Paramount Plus expanding to Europe and U.K. next year — and it's free for some

Paramount Plus
(Image credit: Paramount Plus)

Paramount Plus has found its passport. ViacomCBS Networks International and Sky just announced that the service is headed to the U.K., Ireland, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria in 2022. 

Pricing was not announced yet, but some will get it for free. Specifically, Deadline notes that Paramount Plus will basically be included alongside Sky Cinema (which starts at £11 per month for Sky customers). 

Since Paramount Plus is coming over via Sky, you'll need to get that service before trying to add Paramount Plus on after. An unannounced fee will be required to get the service, it appears.

Why should these audiences care about the latest streaming service, one that hasn't exactly caught fire with Americans even? It will bring over more than 10,000 hours of content, and that will likely include Paramount Plus exclusives such as the 14 South Park movies over the next seven years.

Other recent hits include the iCarly reboot, the 1883 and 6666 Yellowstone spinoffs, a Frasier revival set to star Kelsey Grammer, a Criminal Minds revival and a show within the universe of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.

Plus, this deal guarantees that big upcoming Paramount Pictures series such as Mission Impossible and Transformer films will stay on Sky Cinema in the UK. They'll also land on Sky Cinema in Germany and Italy in 2022.

Will Peacock beat Paramount Plus and HBO Max to Europe?

This news comes about a week after Comcast's announcement that Peacock will be coming to Sky in the U.K. and Europe in the coming months. That said, that wasn't a lock for 2021. Peacock will be free for all Sky customers, as Comcast owns both. Comcast will roll it out to more countries thereafter.

Right now, HBO Max, Peacock and Paramount Plus have all been mostly stateside, though Paramount Plus arrived in Nordic countries in March and will make it to Australia on August 11. HBO Max has yet to announce an international expansion.

Henry T. Casey
Managing Editor (Entertainment, Streaming)

Henry is a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.