A recent pact between Netflix and Sony Pictures Entertainment ensures that Sony's movies will premiere on the streaming platform ahead of others, according to a collaborative announcement from both entities. This arrangement builds upon Netflix's prior exclusive access to Sony productions within the United States, positioning the service as the primary destination for viewers seeking new releases such as the live-action version of The Legend of Zelda and four biographical films centered on The Beatles.
Under the terms, Sony's cinematic offerings will become available globally on Netflix during the 'Pay-1' phase, which follows a film's cinema debut and video-on-demand distribution. Additionally, Netflix is acquiring rights to an unspecified quantity of older movies and series from Sony's extensive archive to bolster its content offerings. The platform indicates that implementation of this expanded access will occur progressively as permissions are secured over the coming months, culminating in complete rollout by 2029. While the partnership is characterized as spanning multiple years, specifics on its total duration remain undisclosed.
The ongoing alliance between Netflix and Sony has proven advantageous to date. Titles including Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Uncharted, and Anyone But You have enjoyed strong viewer engagement during their post-theater streaming periods. For instance, the animated feature KPop Demon Hunters originated as a successful Sony Animation exclusive on Netflix before transitioning to a lucrative big-screen release orchestrated by the streamer. According to Variety, Netflix is committing more than $7 billion to Sony under this latest arrangement, underscoring the value placed on extending their collaboration for the foreseeable future.
Netflix maintains a comparable streaming agreement with Universal, facilitating the platform's distribution of other Nintendo-based films such as The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Looking further ahead, the company is pursuing a major acquisition: Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion. To block this transaction, Paramount has initiated legal action against Warner Bros. Discovery, alleging disregard for its rival offer to acquire the studio.