Predicting 2026 headlines: Paramount+ joins new bundles
Predicting 2026 headlines: Paramount+ joins new bundles
The streamer will seek out new partnerships regardless of how its pursuit of Warner Bros. Discovery turns out.
When trying to predict the biggest story of the year for Paramount+, the immediate answer seems obvious. Win or lose, the company’s continued attempts to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery will continue to make headlines throughout the year, and the conclusion of the saga will be one of the biggest stories in the entire entertainment industry.
The Streamable has covered, and will continue to cover the dance between Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Paramount until it concludes. But predicting that as the biggest story of the year for Paramount seems a little like a cop-out, and so for this exercise, I pivoted to a prediction that could have just as big an impact on Paramount+ as the purchase of WBD would — at least in the short term.
I predict that in 2026, Paramount+ will join multiple streaming bundles, exposing itself to a new audience and fulfilling the promise of the streamer’s new ownership team to make new partnerships. There are plenty of opportunities available, starting with soft bundles like the combination of Apple TV and Peacock, which launched in 2025.
There are opportunities for synergy all over the streaming world for Paramount+. It could combine with a service like Apple TV to give customers a chance to access prestige TV with general entertainment at one price, or join with Peacock if it wanted to bring the content of two of America’s biggest broadcast networks — CBS and NBC — together.
New Paramount Skydance CEO David Ellison explained in August that the company was specifically hoping to create these kinds of partnerships. Calling Paramount “open for business,” Ellison even mentioned that the company was potentially interested in joint ventures as well.
The impressive portfolio of sports rights Paramount now has makes it a tempting partner for such joint ventures. The addition of UFC rights to Paramount+ in 2026 would seem to present opportunities for some kind of bundle with the ESPN Unlimited service, which offers WWE premium live events. DAZN has a wide selection of combat sports, and a bundle or joint venture with Paramount+ might make a lot of sense for both parties.
Let’s say that Paramount does end up acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery in the end. If that happens, it would have a much more imposing library of intellectual property, and WBD’s streamer HBO Max is already part of a bundle with Disney+ and Hulu. Should ownership of HBO Max transfer to Paramount, the company would have a ready-made bundle essentially fall right into its hands. Every streamer not named Netflix would likely be lining up to try to join a bundle with that version of Paramount+.
Paramount+ ended the third quarter of 2025 with 79.1 million subscribers, and it’s already benefited from being bundled in with the Walmart+ subscription service. It’s time for the streamer to seek out new partnerships, and I think it will join more than one before 2026 is over.
Paramount Plus
Paramount+ is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 40,000+ TV show episodes from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., and more. Get free access with a Walmart+ subscription.
Paramount+ includes “1883,” “Tulsa King,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and “PAW Patrol.” Subscribers can watch the NFL, college football, The Masters, college basketball, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Serie A, and NWSL. The service also offers the option to watch your live CBS affiliate. The upgraded ad-free package includes premium movies and shows from Showtime.