Sky locks new multi-year Warner Bros. first-window deal after contract was up for renewal; future films will include Man of Steel, The Hangover Part III and The Great Gatsby.

Sky and Warner Bros. have cemented their relationship in the UK, agreeing to a new output deal which will see Sky continue to offer its subscribers exclusive first window access to Warner Bros.’ films on a number of platforms.

The deal includes access to Warner films six months after theatrical release via the Sky Movies channels and NOW TV, the internet TV service powered by Sky.

Films will be available before then on a non-exclusive basis via Sky’s pay-per-view services Sky Movies Box Office and Sky Store.

Once on Sky Movies, the films will be available on the service exclusively for more than a year.

Releases include Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, The Dark Knight Rises, Dark Shadows and Wrath of the Titans, as well future releases such as Man of Steel, The Hangover Part III, The Great Gatsby, in addition to a significant library.

After the success of their marketing campaign for the Harry Potter films the two companies also expressed a desire “to work more closely on the release and marketing of films in the UK and Ireland” going forward.

The deal comes as rival services Netflix and LoveFilm have been jostling for more distributor deals in the UK.

Ian Lewis, director of Sky Movies said: “This new deal will give Sky Movies customers exclusive access to the full range of Warner Bros.’ films, including recent hits like The Dark Knight Rises and classic titles such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy, reflecting our focus on offering the biggest choice of the best films.

“By making the films available on demand and on our multiplatform service Sky Go, Sky is strengthening the customer experience, offering customers greater value and flexibility. The deal also sees us extend our reach by offering the films on NOW TV and Sky Store, giving more people new ways to enjoy our fantastic content,” he continued.

Jeffrey R. Schlesinger, president, Warner Bros. International Television Distribution added: “We are pleased to extend our association with Sky in the UK and Ireland. In an increasingly competitive environment for high quality features, we have once again selected Sky as the best home for our films in the first pay window.”

Josh Berger CBE, president and managing director, Warner Bros. UK, Ireland & Spain commented: “As the UK television and digital landscape continues to evolve, we’re thrilled to be partnering with Sky to deliver our market-leading motion picture slate to millions of subscribers across multiple platforms”.

Topics