Showtime shrinks scripted as ‘Gattaca’ & ‘Seasoned’ pulled and development duo cancelled

Chris McCarthy

Paramount-owned Showtime is extending its squeeze on originals with planned shows including a series adaptation of Gattaca and recently greenlit Seasoned being cancelled.

Gattaca, which was to have been a remake of the 1997 Ethan Hawke movie, is from Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa.

It was being produced by Sony Pictures Television, as was comedy Seasoned, which had been due to star Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody, with US-based Jax Media also attached.

The duo have been pulled along with developement projects Sweetness – an anthology show from Emerald Fennell and Nick Stoller, who has a deal at SPT – and little known Split.

Paramount’s preferences

All four shows are to be taken elsewhere, with the move underlining the ongoing scripted slowdown in the US and Paramount’s preference for shows based on its own IP.

Yellowstone

Paramount+ last week joined HBO Max and Disney+ in pulling shows from its service to save cash, with its recently released Grease prequel and a Star Trek spin-off among the high-profile casualties.

Drama duo Grease: Rise Of The Pink Ladies and The Game have been taken off the streamer along with kids animation Star Trek: Prodigy and competition show Queen Of The Universe.

The rejig comes three months since Chris McCarthy took on the remit for Showtime, since when his team has been considerably pared back. Showtime is being integrated into the Paramount+ streaming service, while its team has been merged into MTV Entertainment Studios.

Showtime has been pulling back across its scripted offerings over the past six months, cancelling drama Three Women, starring Shailene Woodley, which was completed and had yet to air. Horror series Let The Right One In and crime drama American Gigolo, which had both aired their first seasons, were also recently cancelled.

Showtime is instead following the Paramount strategy of expanding franchises following the success of Yellowstone, which has spawned spin-offs including 1883 and 1923.