SkyShowtime

Current mandate

SkyShowtime has established itself as the primary streaming destination across more than 20 European territories where Peacock, Now TV, and Paramount+ do not operate, covering markets including Spain, Portugal, Poland, and the Nordics. The joint venture, led by CEO Monty Sarhan, is ahead of its subscriber projections across all markets and has articulated a long-term ambition to rank among the top three streamers in each of its 22 territories. Its pricing strategy was explicitly designed in response to double-digit inflation and a cost-of-living crisis, positioning the service at lower price points than its main competitors, a deliberate move to accelerate household penetration in markets where streaming adoption is still maturing.

The acquisition pattern over the past year reflects two parallel tracks. First, SkyShowtime absorbed 21 European HBO Max originals after their HBO licensing window had passed, instantly deepening its catalogue with proven local-language content. Second, the company unveiled a substantial originals slate at Cannes, including Codename: Annika, Las Invisibles, and Warszawianka, signalling active commissioning across multiple European production hubs. The Swedish drama series The Trio, an adaptation of Johanna Hedman's novel, and the Polish project Edyta Gorniak are among the more recently tracked acquisitions. Sarhan has noted that half of SkyShowtime's originals have been greenlit in Spain, citing the relative ease of ramping up production with established Spanish studios. The company has also acquired U.S. titles including Rian Johnson's Poker Face and the Emma Stone comedy The Curse, badging them as SkyShowtime Originals to bolster its premium perception.

Material reaches SkyShowtime primarily through its established relationships with European production companies and through co-production and licensing arrangements brokered at major markets, most visibly Cannes. The company's public-facing seeking statement emphasises distinctive and authentic local storytelling that is emotionally engaging and crafted with genuine care, for audiences in Spain and beyond. No unsolicited submission pathway is documented in tracked deal activity; every observed deal has moved through production partners, sales agents, or licensing negotiations tied to existing rights windows. Writers and producers seeking to engage the slate are most likely to find traction through European co-production partners or sales representation active in the markets SkyShowtime serves.

Signature peaks

• 22 European Markets Covered — SkyShowtime operates in more than 20 territories where Peacock, Now TV, and Paramount+ are absent.
• 50% Spain Originals Share — Half of SkyShowtime's greenlit originals have been commissioned in Spain, per CEO Monty Sarhan.
• 180 Staff Hired Under Sarhan — SkyShowtime has hired 180 staff across seven offices since Monty Sarhan took the reins.

Mandate dimensions

Genre focus

Not disclosed

Territory focus

Not disclosed

Budget tier (observed)

Not disclosed

Access pattern

Observed deals at SkyShowtime have moved through European production partners, licensing negotiations tied to expiring rights windows (most notably the batch of 21 former HBO Max Europe originals), and sales agent relationships active at major markets including Cannes, where the company has publicly unveiled originals slates. No unsolicited submission pathway is documented in tracked deal activity.

Deal structure

SkyShowtime structures deals primarily as licensing acquisitions of completed or near-completed series, including post-window rights from other platforms, and as commissioning agreements with European production companies for local-language originals. U.S. titles such as Poker Face and The Curse have been acquired and rebadged as SkyShowtime Originals, indicating a hybrid model of licensing and original commissioning.

Recent acquisitions

• 21 local original productions from HBO Max Europe, including 'A besúgó'

  2025-01-01T00:00:00.000Z · Acquired

• 21 original series from HBO Max in Europe

  recently · Acquired

• best European production from HBO Max

  2025-01-01T00:00:00.000Z · Acquired

• Edyta Górniak

  2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z · Acquired

• huszonegy HBO Max Europe-sorozat

  2025-01-01T00:00:00.000Z · Acquired

• The Trio

  2025-09-09T00:00:00.000Z · Acquired

• The Trio (Swedish drama series adaptation of Johanna Hedman’s novel)

  2025-09-09T00:00:00.000Z · Acquired

Market context

With half its originals greenlit in Spain and a batch of 21 former HBO Max Europe series absorbed into its slate, SkyShowtime is building the most ambitious local-content pipeline of any new European streamer.

SkyShowtime has established itself as the primary streaming destination across more than 20 European territories where Peacock, Now TV, and Paramount+ do not operate, covering markets including Spain, Portugal, Poland, and the Nordics. The joint venture, led by CEO Monty Sarhan, is ahead of its subscriber projections across all markets and has articulated a long-term ambition to rank among the top three streamers in each of its 22 territories. Its pricing strategy was explicitly designed in response to double-digit inflation and a cost-of-living crisis, positioning the service at lower price points than its main competitors, a deliberate move to accelerate household penetration in markets where streaming adoption is still maturing.

Common questions about SkyShowtime

Adjacent buyers in this lane

• Beta Cinema — Beta Cinema is a Munich-based international sales agent specializing in arthouse and literary-adapta
• Starz — Starz is a premium cable and streaming network doubling down on wholly owned scripted drama and inte
• Cineflix Rights — Cineflix Rights is a genre-focused international distributor and co-production financier specializin
• Filmax — Filmax is a Spanish distributor and co-producer with a long track record in genre cinema, currently

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