David Farnor | On 07, Feb 2024

Paramount+ has become the latest streaming service to pull a raft of original and exclusive titles in a move to cut costs.

The subscription platform has been pushing to make an impression in the crowded streaming landscape, boosting Paramount’s own Hollywood output with international dramas. Now, though, it’s pivoting towards its blockbusters and franchises over smaller box sets, with a number of originals unexpectedly disappearing overnight this week.

The Burning Girls, starring Samantha Morton, One Night, starring Jodie Whittaker, The Killing Kind, based on the book of the same name, The Doll Factory, another novel adaptation, and The Serial Killer’s Wife have all been removed from the platform. This is despite The Serial Killer’s Wife only making its debut in December and The Doll Factory dropping its finale in the same month.

In the UK, a number of acquired titles have been pulled, including the US remake of Accused, which premiered in January, and the new revival of Quantum Leap, which was set to drop its second season this month – both seasons of the sci-fi series are now nowhere to be seen in Paramount’s streaming library.

Programmes that are also not expected to return for a second season include Chemistry of Death and The Flatshare.

The international strategy is now focused on “Hollywood franchises, films and series, which have mass global appeal,” company bosses reportedly told staff in a memo last week, according to Deadline. Indeed, the news comes as big-budget video game adaptation Halo returns for Season 2 this week and as Paramount has significantly invested in expanding its Star Trek universe.

The firm isn’t the first to make profitability paramount, as streamers face higher costs and competition plus a slow down in commissioning, and consumers face a cost of living crisis that makes it harder to subscribe to multiple platforms. In recent months, Disney+ and HBO Max have both dramatically removed content from their platforms to slash overheads, a move that has dismayed audiences and creators alike.

There are still some international TV projects on the go, however, with Sexy Beast having just debuted and Insomnia, starring Vicky McClure, planned to go ahead, along with Season 2 of gangland drama Last King of the Cross. How long those titles will stay on the streaming service, however, is anybody’s guess.

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