SkyShowtime, the European streaming joint venture of Comcast’s Sky and Paramount Global, will launch on Sept. 20 in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland, before debuting in the Netherlands during the fourth quarter, the companies said on Monday.
The service launch in a total of 22 markets had been eyed for late 2022 after the venture partners received approval from European regulators in February, but now the first date has been set, with additional market debuts targeted in the coming months or pushed into next year.
For example, the rollout plan covers service starts in Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Central and Eastern Europe, including the likes of Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland and Romania, over the coming months and through the first quarter of 2023.
Exact further launch dates and pricing are expected to be unveiled over the coming months. Paramount Global teamed with Sky for SkyShowtime to serve European markets where the companies see a better chance for a joint streaming presence. The territories encompass 90 million homes.
In the Nordics, the service will be available direct-to-consumer via the SkyShowtime app across Apple iOS, tvOS, Android devices and through its website. SkyShowtime’s monthly price will be €6,99 in Finland, SEK 79 in Sweden, NOK 79 in Norway, and DKK 69 in Denmark.
SkyShowtime will also be available through the following distribution partners across its Nordic markets: Allente, RiksTV, Ruutu, Sappa, Strim, Telenor, Tele2, Telia, Telmore and YouSee from Nuuday Group, and TV 2 Play.
Earlier this year, the two partners named Monty Sarhan the CEO of the streaming venture. The executive, who had joined Comcast Cable in late 2019 as senior vp content acquisition after working at Epix, also has experience at Viacom. He is based in London, reporting to the board of SkyShowtime, which is using the brand names of Comcast’s European pay TV giant Sky and ViacomCBS’ Showtime.
“SkyShowtime brings together the best entertainment from the world’s greatest studios and storytellers,” the companies said on Monday. “Featuring thousands of hours of quality entertainment for the whole family, the service will be home to a wide selection of the world’s most highly anticipated series and movies. It will feature the exclusive television premieres of first-run theatrical films from Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures, Hollywood’s two oldest studios and which together account for nearly 50 percent of Hollywood box office.”
Among new blockbuster films hitting SkyShowtime following their theatrical and home entertainment releases will be Top Gun: Maverick, Jurassic World Dominion, Minions: The Rise of Gru, The Northman, Sing 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, The Lost City, Downton Abbey: A New Era, Nope, Belfast, Ambulance and The Bad Guys.
“In addition, SkyShowtime features new premium scripted series, kids and family content and a selection of iconic library titles and box sets from Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, DreamWorks Animation, Paramount+, Showtime, Sky Studios and Peacock – all streaming in one place,” the companies highlighted. SkyShowtime will also feature local original programming, documentaries and specials from its markets.
In the Nordics, as part of the partnership with Paramount, SkyShowtime will replace Paramount+, “allowing existing and future customers to watch current Paramount+ favorites such as Halo, Yellowstone, The Offer and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, as well as Showtime originals Yellowjackets, Dexter: New Blood, Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber, and The First Lady,” the partners said. Among series premieres will be Showtime drama American Gigolo, Sky originals The Rising, The Fear Index, The Midwich Cuckoos, plus Law & Order season 21 from Peacock. Over the coming months, additional series premieres will include Yellowstone season 5, Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin, Vampire Academy and Showtime’s Yellowjackets season 2 and Let The Right One In.
“It’s time… for SkyShowtime, — the next great streaming service for Europe,” said Sarhan. “We’re excited for our customers to have exclusive access to the latest series and movie premieres from our iconic and world-renowned studios. We look forward to sharing further details about launch dates for our other markets and bringing SkyShowtime to even more people across Europe.”
SkyShowtime regional general manager for Northern Europe Henriette Skov added: “We’re thrilled to launch SkyShowtime across the Nordics and look forward to offering our customers the very best selection of global series and movies all in one place.”
About Post Author
