A late newsletter today thanks to the Paramount+ launch taking place a little later than expected thanks to, ironically and embarrassingly enough, a streaming problem. But, onto the big news story today which is the unveiling of Paramount+.

The launch

Paramount+ will launch in the US, Canada, and Latin America on March 4, in Scandinavia on March 25, and in Australia mid-year. Source: THR

A 45 day theatrical window

Mission: Impossible 7, A Quiet Place Part 2, and the Paw Patrol movie will debut on Paramount+ just 45 days after the films start screening in cinemas. No word on Top Gun: Maverick or whether this will be happening globally or whether this is just for the US. Source: Deadline

I like to laugh

Amy Schumer will bring back her sketch show Inside Amy Schumer for a new season. There will also be a new Beavis & Butthead movie along with a Workaholics movie. Also coming is a new Reno 911 special. And the 6-episode The Weekly Show with Trevor Noah. Read: Deadline

Beavis and Butt-head

Fresh ideas

TV series based on beloved favourite films Love Story, Fatal Attraction, Parallax View, and Flashdance are in the works. Read: Variety

More Frasier

It’s official - Frasier will return to Paramount+ for a new series from Chris Harris (How I Met Your Mother) and Joe Cristalli (Life In Pieces). Kelsey Grammer will obviously be back. There was no confirmation on whether David Hyde Pierce will also return (as rumored). Source: Deadline

Frasier

Halo

The long-in-production series Halo will now no longer launch as a Showtime original, but instead will launch on Paramount+ in 2022. Based on the popular video game of the same name, this show has been in the works since 2014.

The series, based on the Xbox game franchise, revolves around Master Chief, the helmeted super-soldier at the center of the game series. Pablo Schreiber (Orange Is the New Black) will star as the Spartan commando.

Source: THR

Taylor Sheridan - busy man

Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan is set to get a lot busier with his production company handling four new series for Paramount+: Mayor of Kingstown (starring Jeremy Renner), Land Man, a Yellowstone spinoff titled 6666 (working title), and a previously announced Yellowstone prequel Y: 1883. Read: Deadline

RIP Younger

Younger will finish after a 7 season run, with the final season moving to Paramount+ (in the US). The final run will be 12 episodes. Read: THR

Star Trek: Prodigy

The new kids Star Trek animated series Prodigy had been developed for Nickelodeon, but will instead debut on Paramount+ with Nick getting a second window. Source: Deadline

The Real Criminal Minds

A new true-crime docu-series will follow a real-life FBI profiler. It will examine real cases and real criminal behavior, and will be illustrated by clips from the scripted Criminal Minds series.  Source: Deadline

Kevin Feige on the future of Marvel’s TV shows

Marvel chief Kevin Feige has appeared at a session at the Television Critics Association twice-yearly weeks-long event and given some insight into the future of all things Marvel on TV. A few tidbits:

  • New series Loki, starring Tom Hiddleston, will debut on June 11. (Falcon and The Winter Soldier is the next series up, though, with a March 19 debut)
  • When asked if the Netflix Marvel shows characters may be integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he got all obsfugate-y and told reporters “I’m not exactly sure of the exact contracts, but perhaps someday”.
  • Some of the TV shows are built to have multiple seasons, but not all. A second WandaVision hasn’t been commissioned.

Read: Variety

Matt Groening didn’t have an issue with white actors voicing non-white characters

Earlier this week it was confirmed that The Simpsons would use a different voice actor for Dr Julius Hibbert (with Harry Shearer stepping aside for Kevin Michael Richardson to take over). When asked about this, creator Matt Groening said:

“Times change but I actually didn’t have a problem with the way we were doing it. All of our actors play dozens of characters each, it was never designed to exclude anyone.”

But before you get your pitchforks, he also explained:

“We’re trying to make it better,” he said. “Bigotry and racism are still an incredible problem and it’s good to finally go for more equality and representation.”

Read: Deadline

Matt Groening

Disney announces launch dates

Some buzzy upcoming Disney+ shows have now got launch dates:

  • The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers - March 19
  • Big Shot (it’s a David E Kelley series starring John Stamos) - April 16
  • Star Wars: The Bad Batch - May 4
  • High School Musical: The Musical: The Series Season 2 - May 14
  • The Mysterious Benedict Society - June 25
  • Monsters at Work (It’s a Monsters, Inc series) - July 2
  • Turner & Hooch - July 16
  • Chip ‘N’ Dale: Park Life - July 23

Read: Polygon

TeeVee Snacks

Trailer Park

Dealer debuts on Netflix March 10.

Franck, a music video director, infiltrates a rough neighbourhood in the South of France to film Tony, a charismatic but unpredictable drug gang leader wanting to break into the rap music scene. Using his camera to reveal the hidden, true face of drug dealing, Franck will get caught in a bloody gang war.

Caught By a Wave debuts on Netflix Feb 26.

In a sunny summer in Sicily, Sara and Lorenzo meet for the first time. Their young love is born in between the waves but, soon, it will prove stronger than any obstacle.

Zero Chill launches on Netflix March 15.

Kayla must find her place on the ice in the shadow of her superstar brother, Mac. For her, the rink is where she feels alive, where she can fly. For Mac, it's a battlefield where he strives to prove himself against his opponents... and his teammates. Kayla and Mac both make magic on the ice, but their approaches are poles apart.

Kid 90 debuts on Hulu March 12.

As a teenager in the '90s, Soleil Moon Frye carried a video camera everywhere she went. She documented hundreds of hours of footage and then locked it away for over 20 years. Soleil is joined by lifelong friends and fellow child stars who provide commentary on growing up in the '90s; including David Arquette, Stephen Dorff, Balthazar Getty, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Brian Austin Green, Tori Leonard, Heather McComb and more.

What’s next? Tomorrow.