Paramount+ Lands Blockbuster Legal Thriller in Bidding War

In a major move, Paramount+ has greenlit a straight-to-series order for the legal thriller "Discretion." The high-profile project, from A24 and starring Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning, sparked a bidding war last month before landing at the streamer.

Paramount+, led by Cindy Holland, the new Direct-to-Consumer chair at Paramount, flexed its muscles to secure the series, which is written and executive produced by Chandler Baker. Susannah Grant, known for "Unbelievable," is also on board as an executive producer.

The series follows Lenny, a summer associate at a prestigious Dallas law firm, who uncovers a web of NDAs masking a dark truth. When she realizes she signed the same agreement, her discoveries put her in the crosshairs of the firm's most powerful female partner, Sharon, played by Kidman.

This greenlight marks Paramount+'s first major original series order since the Skydance acquisition. It is part of a broader content ramp-up under the new regime, which has included high-profile deals with the Duffer brothers of "Stranger Things" fame.

Holland's relationships forged during her 18-year tenure at Netflix are believed to have played a key role in landing both the Duffer brothers and the "Discretion" project. The series is expected to receive significant internal support as one of Paramount+'s first new original offerings.