Clarice Heads for Cancellation as Paramount+ Deal Nixed

Clarice is poised to be silenced by CBS in the coming weeks.

The Silence of the Lambs prequel was initially set to move to Paramount+ following its low-rated CBS run, but now the series is in a more precarious position than before.

Deadline is reporting that talks between the streamer and co-producer MGM have fallen through, with neither side able to agree on a deal to keep the show alive.

The news is not that surprising. Clarice was reported to be in contention to move from Paramount+ alongside EVIL and SEAL Team, but when the streamer officially picked up the other two, Clarice was notably absent.

Moving a series from broadcast to streaming is not an easy business because it means that new deals have to be struck, and Deadline says that the license fee for the show was set to increase from the $1.2 million - $1.3 million fee on CBS to $3.8 million per episode if the series moved.

Paramount+ would have been the sole home in the U.S., allowing MGM to handle the international rights to the show.

It's a surprising turn of events, but it highlights just how difficult it is to move a show from one destination to another.

The situation is unfortunate, largely because fans were given a glimmer of hope, as were the 300 staff that worked on the show.

The future is not looking bright for the Rebecca Breeds-led Silence of the Lambs sequel, and there's a good chance the June 24 season finale will now be the series finale.

The cast also includes Michael Cudlitz, Lucca De Oliveira, Kal Penn, Nick Sandow, Devyn A. Tyler, and Marnee Carpenter.

The network has already renewed The Equalizer, FBI, NCIS, Young Sheldon, The Neighborhood, Bob Hearts Abishola, NCIS: Los Angeles, FBI: Most Wanted, B Positive, Blue Bloods, Magnum PI, United States of Al, and Bull.

Mom, NCIS: New Orleans, MacGyver, All Rise, and The Unicorn have all been canceled, while the aforementioned EVIL and SEAL Team are headed to Paramount+.

CBS also has a string of new shows on the horizon, including spinoffs of NCIS, CSI, and FBI as the broadcast networks bet big on known IP.

What are your thoughts on the development?

Do you think the show should continue?

Hit the comments below.

Remember you can watch Clarice online right here via TV Fanatic.

Catch the remaining episodes of the series Thursdays at 10/9c.