Jones Goes to Showtime

The Showtime pay cable station out bid all contenders, including the big guy HBO for the opportunity to be the first to feature the Indy film for TV viewers. Of course, after the exclusivity is fulfilled, “Crystal Skull” will be available all across the TV dial.

This is the networks first big fish in its multi-deal renewal with Paramount pictures. Their current arrangement ended on December 1 and both were scrambling to get a new contract signed before the end of this year. “Crystal Skull” is the biggest result coming out of those negotiations.

Showtime has been reluctant of late to shell out the multi-millions required to get first run choice of major motion pictures, relying more on their hit series’ such as “Dexter,” “Weeds,” “The Tudors,” “Californication” and other top weeklys. They are cheaper to make and have shown great public following. But with “Crystal Skull” thrown in this package as an exclusive first run, Showtime heads of state bit and bit hard.

Even with this new multi-year deal for Showtime cable giant HBO and its sister stations still reign supreme at the top of the pay cable heap.