Even though the official Australian launch date of Netflix services is unknown, the company has shared details of the content that will available there at launch
Netflix’s official launch date and even the price at which the service will be available to Australian viewers is unknown for now, but the content that the streaming company will offer at launch is known.
Global partnership deal with Disney
By March, the company is expected to launch its services in Australia, but until now, Netflix’s content plans for Australia were largely in secret. Now Netflix confirmed that it has entered into a global partnership deal with Disney. This will enable it to offer Australian and New Zealand viewers with TV shows and movies from Disney, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm, according to CNET’s Claire Reilly.
The major blockbuster titles taken up by Netflix include movie like Cars, Up, Planes and Monsters, from Pixar films. It will also offer some Marvel titles such as Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Guardians of the Galaxy will be streamed a few months later. Apart from these titles, there will be a host of original Netflix shows like Bloodline, starring Australian Ben Mendelsohn, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Marvel’s Daredevil.
Local firms preparing for Netflix arrival
The news of the entry of the U.S. streaming giant in Australia has caused serious concerns among native subscription video-on-demand providers in Australia. To prepare for competition from the U.S firm, the local subscription video-on-demand providers are in talks with telecommunication companies to bundle their services into broadband deals, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Also Foxtel may soon come up with pricing for its much-awaited “triple play” bundle, which includes broadband, a landline and cable television. With Netflix arriving, Foxtel is facing intense pressure to up its penetration in Australia, which currently is stuck at the 30% mark.
Owing to the contracts Netflix has in Australia, Foxtel airs House of Cards, and Quickflix airs Orange is the New Black. As of now, there is no information from Netflix on whether or not these series will be made available by the time its services are launched in Australia.
