Netflix Disney Exclusivity Deal To Start This September

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Netflix finalized a deal with Disney all the way back in 2012, and now that blockbuster deal is all set to take effect. Beginning September, Netflix will get the permission to stream all Disney films including film titles from Marvel, Pixar and Lucas in the same window as and when they are made available to the paid TV networks such as HBO and Starz.

A big win for Netflix

Though the streaming firm will still get it after the Blu-ray and digital releases, it will still be much sooner than the long and often unpredictable wait to which Netflix customers have been subjected to in the past. The agreement covers all Disney films released theatrically in 2016 and beyond.

As per the reports, Netflix is paying hundreds of millions of dollars every year for those. Owing to the Netflix/Disney exclusivity pact, subscription networks like HBO and Starz are blocked from procuring Disney’s latest hits at least during the first-run pay TV window. At the same time, it keeps them off other streaming services such as Amazon Prime, Hulu and others.

A point worth noting is, this deal is applicable to new theatrical releases only as for other Disney content separate licensing deals are in place. Original programming is also included in Netflix’s ‘exclusive’ partnership with Disney as part of which Marvel’s Daredevil debuted on the video-streaming service last year.

Plans to replace non-exclusive titles with exclusive content

Netflix is boating about this pact in a new blog post. This post is meant to stir excitement about new movies and shows that’ll be hitting this summer. Netflix’s current content boss – Ted Sarandos, said “From September onwards, Netflix will become the exclusive US pay TV home of the latest films from Disney, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and Pixar.”

Netflix’s latest move is a part of its bigger ambitions of hosting more unique content. Last year, the video-streaming giant revealed that it has no plans of renewing its Epix deal, and this effectively means that a number of big-name movies were pulled from the platform in the US.

Typically, Netflix puts the summer period into use for rejiggering its content library, and same goes for this year as well. However, Sarandos plans to replace some of the non-exclusive titles with the new exclusive movies and TV shows, but he gave no details on what exactly will be leaving the service.

Nevertheless, this deal is undoubtedly a significant boost in the ongoing exclusivity wars between these big streaming companies.

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