When you’re competing with the likes of Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime Video, there’s really nothing you can do as a streaming service other than offering audiences something they can’t get anywhere else. For Paramount+, right now, that includes the “Star Trek” franchise and a variety of other TV series. But starting this year and in 2022, the fledgling streamer is going to focus on original films. A lot of original films, including the surprise announcement about Mark Wahlberg’s latest.
According to Variety, Mark Wahlberg’s upcoming action film, directed by Antoine Fuqua, “Infinite,” is no longer destined for the big screen. Instead, the feature, like so many over the past year, will skip theaters and head straight to streaming, debuting in June on Paramount+. The move is the first in what executives are calling a “Mountain of Movies” headed to the platform.
“Infinite” was supposed to be released last year, but like everything else, was delayed until 2021. Then, with Paramount+ being an option and the streamer desperate for high-profile content to compete with the competition, it appears the move is to take this big-budget blockbuster and offer it only on the streaming platform. So, for those hoping to see Fuqua’s next feature, starring one of the biggest stars in the world, you gotta sign up for yet another streaming service.
Though “Infinite” is a big deal, it’s far from a “mountain,” right? In addition to this film, Paramount+ is committed to bringing one new original film to the platform each week in 2022. That’s a lofty ambition for a streaming service that just recently launched, but is something that is definitely necessary if you want to keep up with folks like Netflix and Amazon. But before 2022, in addition to “Infinite,” there’s going to be new streaming exclusives like the latest films in the “Paranormal Activity” and “Pet Sematary” franchises. And you’ll have “A Quiet Place Part II” debuting on Paramount+ just 45 days after it hits theaters at the end of this month.
Needless to say, Paramount+ is making a strong claim to capture more subscribers. We’ll just have to see if it’s enough to keep the platform in competition with the current streaming heavyweights. An exact release date for “Infinite” has yet to be announced, but it’s expected in June.