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CBS Studios
CBS Studios is the production and distribution engine behind America's most-watched broadcast network, now operating as a rare island of stability inside the post-Skydance-Paramount merger landscape.
Current mandate
CBS Studios enters the post-Skydance-Paramount merger era as one of the few divisions operating with full leadership continuity. Amy Reisenbach and David Stapf have both signed new three-year contracts as President of CBS Entertainment and President of CBS Studios respectively, a signal of institutional confidence in a division that Paramount President Jeff Shell publicly identified as one of the company's two working engines alongside Taylor Sheridan's universe. CBS finished the 2024-25 season as the most-watched broadcast network in primetime for the 17th consecutive season, a streak that gives the studio unusual leverage in a fragmented linear landscape.
The studio's acquisition and development pattern over the past year reflects a franchise-first, multi-platform logic. CBS launched the number-one new broadcast show in each of the past three seasons, Fire Country, Tracker, and Matlock, and claimed four of the top five new shows last season including the number-one new comedy Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage. That track record is now being extended into spinoff territory: Fire Country spinoff Sheriff Country is ordered for CBS, and the studio is actively seeking additional projects within the Fire Country universe including medical drama spinoffs under showrunner Matt Lopez. Beyond the broadcast core, CBS Studios has upcoming series including Starfleet Academy for Paramount+, a Little House on the Prairie reboot for Netflix, and Blue Bloods offshoot Boston Blue. A greenlit Clueless reboot, among a slate of projects approved for California tax credits, signals continued appetite for IP-driven comedy. Director Larry Teng's overall deal renewal with CBS Studios in late 2025 illustrates the studio's practice of locking in established talent on long-term arrangements.
Material reaches CBS Studios primarily through established showrunners, overall-deal talent, and producer relationships already embedded in the studio's ecosystem. The studio's long-term development strategy, which orders series well in advance to give them a longer promotional runway, means decisions are made deep inside existing creative partnerships rather than through open calls. No unsolicited pathway is documented in tracked deal activity; every observed signal traces back to named talent deals, franchise extensions, or IP-driven development with attached producers.
Signature peaks
- 3 Straight Seasons Franchise Launch Streak — CBS launched the number-one new broadcast show in each of the past three seasons: Fire Country, Tracker, and Matlock.
- New 3-Year Contracts Leadership Continuity — Both Amy Reisenbach and David Stapf signed new three-year deals, anchoring CBS Studios' creative leadership post-merger.
- 39 Consecutive Seasons Daytime Dominance — CBS daytime finished as the number-one daytime lineup for the 39th straight season, anchored by a new drama, Beyond the Gates.
Mandate dimensions
- Genre focus
- Not disclosed
- Territory focus
- United States
- Budget tier (observed)
- Not disclosed
- Access pattern
- Every tracked deal at CBS Studios traces through named overall-deal talent, established showrunners, or franchise-adjacent producer relationships; the Larry Teng overall deal renewal in late 2025 is a representative example of how the studio locks in creative partners. The studio's publicly stated mandate to develop additional projects within the Fire Country universe under showrunner Matt Lopez is the closest thing to a named, checkable creative brief visible in current signals, making franchise alignment the most documented route for producers seeking entry.
- Deal structure
- CBS Studios primarily structures activity as content development and production deals, including overall talent deals with directors and showrunners, franchise spinoff orders for the CBS broadcast network, and streaming series commissions for Paramount+ and outside streamers such as Netflix. Rights acquisitions for IP reboots, such as the greenlit Clueless project, are also part of the documented pattern.
Recent acquisitions
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Clueless
Reboots of the Beverly Hills coming of age comedy 'Clueless'...are among a slate of new projects greenlit for California tax credits.
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Larry Teng overall deal renewal with CBS Studios
Market context
With leadership locked in on new three-year contracts and a 17th consecutive season as the most-watched broadcast network, CBS Studios is doubling down on franchise expansion and long-runway development.
CBS Studios enters the post-Skydance-Paramount merger era as one of the few divisions operating with full leadership continuity. Amy Reisenbach and David Stapf have both signed new three-year contracts as President of CBS Entertainment and President of CBS Studios respectively, a signal of institutional confidence in a division that Paramount President Jeff Shell publicly identified as one of the company's two working engines alongside Taylor Sheridan's universe. CBS finished the 2024-25 season as the most-watched broadcast network in primetime for the 17th consecutive season, a streak that gives the studio unusual leverage in a fragmented linear landscape.
Common questions about CBS Studios
Does CBS Studios accept unsolicited scripts?
No unsolicited pathway is documented in CBS Studios' tracked deal activity. Every observed deal traces back to named overall-deal talent, established showrunners, or IP-driven development with attached producers. The studio's long-term development strategy, which orders series well in advance, means creative decisions are made deep inside existing partnerships. Writers seeking access are best positioned by attaching a producer or showrunner already working within the CBS ecosystem.
What budget level does CBS Studios typically work at?
CBS Studios operates at broadcast network and premium streaming scale. Recent projects span network procedurals, franchise spinoffs, and streaming originals for Paramount+ and Netflix. Budget figures on individual deals are not publicly disclosed in tracked data, but the studio's output, anchored by multi-season hits like Fire Country and Tracker, reflects the production investment typical of major broadcast network series rather than low-budget or independent fare.
What festivals does CBS Studios source material from?
CBS Studios' tracked acquisition activity does not show a festival-driven sourcing pattern. The studio's development pipeline is anchored by franchise extensions, IP reboots such as the greenlit Clueless reboot and a Little House on the Prairie reboot for Netflix, and overall deals with directors and showrunners like Larry Teng. Festival acquisitions are not a documented route into CBS Studios' slate based on available signals.
How do I get my script in front of CBS Studios?
Based on observed deal patterns, the most documented route is through an established showrunner or producer already in the CBS Studios ecosystem. The studio actively seeks projects that extend existing franchises, most notably the Fire Country universe, under named creative leads like Matt Lopez. Attaching a producer with a CBS relationship, or aligning a project with an ongoing franchise mandate, reflects the pathways visible in tracked activity.
What genres is CBS Studios currently acquiring?
CBS Studios' current mandate centers on procedural drama, franchise spinoffs, and IP-driven comedy. Active development includes the Fire Country spinoff Sheriff Country, a medical drama spinoff within the Fire Country universe, Blue Bloods offshoot Boston Blue, and the Clueless comedy reboot. Streaming originals like Starfleet Academy for Paramount+ show continued genre range. Paramount President Jeff Shell has publicly flagged CBS primetime as a strategic priority, reinforcing the studio's focus on broad-audience broadcast genres.
Is CBS Studios currently active in the market?
Yes. CBS Studios is operating with full leadership continuity post-Skydance-Paramount merger, with both Amy Reisenbach and David Stapf signed to new three-year contracts. The studio finished the 2024-25 season as the most-watched broadcast network for the 17th straight year and has multiple series in active development across CBS, Paramount+, and Netflix. A greenlit Clueless reboot and the Fire Country spinoff Sheriff Country are among the most recent confirmed development signals.
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