Paramount Plus is boosting its CanCon with acquisition and development deals that include a scripted comedy inspired by the Ben Johnson doping scandal and a limited series from Elliot Page's production company.
The Paramount-owned streamer touted four Canadian series in the works including "Hate the Player: The Ben Johnson Story," from writer Anthony Q. Farrell of "The Office" and "Run the Burbs," and "Letterkenny" producers New Metric Media.
The premise is described as "the scandal behind the scandal that brought the 'world's fastest man' from hero to zero in 9.79 seconds."
The sprinter was stripped of his 100-metre gold medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games for failing a drug test.
Paramount Plus outlined its programming strategy at the Banff World Media Festival, noting it also greenlit Page Boy Productions' six-part series "Len & Cub," about the secret relationship of two young men in rural 20th-century New Brunswick.
Executives also touted commissioned features and plans to acquire hundreds of hours of content by year's end from companies including the National Film Board of Canada, Elevation Pictures, Mongrel Media, Sphere Films and Blue Ant Media.
Paramount Global's senior vice-president of streaming and content licensing for Canada says partnering with the creative community is "key to our success in the market."
"Paramount Streaming has a robust team of Canadians working directly on the business; we know this is the key to our success in the market, and we are proud to give the Canadian creative community an opportunity to shine both at home and around the world," Doug Smith said Monday in a release.
The two other series are: the hour-long "Carpe Demon" about a frazzled suburban mom who used to be a demon hunter, from showrunner Emily Andras of "Wynonna Earp" and "Lost Girl"; and the dark comedy "They Drive at Night," about two best friends -- a vampire and a werewolf -- on a road trip across Canada. It's written by Craig Wallace of "Murdoch Mysteries" and "Todd & The Book of Pure Evil."
Expected this fall is the documentary "500 Days in the Wild" from filmmaker Dianne Whelan of "This Land," in which she self-recorded a solo journey across Canada in 2015.
And produced in association with Paramount Plus is "The Boy in the Woods," a true-life survival story of a Jewish boy hiding in the forests of Nazi-occupied eastern Europe, based on the memoir by Maxwell Smart.
Acquisitions include the NFB documentary "Anything For Fame" and "Never Seen Again" from Efran Films; the feature films "Midnight At The Paradise" from LevelFILM, and the romantic comedy "The End Of Sex," from Vortex.
Canadian titles already on the streamer or soon to arrive include "Away from Her," "Aline," "Kayak to Klemtu" and "Paw Patrol: The Movie."
Meanwhile, Paramount's FAST service Pluto TV, which already includes 45 dedicated Canadian channels, is adding three more on July 1, including one dedicated to "The Red Green Show."
The other channels are: Truly Canadian, featuring scripted series such as "Little Mosque on the Prairie," "Edgemont" and "Arctic Air," and Pluto TV Documentaries, featuring NFB documentaries and Hot Docs films such as "When Jews Were Funny" by Alan Zweig and Randy Bachman's "Vinyl Tap: Every Song Tells a Story."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2023.
A $2.14-billion federal loan for an Ottawa-based satellite operator has Canadian politicians arguing about whether American billionaire Elon Musk poses a national security risk.
Specialist divers surveying the wreckage of the US$40 million superyacht that sank off Sicily in August, killing seven people including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, have asked for heightened security to guard the vessel, over concerns that sensitive data locked in its safes may interest foreign governments, multiple sources told CNN.
Twenty-seven year Â鶹ӰÊÓ reporter and anchor John Vennavally-Rao shares his story of what it was like to have an ostomy bag as part of his health-care battle. 'I’m grateful for what it did to extend my life,' he writes in a personal column for CTVNews.ca.
The British Columbia election campaign is set to officially start today, with Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin issuing the writ for the Oct. 19 vote.
A northern Ontario man is facing a $12,000 fine after illegally shooting a moose near the Batchawan River.
A new study is adding to emerging research showing that exposure to metals such as cadmium, uranium and copper may also be associated with the leading cause of death worldwide, cardiovascular disease.
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The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah announced that it fired a barrage of missiles at a military base deep inside Israel early Sunday following an Israeli airstrike more than a day earlier that killed at least 37 people, including one of the militant group’s senior leaders as well as women and children.
A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.
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The British Columbia election campaign is set to officially start today, with Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin issuing the writ for the Oct. 19 vote.
A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.
