‘SEAL Team’ Movie For Paramount+, ‘NCIS: Sydney’ International Spinoff

Just days after SEAL Team was renewed for Season 6 by Paramount+, the military drama also has received an order for a stand-alone movie from the streamer. Additionally, NCIS: Sydney, an offshoot from the venerable crime drama franchise, has been commissioned by Paramount+ Australia and the country’s ViacomCBS-owned Network 10. The projects, announced during the ViacomCBS Investor presentation, come from CBS Studios which is tapping into the studio’s IP to expand two of its current series/franchises.

NCIS: Sydney, which is slated for 2023, marks the first time one of CBS Studios’ global drama franchises is getting an international spinoff. The series, which will be filmed in Sydney, will feature local stories and Australian actors and producers, led by one of the most decorated alums of the NCIS franchise, NCIS: Los Angeles creator and former NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles executive producer/showrunner Shane Brennan who now lives in his native Australia. His exact capacity is TBD. NCIS: Sydney is being developed specifically for Paramount+ Australia as one of its first original series; it could also play in other territories, including U.S., as ViacomCBS’ streamer expands worldwide.

The SEAL Team standalone movie, which will not be a bridge between the recent fifth season and the upcoming sixth season, comes from the series’ creative team of star/executive producer David Boreanaz, executive producer Christopher Chulack and executive producer/showrunner Spencer Hudnut. Its concept is still being developed.

“These two projects represent two new ways we are expanding our studio footprint while supporting the company’s mission to drive streaming,” said George Cheeks, president and CEO of CBS and chief content officer for news and sports at Paramount+. “We have the producing roster, production infrastructure and deep library to be creative and nimble with franchises and other IP for both domestic and international audiences.”

For SEAL Team, which was a broadcast series on CBS for its first four seasons, the movie marks another digital milestone. The series just produced its first season for streaming where original movies happily co-exist with series, faring far better than they do on linear TV.

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Brennan joined NCIS at the beginning of Season 4 in 2006 and was tapped as showrunner the following season. He went on to create NCIS: LA and ran both the mothership series and the spinoff for two seasons before focusing on NCIS: LA. He stepped down as showrunner of that series in 2016 and, after a couple of more years developing under his CBS Studios overall deal, he permanently relocated to his home country of Australia.

Other Paramount+ originals from CBS Studios based on the studio’s library of IP include the expansive Star Trek universe, The Game reboot, which launched in November and has been renewed for a second season, and the upcoming Frasier revival.