Showtime no longer exists as its own app. Its movies now stream inside Paramount+, on the premium tier that includes Showtime. You can also add that same Paramount+ with Showtime package as a channel through Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Roku or YouTube TV, and traditional cable and satellite providers still carry the linear Showtime network.
Key Takeaways
– Where to watch: Showtime films stream on Paramount+, but only on the premium tier. The basic Essential plan does not include the Showtime library.
– Other routes: The Paramount+ with Showtime package is sold as a channel through Prime Video, Apple TV, Roku and YouTube TV. Cable and satellite carry the live Showtime network.
– Free options: No legal free version of the full Showtime library exists. Some Paramount-owned films do rotate onto Pluto TV, which is free with ads.
– Our top picks right now: Hard Truths, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Chinatown, Zodiac, Black Box Diaries and Big Night.
– Heads up: The movie library rotates every month. Search the title in the app before you commit an evening to it.
How Showtime Movies Work on Paramount+ Now
Paramount Global merged Showtime into Paramount+ in 2023, and the standalone Showtime streaming app was shut down. The Showtime library, which includes pay-TV window films, Showtime documentaries and Paramount catalog titles, now lives in a branded collection inside Paramount+. The whole collection is tied to the higher-priced tier.
Most confusion starts with that tier split. On the Essential plan you will see plenty of Paramount films, but titles marked with the Showtime icon will prompt an upgrade when you try to play them. If a movie keeps asking you to “upgrade” on your device, it almost certainly sits in the premium-only collection. Prices and plan names have changed several times since the merger, so we recommend checking the current plan page on paramountplus.com before you subscribe rather than relying on older figures.
Plenty of readers stream Showtime through a live TV bundle instead. That route works, though it usually costs more than going direct, and our Fubo TV review gets into whether a cable-replacement bundle makes sense for people who mostly watch movies.
The Best Showtime Movies Streaming Now
These six films come up again and again in the current Showtime collection. They are also the ones we would push on a friend who asked what to watch tonight. Because licensing windows shift, confirm availability in the app before planning a movie night around any of them.
1. Hard Truths (2024)
Mike Leigh’s best film in a decade belongs to Marianne Jean-Baptiste, who plays Pansy, a London woman whose fury at everything (neighbors, shop clerks, her own family) curdles into something closer to despair. Jean-Baptiste won Best Actress from both the New York Film Critics Circle and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and she deserved every award she received. Michele Austin, playing her warm and patient sister Chantelle, is the film’s quiet counterweight. The movie is funny, then devastating, then funny again. It reunites Leigh with the actress from Secrets & Lies (1996), and it rewards anyone who has ever loved a difficult relative.
2. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Steven Spielberg and George Lucas built the template for the modern adventure blockbuster here. Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones remains the gold standard for a hero who gets punched as often as he punches back. The opening temple sequence, the truck chase and the face-melting finale still play better than most of what studios release today. Paramount owns the franchise, which is why it surfaces in the Showtime collection so often. If it has rotated out, check the Essential tier, because Paramount moves its Indiana Jones films around within its own service.
3. Chinatown (1974)
Roman Polanski directed, Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway star, and Robert Towne’s screenplay won the Oscar for good reason. Chinatown turns a Los Angeles water-rights scandal into one of the bleakest noir plots ever put on screen. Polanski’s personal history makes the film harder for some viewers to revisit, and we understand that. The craft on screen is still undeniable. New York’s repertory houses, Film Forum in particular, program it regularly, and seeing it on 35mm is worth the trip. For a weeknight, streaming does the job.
4. Zodiac (2007)
David Fincher’s procedural about the hunt for the Bay Area serial killer is a movie about obsession, filing cabinets and the slow erosion of the people who refuse to let a case go cold. Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr. each get a different version of that unraveling. Fincher made it as a Paramount and Warner Bros. co-production, so it drifts between services. When it lands in the Showtime collection, grab it. The 157-minute runtime flies.
5. Black Box Diaries (2024)
Japanese journalist Shiori Ito turned her camera on her own case, a sexual assault allegation against a well-connected television journalist, and on the legal and media machinery that tried to bury it. The documentary was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 97th Academy Awards. It also drew controversy in Japan over the use of some footage without consent from the people recorded, and Ito later revised the film in response. It is a tense, personal watch and the strongest recent example of the documentary work that has long been a Showtime calling card.
6. Big Night (1996)
Stanley Tucci and Campbell Scott co-directed this story of two Italian immigrant brothers, played by Tucci and Tony Shalhoub, gambling their failing Jersey Shore restaurant on one extravagant dinner. Minnie Driver, Isabella Rossellini and Ian Holm round out a terrific cast. The timpano scene is famous for a reason. The wordless final shot of a simple omelet may be the most moving thing in the film. It is the ideal pick for a Sunday night with takeout, ideally from a red-sauce joint in Bensonhurst or Carroll Gardens.
How to Find What’s Actually Streaming This Month
The Showtime collection changes on the first of most months, and Paramount+ rarely announces departures loudly. We use three quick checks:
- Search inside the app. Type the title directly. The Showtime icon or an upgrade prompt tells you which tier it sits on.
- Watch the monthly lineup posts. Paramount+ publishes “coming soon” and “leaving soon” lists through its official news channels, and outlets like TV Insider track the changes.
- Use a tracker. Services such as JustWatch and Reelgood show where a film is streaming, renting or selling, and they can alert you when it returns.
If a film has left the collection, most of these titles are available to rent or buy digitally on Prime Video, Apple TV and Google TV. Rental prices vary by title and format.
FAQ
Is Showtime still a separate streaming service?
No. The standalone Showtime app was shut down after the 2023 merger. Showtime movies and series now stream inside Paramount+ on its premium tier, and the linear Showtime channel still airs through cable, satellite and live TV services.
Do I get Showtime movies with Paramount+ Essential?
No. The Essential plan includes many Paramount films, but titles in the Showtime collection require the premium tier. You can upgrade inside your account settings on most devices.
Can I watch Showtime movies for free?
There is no legal free way to stream the full Showtime library. Paramount+ has offered free trials at various times, and Pluto TV, Paramount’s free ad-supported service, sometimes carries older Paramount films.
Can I get Showtime through Amazon Prime Video?
Yes. Prime Video sells Paramount+ with Showtime as an add-on channel, billed through your Amazon account. Apple TV, Roku and YouTube TV offer similar channel options.
Does the Showtime collection include live TV?
The premium Paramount+ tier includes a live feed of the Showtime network in addition to on-demand titles, so you can watch scheduled programming alongside the library.
Why did a movie disappear from Showtime?
Licensing deals expire. Pay-TV windows for theatrical releases typically last a fixed term, and Paramount’s own catalog titles move between tiers and partner services. A tracker app is the fastest way to find where a film went next.
