Sony Pictures has signed a new deal with Netflix that will see the streamer become the exclusive home of films like Unexplored and Morbius at the end of their indoor and home video tours from 2022, via Deadline.
New deal sees Netflix replace Starz as Sony’s ‘one-stop-shop’ partner for what Deadline says it is a “price to pay for registration”. Netflix is an obvious choice for Sony, given that the company already has a paid deal for its animated releases. But the new deal is much more comprehensive, and will see Sony’s theatrical films from its Columbia Pictures studios, Sony Pictures Classics, Screen Gems, and TriStar Pictures all making their way to Netflix.
Starting in 2022, Netflix will be the first US streaming house for Sony Pictures films after their theatrical releases. Get ready for UNCHARTED, MORBIUS, BULLET TRAIN & WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING, as well as future sequels from VENOM, JUMANJI, BAD BOYS & SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE
– NetflixFilm (@NetflixFilm) April 8, 2021
It’s the kind of deal that’s increasingly rare in the movie world, given that companies like Disney (which previously had a similar $ 300 million deal with Netflix from 2016 to 2019) and Warner Bros. . skip an offer to send their films. directly to their respective internal Disney Plus and HBO Max streaming services. And NBCUniversal – which currently has a deal with Netflix for its Universal films and HBO Max for its Animated Illumination lineup – is reportedly considering a similar change that would direct its films to Peacock instead.
The new deal will also give Netflix a first look at one of Sony’s original films that it seeks to stream direct (although Sony can still sell to its competition if Netflix passes). Netflix, however, commits to purchasing an unspecified minimum number of movies. Additionally, the streaming company will also license older movies in Sony’s library to be available on Netflix as well.
“At Sony Pictures, we produce some of the biggest blockbusters and most creative original films in the industry. This exciting deal further demonstrates how important this content is to our distribution partners as they expand their audiences and deliver the best in entertainment, ”said Keith Le Goy, president of distribution and global networks, Sony Pictures, in a press release.
