Paramount+ Will Stream Paramount Movies 30-45 Days After Theatrical Release

Paramount+ will stream newly-released movies weeks after the premiere in theaters, the company announced on Wednesday. ViacomCBS’ new streaming service made some big announcements this week ahead of its March 4 launch. Among them, the fact that it will post highly-anticipated movies like A Quiet Place Part II and Mission: Impossible 7 quickly.

The “streaming wars” are heating up as studios struggle to make the most of their movie slates with theaters still closed all across the country. HBO Max was the first to take the plunge into same-day streaming releases of new movies. Paramount Pictures is not far behind. The studio announced on Wednesday that its upcoming movies would go to the Paramount+ streaming service between 35 and 45 days after they debut in theaters.
This includes big blockbusters coming up like A Quiet Place Part II, Top Gun: Maverick and Mission: Impossible 7.

So far, the streamer has not specified which movies will stream early and what the timeline for each one will be. Still, for movie buffs trying to stay safe during the coronavirus pandemic, this is sure to be a huge draw.
The streaming deal also includes new movies coming from MGM Studios, which is the home of the James Bond franchise. While the Paramount plan is not quite as aggressive as the Warner Bros. version, it is enough to picque the interest of fans, many of whom are eager for more details.

By comparison, HBO Max is uploading new Warner Bros. movies the same day they are released in theaters for the rest of 2021, and leaving them there for the duration of a typical theatrical run. This strategy is popular among fans, though some worry it will alienate distributors in the long run.

Paramount+ is joining the “streaming wars” next week, although it is not necessarily a newcomer. The service is a rebranding of CBS All-Access, which launched in 2014 as the first OTT subscription service from an American broadcast network. With that momentum behind it, the service has a bit of a head-start compared to other recent newcomers to the industry.

Paramount+ will fold in all of the brands under the ViacomCBS umbrella, including CBS, Paramount, Nickelodeon, BET, MTV, Comedy Central and more. It will also inherit the original programming from CBS All-Access, much of which has been lauded as some of the best prestige TV of the era.

Paramount+ launches on Thursday, March 4. Users can subscribe now for a free trial and a discounted price for their first year. Disclosure: PopCulture is owned by CBS Interactive, a division of ViacomCBS.