A northern Ontario man is facing a $12,000 fine after illegally shooting a moose near the Batchawan River.
A body has been found in the vicinity where a woman went missing on the Ottawa River near Pembroke, Ont. while kayaking Tuesday night, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
Donald Trump returned to North Carolina on Saturday, stumping in the southern battleground state with direct appeals to women, claiming he would be a better champion for them than U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who is vying to become the first female president.
Sheba, a 50-year-old seal at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary in southwest England, has far surpassed the average lifespan for seals and could be the oldest in captivity in the world.
The more Chelsea Walsh talked to the eccentric fellow American who seemed to pop up in every square and cobblestone street of Ukraine's capital, the more she got creeped out.
Specialist divers surveying the wreckage of the US$40 million superyacht that sank off Sicily in August, killing seven people including British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, have asked for heightened security to guard the vessel, over concerns that sensitive data locked in its safes may interest foreign governments, multiple sources told CNN.
The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah announced that it fired a barrage of missiles at a military base deep inside Israel early Sunday following an Israeli airstrike more than a day earlier that killed at least 37 people, including one of the militant group’s senior leaders as well as women and children.
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Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly says close to 45,000 Canadians are in Lebanon, months after warning there is no guarantee Ottawa can evacuate them if the situation deteriorates further.
The federal firearm buyback program has cost taxpayers nearly $67.2 million since it was announced in 2020, but it still hasn't collected a single gun.
A new study is adding to emerging research showing that exposure to metals such as cadmium, uranium and copper may also be associated with the leading cause of death worldwide, cardiovascular disease.
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The owner of the shuttered Three Mile Island nuclear power plant said Friday that it plans to restart the reactor under a 20-year agreement that calls for tech giant Microsoft to buy the power to supply its data centers with carbon-free energy.
Lebanese authorities on Thursday banned walkie-talkies and pagers from being taken on flights from Beirut airport, the National News Agency reported, after thousands of such devices exploded during a deadly attack on Hezbollah this week.
Kathryn Crosby, who appeared in such movies as 'The 7th Voyage of Sinbad', 'Anatomy of a Murder,' and 'Operation Mad Ball' before marrying famed singer and Oscar-winning actor Bing Crosby, has died. She was 90.fff
'Saturday Night Live' will have a slew of famous faces to help kick off its historic 50th season when the show returns later this month.
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Jonathan Aranda homered for the second consecutive game, helping Taj Bradley and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Saturday.
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General Motors (GM) has issued a recall for 38,000 vehicles for safety risks related to a software glitch, Transport Canada reported in a notice on Wednesday.
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Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.
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The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.
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Volunteers and staff members gathered along Vancouver’s Stanley Park Seawall Saturday to pick up litter as part of International Coastal Cleanup Day.
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Milla White from Cochrane literally drew her way into a meeting with former boxer and actor Mickey Rourke.
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The 75-year-old building, formerly the Waskesiu Chamber of Commerce building, was relocated to the Parks Canada compound on the edge of the townsite.
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The St. Thomas police is asking the public for help locating a missing man.
The Barrie Skateboard Association (BSA) hosted a unique competition at the City's Skate Park on Saturday to celebrate its 25th anniversary, which showcased the park's importance and the growth of skateboarding in the region.
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The Amherstburg Freedom Museum is celebrating a year of festivities in anticipation of its 50th anniversary in 2025.
The St. Clair College golf teams were successful at the Niagara Knights Invitational tournament on Friday.
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A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.
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The Red Bridge, a historic landmark in Kamloops, B.C., was completely destroyed by fire early Thursday morning.
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Lethbridge County has rescinded its fire restriction as a result of the recent cool, wet weathr.
The Lethbridge Hurricanes kicked off the 2024-25 season on a winning note Friday night, defeating the Edmonton Oil Kings 3-1 in a game played at VisitLethbridge.com Arena.
A northern Ontario man is facing a $12,000 fine after illegally shooting a moose near the Batchawan River.
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A 26-year-old driver from Surrey, B.C., has been charged with three counts of criminal negligence causing death and bodily harm in a crash that killed two youths in northern Ontario last year.
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A 16-year-old biennial event aimed at fostering business in the country's eastern Arctic and northern regions has been cancelled indefinitely as a dispute unfolds between Inuit in Canada and a Labrador group claiming to share their heritage.
Jim Lester’s farm hopped on the cow-cuddling trend in early August, and his time slots have been pretty well sold out ever since.
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