Chris McCarthy, the head of Showtime, has made the decision to pass on four projects, as he continues to streamline the network’s content pipeline. The rejected projects include a reboot of the film Gattaca, which would have reunited the creative duo behind Homeland, Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa. Another cancelled project is Seasoned, a comedy inspired by the lives of Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody, a married couple. Additionally, two projects that were in development, Split and Sweetness, were also rejected by Showtime.
Sony Pictures Television, the production company behind Gattaca and Sweetness, plans to shop both projects elsewhere. Showtime has declined to provide any comment on this matter.
These recent decisions come after Chris McCarthy took on the role of overseeing Showtime last year, giving him control over Paramount Global’s linear networks, including MTV, Comedy Central, and Paramount Network. In a strategic move to compete with streaming giants such as Netflix and HBO Max, Showtime programming has been folded into Paramount+. McCarthy has been reviewing and canceling several series since his arrival, including Three Women, Ripley, King Shaka, Ziwe, I Love That For You, The L Word: Generation Q, Let the Right One In, and American Gigolo.
McCarthy’s focus for Showtime is to invest in intellectual property that the network owns, rather than licensed content like Gattaca. There were rumors that Gattaca was a favorite of McCarthy’s and that he considered it as a potential franchise for the network. However, the decision to pass on the project indicates a shift in strategy.
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Moving forward, McCarthy plans to concentrate on three main content categories: anti-heroes, powerful worlds, and diverse cultures. This will involve expanding existing series into multiple franchises, similar to Paramount’s hit show Yellowstone. Billions and Dexter are already in the works to become multiple-series franchises, and there are rumors of doing the same with The Chi.
Upcoming projects for Showtime include the final season of Billions, The Chi, and two rookie shows, Fellow Travelers and The Curse, which were developed by the previous regime at Showtime. Seasoned, on the other hand, was a Jax Media production that had received a six-episode series order from Showtime. The series focused on the tumultuous and magical relationship of a married couple played by Mandy Patinkin and Kathryn Grody.
Sweetness, another rejected project, was an anthology series created by Emerald Fennell, the writer of Promising Young Woman. The story revolved around a town filled with grieving widows, bored schoolgirls, a rom-com leading lady with a dark fixation, Princess Diana’s biggest fan, and an enigmatic internet wife.
Gattaca, the film reboot that was passed on, had Craig Borten attached as the developer alongside Gordon and Gansa. The adaptation was set to be a significant project for Showtime and was the first new project since McCarthy took over the network. Gattaca, the 1997 dystopian movie, depicted a future where eugenics is common and genetic discrimination is illegal. The movie starred Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman and was produced by Sony’s Columbia Pictures.
The final rejected project, Split, was a dramatic thriller that explored the double life of the American-born character Josh Solomon. Further details about the project were not immediately available.
In conclusion, Chris McCarthy’s efforts to streamline Showtime’s content pipeline have led to the rejection of several projects, including Gattaca, Seasoned, Split, and Sweetness. McCarthy’s focus now is on investing in intellectual property owned by Showtime and expanding existing series into multiple franchises. The network’s upcoming lineup includes the final season of Billions, The Chi, and two rookie shows, Fellow Travelers and The Curse. With this strategic direction, Showtime aims to compete with streaming giants and deliver content that captivates audiences with its anti-heroes, powerful worlds, and diverse cultures.
