- Paramount+ is developing "Project Eagle" to integrate short-form video clips and user-generated content (UGC) into its platform by Q1 2026, prioritizing mobile app features.
- The initiative, revealed through leaked internal emails and presentations from mid-January 2026, aims to boost engagement amid a competitive streaming landscape and recent price hikes.
- This move follows Paramount Skydance (PSKY)'s merger with Skydance Media about 100 days ago, leveraging enhanced tech capabilities to compete with social media trends.
Paramount+ is quietly building a short-form video feature, dubbed "Project Eagle," that could reshape how users interact with the streaming service, according to people familiar with the matter. Leaked internal emails and presentations from mid-January 2026 outline plans to integrate video clips and user-generated content (UGC) into the Paramount+ app, with a target launch in the first quarter of 2026. The effort prioritizes mobile features, reflecting a broader industry shift toward bite-sized content as streamers grapple with cord-cutting and competition from platforms like TikTok.
Behind the scenes, execs like Dan Reich, global head of product and design, and Dane Glasgow, product chief, are leading the charge. One insider described it as a "tech-forward vision" driven by CEO David Ellison, who took the helm after Paramount's merger with Skydance Media around late October 2025. That deal, which created Paramount Skydance, has infused the company with new capabilities, including ties to Oracle (ORCL)—owned by Ellison's father, Larry—which now holds a stake in TikTok's US business. Efforts to reach Paramount for comment on the leaks were unsuccessful, but sources say the push is accelerating via AMLG AI tools for personalization.
Without such innovations, Paramount risks falling behind in a market where short-form video dominates younger audiences' screen time. The company added 1.4 million subscribers in Q3 2025 (July-September), but it's facing pressure to sustain growth after recent price hikes. Effective January 15-17, 2026, monthly plans rose by about $1, with the annual Essential tier up 50% and Premium up 17%, partly to fund a $7.7 billion UFC deal for exclusive US live events—a move that eliminates pay-per-view fees for subscribers. Prior hikes had already pushed ad-free plans from $9.99 in 2021 to $12.99 monthly, sparking debates over affordability as discounts and free trials dwindle.
Industry watchers note this isn't happening in a vacuum. Disney (DIS) is exploring short-form and UGC on Disney+ through an OpenAI partnership announced in December 2025, while Netflix (NFLX) has tested vertical video and mobile app redesigns to fend off social competition. For Paramount, "Project Eagle" could offer a cheap way to boost engagement, supplementing year-round originals like Dexter: Resurrection and Yellowjackets Season 4. The platform currently offers limited clips and trailers but lacks a dedicated short-form feed, making this a significant pivot.
In the short term, tests will focus on personalized feeds from existing content, with UGC integration looming as a longer-term goal. Analysts suggest it could benefit content creators and UFC fans seeking value, but success hinges on execution in a crowded field. As one source put it, "It's about catching up fast—or getting left behind."