Netflix Acquires Exclusive Rights to Disney Films

Netflix has acquired the exclusive rights to Disney films, a huge victory for the video-on-demand service. The three-year deal, which goes into effect in 2016, includes releases from Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm, and will put Netflix into direct competition with TV heavyweights like HBO and Showtime.

"This deal brings to our subscribers some of the highest quality, most imaginative family films being made today," Ted Sarandos, Netflix's chief content officer, said in a statement. "It's a leap forward for Internet television."

The deal marks the first time Netfix has acquired exclusive film rights from a major studio, something the Los Gatos-based company has been after for years. Netflix will be able to stream Disney movies seven to nine months after they arrive in theaters.

"An exclusive deal with Disney differentiates the Netflix content from Hulu Plus and Amazon Instant Video," Anthony DiClemente, an analyst with Barclays Capital, told NBC.

The partnership doesn’t come cheap, however. Analysts predict Netflix paid over $350 million a year for Disney’s movie, which also include the non-exclusive streaming rights to older titles like Alice in Wonderland and Pocahontas. Some worry the massive price tag will force Netflix to raise rates, but the company says they “are not contemplating” a hike.

Any old Disney film you're looking forward to watching?

LA Times

Photo: Wikimedia

Source: http://blog.starcam.com/post/Netflix-Acquires-Exclusive-Rights-to-Disney-Films.aspx

Nicole Kidman Paris Hilton Anne Hathaway