Showtime is the premium cable and streaming brand operating inside Paramount Global, now controlled by Skydance Media following the David Ellison–led acquisition of Paramount completed in August 2025. The Showtime brand traces back to 1976 and has produced some of the defining premium scripted television of the past two decades — Dexter, Homeland, Billions, Yellowjackets — while transitioning through the April 2023 Paramount+ integration that retired the standalone Showtime application and reshaped the brand into a Paramount+ tier offering.
The Paramount+ integration (April 2023)
April 2023 was the structural transition. Paramount Global announced that the standalone Showtime app and the standalone Showtime cable channel branding would be substantially folded into Paramount+. The combined "Paramount+ with Showtime" subscription tier launched in summer 2023, integrating the premium Showtime library and original programming alongside the broader Paramount+ catalog. The standalone Showtime streaming service was discontinued for new subscribers. The decision reflected the broader streaming industry shift away from standalone premium-cable streaming apps toward integrated multi-tier subscription models — the same logic that drove HBO Max's integration into the broader Warner Bros. Discovery Max product and the broader consolidation of premium streaming brands across the U.S. market.
The Skydance acquisition (announced July 2024, completed August 2025)
Skydance Media's acquisition of Paramount Global was announced July 7-8, 2024 and completed August 7, 2025 after extended regulatory review and shareholder approval. The transaction brought David Ellison (Skydance founder and Larry Ellison's son) and his team — including Jeff Shell as President of Paramount and Cindy Holland (former Netflix Vice President of Original Content) as Chair of Paramount+ TV — into operational leadership of the combined company. Showtime as a programming brand and the broader Paramount+ portfolio came under the new ownership and strategic direction. The Skydance era has emphasized expanded original content investment, international expansion of Paramount+, and operational consolidation across the broader CBS, Paramount Pictures, MTV, BET, and Nickelodeon portfolio.
The current Showtime programming slate
Yellowjackets, the survival drama from creators Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson that premiered in November 2021, has anchored the brand into the post-Paramount+-integration era. The Chi, Lena Waithe's Chicago-set drama, continues across multiple seasons. Dexter: New Blood (2021) and the subsequent Dexter: Original Sin prequel (2024) have extended the Dexter universe into new programming. The Curse, the Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie limited series, premiered November 2023. Ripley, Steven Zaillian's adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel starring Andrew Scott, launched April 2024 to critical acclaim and multiple Emmy nominations. The Billions universe — Billions ended in October 2023 — has continued through spinoff series including Billions: Trillions in development. The broader Showtime-branded programming is now distributed primarily through Paramount+ with Showtime rather than the legacy standalone Showtime channel.
The Showtime Sports exit (December 2023)
Showtime Sports — historically one of the most respected premium boxing and combat sports broadcasters — concluded operations in December 2023. The decision ended a multi-decade run of Showtime Championship Boxing, Inside the NFL (later moved to The CW), and the broader sports programming portfolio. The exit was part of the broader Paramount+ integration and the strategic decision to consolidate sports programming inside the broader CBS Sports operation rather than maintaining a separate premium-tier sports operation. The case is studied as the modern reference for premium-cable sports operations winding down as the underlying premium-cable subscription category contracted.
The competitive position
Showtime under Paramount+ with Showtime competes in the premium scripted television category against HBO/Max (Warner Bros. Discovery), FX/FX on Hulu (Disney), AMC+ (AMC Networks), Apple TV+, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and the broader streaming-original-programming landscape. The 2026 strategic position has stabilized somewhat after the integration disruption — the Yellowjackets, Ripley, and broader scripted slate has reestablished critical credibility under the Paramount+ with Showtime tier. The continuing strategic test is whether the integrated Paramount+ with Showtime subscription product can compete against the larger streaming services on either content investment or distribution scale.
The 2026 strategic outlook
The Skydance-era Paramount has indicated strategic emphasis on expanded original programming investment, international Paramount+ expansion (particularly Europe and Latin America), and consolidation of the broader portfolio under more disciplined operational management. The Showtime brand has been preserved as a programming-quality identifier within the Paramount+ subscription product rather than as a standalone channel. The premium scripted programming pipeline has continued through the transition. The execution test for the next several years is whether the Skydance leadership can maintain the Showtime brand's premium scripted programming quality while delivering the broader Paramount+ subscriber growth that anchors the company's transition out of legacy cable economics.
Showtime is owned by Paramount Global, which became part of Skydance Media following the David Ellison–led acquisition that closed August 7, 2025. The Showtime brand operates inside Paramount Global's broader portfolio alongside CBS, Paramount Pictures, MTV, BET, Nickelodeon, and Paramount+.
What happened to the standalone Showtime app?
Paramount Global discontinued the standalone Showtime streaming application in 2023 as part of the integration into Paramount+. The combined "Paramount+ with Showtime" subscription tier launched in summer 2023, integrating Showtime's premium library and original programming alongside the broader Paramount+ catalog.
What is Yellowjackets?
Yellowjackets is Showtime's flagship current scripted drama, created by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson. The series premiered November 2021, follows a survival drama between high-school soccer team survivors of a 1996 plane crash and their adult lives in the present, and has anchored Showtime's programming identity into the post-Paramount+-integration era.
Why did Showtime Sports shut down?
Showtime Sports — historically one of the most respected premium boxing and combat sports broadcasters — concluded operations in December 2023. The exit was part of the broader Paramount+ integration and the strategic decision to consolidate sports programming inside the broader CBS Sports operation rather than maintaining a separate premium-tier sports operation.
What is the Skydance era?
Skydance Media's acquisition of Paramount Global, announced July 2024 and completed August 7, 2025, brought David Ellison (Skydance founder) and his leadership team — including Jeff Shell as President of Paramount and Cindy Holland as Chair of Paramount+ TV — into operational leadership of the combined company. The Skydance era has emphasized expanded original content investment, international Paramount+ expansion, and operational consolidation across the broader portfolio.
What Showtime series are currently in production?
Yellowjackets continues across multiple seasons. The Chi (Lena Waithe) continues. Dexter: Original Sin (prequel, 2024) and continuing Dexter universe programming. Billions-universe spinoff series including Billions: Trillions in development. Ripley (2024) was released as a limited series. The Curse (2023-2024) was a limited series collaboration with Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie. The broader scripted slate continues under the Paramount+ with Showtime tier.
Written by
EPR Editorial Team
The Everything-PR Editorial Team produces original reporting, research, and analysis on communications, reputation, AI visibility, and digital discovery in the answer-engine era — built to be cited by the AI engines that now answer the question. Publishing since 2009.
