Mark Wahlberg Thriller ‘Infinite’ to Skip Theaters to Debut on Paramount+
ViacomCBS Chief Bob Bakish also teases new original film each week on the streamer beginning in 2022
The Paramount Pictures sci-fi thriller “Infinite,” starring Mark Wahlberg and previously announced for a Memorial Day weekend theatrical release, will skip theaters to debut exclusively on the streaming service Paramount+.
The news that “Infinite,” directed by Antoine Fuqua, was announced by ViacomCBS chief Bob Bakish as part of a ViacomCBS’ earnings call Thursday along with additional information on the expansion of the film Paramount film catalog on Paramount+ that will be rolling onto Paramount+ starting in June. In addition, Bakish promised to ramp up production in order to roll out one original film each week on the streamer beginning in 2022.
Bakish also revealed in prepared remarks that also in June ViacomCBS would kick off a “Mountain of Movies” marketing campaign “where we will highlight the thousands of new movies we are adding to Paramount+, including blockbuster hits and exclusive originals.”
Bakish continued in his remarks, “We start by greatly expanding the depth of the film library of the service. 1,000 additional movies are going live in early June., with additional titles following through July, bringing the total to over 2,500. Hits like ‘The Avengers’ and ‘Skyfall’ will be available on the service soon, as well as a bunch of the great Paramount films like ‘Mission:Impossible-Ghost Protocol,’ ‘Rocketman,’ ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ and more.
Bakish said the streaming premiere of “Infinite” would be followed by the streaming premiere of “A Quiet Place Part II” after its 45-day theatrical run beginning May 28. “And we will follow that with the ‘Paw Patrol’ movie — a treat for families eagerly awaiting a feature length version of the most popular pre-school characters in the world,” Bakish said.
In addition, Bakish said new original movies including ‘Paranormal Activity’ and ‘The In Between’ would premiere on Paramount+ by the end of 2021. “And all of this is a preview to a substantial ramping up of original movies next year, when we expect to begin averaging an original movie a week in 2022.”