Netflix will be getting pay-TV exclusivity on the films of some of the most box-office-crushing movie studios such as Disney, Marvel, Pixar and Lucasfilms. Netflix customers will now be able to watch blockbuster movies all in one place.
Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos said in a statement that Netflix would become the exclusive U.S. pay-TV home of films from the mentioned studios starting in September. The deal will allow the service to offer movies together with HBO and other paid cable channels. However, the release on Netflix will still come after DVD and Blu-Ray releases.
The new deal is a double win for the streaming service since it blocks HBO and Starz from showing blockbuster hits exclusively. It will also keep the movies off other streaming services such as Amazon Prime and Hulu. The new deal also puts the possibility of producers trying to start their own versions of Netflix.
Both past and present subscribers warmly received the Netflix news, according to Independent. Some have even said that the addition would be enough to make past customers want to re-subscribe.
The rights of Netflix will start with 2016 theatrical releases which means that the line-up will not include "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." However, Netflix has secured a few critically claimed movies such as "Spotlight" and "The Big Short." Other movies included in the line-up include "Captain America: Civil War", "The Jungle Book", "Alice Through The Looking Glass", "Doctor Strange", "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" and "Finding Dory."
Sarandos also announced in a blog post that the Netflix original movie "Mascots" would be included in the line-up in September. The movie is a mockumentary of sports mascots from writer Christopher Guest.
Netflix is reportedly paying hundreds of millions per year for the exclusive deal, according to Daily Mail. Recently, the streaming service ventured into ISPs and revealed a new interactive tool that measures personal Internet connections.
A research report has revealed that the average American subscriber spends nearly two hours of binge watching a day compared to the less than 40 minutes a day spent on communicating and socializing. Netflix understands that they only have 90 seconds to capture a user's attention before the person would put down the remote and do other activities.
