Disney and Sony have reached a multi-year deal for the post-pay-1 release period, a pact that will strike Spider Man and other major franchises that can stream on Disney + for the first time.
The flagship streaming service and Hulu are among the many platforms covered by the agreement, which the official announcement called “unprecedented.” A huge number of platforms under the Disney tent are involved, including ABC, FX, Freeform. There are no specific plans for Disney + yet, but Marvel fans wondered when Spidey and others would appear alongside the rest of the streaming stable. For complicated legal reasons, the franchise is not a full member of the Disney-controlled Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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Cinema releases from 2022 to 2026 will move to Disney following their runs on Netflix, which earlier this month announced a deal with Sony for a pay-1 exclusive and co-production rights to direct-to-streaming movies.
Financial terms were not disclosed in the publication and the companies declined to comment on dollar figures. A person familiar with the pact estimated the total combined value of the Netflix and Disney deals at more than $ 3 billion.
Library rights to franchises such as Spider Man, Jumanji, Hotel Transylvania and others are part of the package.
The official announcement said the deal “gives Disney tremendous programming potential on its platforms and makes it one of the top destinations for a robust collection of Spider-Man movies.” Hulu will also be getting a “significant number” of library titles starting June.
Linear networks joining the new deal include ABC, Disney Channels, Freeform, FX and National Geographic. FX and Sony have been in the business for years and the general Disney agreement succeeds an earlier “post-pay-1” agreement with FX. Universal, another major FX provider, recently ended its long-term relationship with FX, so Sony’s continued offering of titles is a boost to the widespread pay-TV network.
“This groundbreaking multi-year, cross-platform agreement guarantees the Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution team a tremendous amount of flexibility and a wide range of programming options to leverage Sony’s rich list of award-winning action and family films for our direct-to-consumer services. channels, ”said Chuck Saftler, Head of Business Operations for ABC, Freeform, FX Networks and Acquisitions in DMED’s Networks division. Saftler, a key architect of FX’s film slate deals, played a key role in the negotiations. fans, who will benefit from the opportunity to access the very best content from two of Hollywood’s most prolific studios across a variety of viewing platforms and experiences. ”
Keith Le Goy, president of global distribution and networking for Sony Pictures Entertainment, called it a “groundbreaking deal.” It “confirms an important part of our film distribution strategy,” he added, “which is to maximize the value of each of our films by making them available to consumers in all windows with a wide variety of key partners.”
In a memo to employees, Tom Rothman, president of SPE’s film group, said the Netflix and Sony deals “reflect the exceptional and unique value that comes with the culturally impactful films we create and market. . Nothing beats the excellent slate from Sony Pictures available for free in the modern market and the demand for it is high. “