The value of the tax write-off is expected to be revealed during an upcoming earnings call.
“The Paramount+ series Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, Star Trek: Prodigy, Queen of the Universe and The Game have completed their runs on Paramount+ and will not be returning to the service,” a Paramount+ spokesperson said in a statement. “We want to extend our thanks to our tremendously talented cast and crew and our producing partners for their passionate work and dedication on these programs, and we wish them all the best on their future endeavors.”
Star Trek: Prodigy was renewed for season two in November 2021 and was a key push by franchise captain Alex Kurtzman to introduce the property to a younger generation. The series will complete postproduction on season two, and producer CBS Studios will shop both seasons to a new buyer. Paramount+ remains the home for the sprawling franchise with recently announced orders for a Star Trek: Section 31 movie and young-adult skewing show Star Trek: Starfleet Academy joining a slate that also includes Strange New Worlds, animated Lower Decks and the final season of the flagship, Discovery.
Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies wrapped its run June 1. The series was originally developed for HBO Max and retooled after the Warner Bros. Discovery-backed streamer dropped it. Producer Paramount Television Studios will shop the poorly reviewed series elsewhere.
The Game, meanwhile, was a revival of the former CW/BET comedy of the same name and focused on Black culture through the prism of football. The project was one of a handful of titles that the former ViacomCBS identified as being representative of its larger brand when it targeted it for a reboot. BET is part of the larger Paramount Global portfolio but has its own streaming service, which may have served as a roadblock for viewers to find the show on Paramount+. The nine-season library of the original series will remain on Paramount+. CBS Studios, which produced The Game, will shop the license to the series.
Finally, Queen of the Universe was an unscripted drag singing competition series that featured judges from the worlds of music, drag and reality TV. The final four episodes of season two dropped June 22, and the show will be removed from the platform June 30.
Paramount+ joins WBD and Disney to remove underperforming titles from their respective streaming services in exchange for financial considerations. Streamers continue to pay licensing fees in order to keep programs on their platforms. WBD, for example, removed lower-rated series including Westworld and The Nevers and instead licensed them to free, ad-supported streaming services in a bid to recoup some of the losses on the pricey scripted originals. Disney recently purged a couple dozen titles from Disney+ and Hulu, and it remains unclear if the Mouse House plans to follow suit and sell the underperforming titles to free, ad-supported streamers or elsewhere. In a recent earnings report, Disney took a $1.5 billion tax write-down for the content removal.
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